shawny

Coke Church (tel. 876/922-2224), the most prominent building on East Parade, stands on the site of the first Methodist chapel in Jamaica. The present structure was rebuilt after the 1907 earthquake, replacing the original built in 1840 and named after Thomas Coke, who founded the Methodist missions in the British Caribbean. It is one of the few buildings of brick construction in Kingston.

For a guided tour lasting about half an hour, call Juliet Gordon (tel. 876/925-8798 or cell tel. 876/362-9319, oldejamaica@yahoo.com, www.oldejamaicatours.com, US$5 for adults US$2 for children) who runs We Jamaica Tours. Mrs. Gordon can arrange transportation from anywhere in Kingston and specializes in historical churches around the Corporate Area, like Holy Trinity, the Jewish Synagogue, St. Andrew Parish Church, East Queen's Street Baptist, Coke Methodist, Cots Kirk, and Spanish Town Cathedral, as well as other historical sites island wide. She's been leading tours since 2005 with a JTB-licensed operation.