Ascension Island Government building in Georgetown
Ascension Island is an extremely isolated and relatively young oceanic island. It lies about 8 degrees south of the Equator and is approximately mid way across the Atlantic Ocean from Africa to South America. The island is Km from north to south and 14 Km from west to east and has an area of 97 square Km with extremely rugged volcanic terrain. Georgetown is the capital and chief settlement of Ascension Island. The town is named after King George III, who reigned at the time the island was claimed for Britain and garrisoned by the Admiralty in 1815. This building was constructed between 1899 and 1903. It was originally conceived as the PO Mess, but by the time it was completed it had been designated as the offices of the Eastern Telegraph Company. The downstairs section housed the office of the Superintendent of the cable room, and the upper storey was used as his accommodation. When the permanent offices of the ETC were built, on the site of the current AIS and SAAC buildings, the hostel was converted into living accommodation. For many years the building was known as Top Flat and Bottom Flat, and housed the Historical Society Gallery, youth organisations, and the Islander Newspaper, from which the building takes its name. The St Helena Public Works Department evicted these organisations in 1989 to allow the conversion of the building into a transit hostel. It thus became Ascension’s first hotel but today it houses the staff of the Ascension Island Government.
Size: 7360px × 4912px
Location: Georgetown, Ascension Island, South Atlantic Ocean
Photo credit: © Robert Kennett / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: Yes
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