Liberta, Antigua

Liberta
Village
Liberta
Coordinates: 17°02′N 61°47′W / 17.033°N 61.783°W / 17.033; -61.783Coordinates: 17°02′N 61°47′W / 17.033°N 61.783°W / 17.033; -61.783
Country	Antigua and Barbuda
Island	Antigua
Population (2012)
• Total	3,301
Time zone	AST (UTC-4)

Liberta is the third-largest town in Antigua. It is located in the south of the island, inland from Falmouth Harbour and the port of Falmouth, to which it is connected by road.

History

Around the time of emancipation, a female estate owner had financial troubles and was forced to sell off a part of her property in small lots. The ex-slaves in the neighbourhood bought up all the little freeholds, as they desired to own land in perpetuity. They immediately settled on the lots they had purchased, framed their houses and cultivated their gardens. Besides working on nearby plantations, income was also earned working as mechanics at the dockyard. Later on, their descedents also worked in trade as tailors and shop keepers. “Liberta” (meaning liberty) sprang up from freed people in 1835. By 1842, a painted signboard near its border read: “The Village of Liberta”.

Education

In Liberta village there is a school called Liberta Junior Secondary which serves grades 1-9. There is a small steelpan orchestra there.

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