May Pen

Jamaica's second-largest inland town after Spanish Town, May Pen is strictly Jamaican--receiving few foreign visitors compared with other major population centers on the island.

May Pen is the parish capital, with several heritage sites in its vicinity, including Halse Hall Great House, and the birthplace of acclaimed writer and poet Claude McKay, who went on to contribute to the Harlem Renaissance movement after moving to the United States.

May Pen was established on the banks of the Rio Minho and grew thanks to the river, which hampered travelers who took rest in the inns that were established on its banks. In the 1880s a railway station was built, further fueling the town's growth. Clarendon has a disproportionately large population of East Indian descent and is the location for Hosay, a traditional Indian festival that has been Jamaicanized.

The town gets its name from the Reverend William May, who owned the estate that predates the settlement. May served as rector in Kingston, and his son went on to become custos of Clarendon and Vere. The second important annual event held in May Pen is the Denbeigh Agricultural Show, which is a fantastic display of the region's farming prowess.