Times of the Islands Winter 2020/21
Presents the "soul of the Turks & Caicos Islands" with in-depth features about local people, culture, history, environment, real estate, businesses, resorts, restaurants and activities.
Presents the "soul of the Turks & Caicos Islands" with in-depth features about local people, culture, history, environment, real estate, businesses, resorts, restaurants and activities.
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astrolabe newsletter <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Turks & Caicos National Museum<br />
INGRID POHL FAMILY PHOTOGRAPHS<br />
Top: This is <strong>the</strong> yacht Spindrift tied up on <strong>the</strong> Miami River just before departing for East Caicos with <strong>the</strong> “modern Crusoes” on board.<br />
Bottom left: Cletys Ackerman and Greta and Karl Kvanvig stand next to a cottage on East Caicos built <strong>of</strong> tabby concrete.<br />
Bottom right: Margaret Lorntsen sits in front <strong>of</strong> a pile <strong>of</strong> conch shells which were burned to create lime. It was mixed with water, sand and<br />
ash to make <strong>the</strong> tabby concrete.<br />
Modern Crusoes<br />
The rest <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> story.<br />
By Jeffrey Dodge<br />
In 2017, <strong>the</strong> Astrolabe published a story I wrote about 19 Californians who went to East Caicos in 1940<br />
with <strong>the</strong> intention <strong>of</strong> establishing a utopian colony <strong>the</strong>re. (See: https://www.timespub.tc/2018/01/modern-crusoes/).<br />
Since that article was published, I have been contacted by descendants <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> group’s<br />
leader, Richard Irvine. They’ve shared recorded interviews with Richard Irvine, two <strong>of</strong> his daughters and<br />
100-year-old Alton Higgs <strong>of</strong> Middle Caicos. Higgs worked for <strong>the</strong> Californians on East Caicos in 1940 when<br />
he was 18 years old. Here is <strong>the</strong> rest <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> story.<br />
62 www.timespub.tc