Headquarters House

Kingston


The brick-and-timber house was originally known as Hibbert House, named after Thomas Hibbert, reportedly one of four members of the House of Assembly who in 1755 engaged in a bet to build the finest house and thereby win the attention of a much-sought-after beauty (he lost the bet). In 1872, when the capital was moved from Spanish Town to Kingston, the house became the seat of the Jamaican legislature and remained so until 1960, when Gordon House was built next door.

Since 1983, Headquarters House has hosted the Jamaica National Heritage Trust, which has its offices in the former bedrooms and an extension. Visitors are welcome to visit the rest of the building, including the former debating chamber on the ground floor, holding portraits of Jamaica’s national heroes and a piano in the corner, which was used to compose Jamaica’s national anthem. Upstairs is a lookout tower of the type commonly built by the wealthy merchants of yesteryear to espy incoming vessels.


Lonely Planet's must-see attractions

Nearby Kingston attractions

1. Gordon House

0.02 MILES

Jamaica’s parliament meets at Gordon House, immediately north of Headquarters House. The rather plain brick-and-concrete building was constructed in 1960…

2. Shaare Shalom Synagogue

0.09 MILES

Jamaica’s only synagogue is an attractive white building dating from 1912. It's usually locked, though on weekdays there is often someone in the little…

3. Liberty Hall

0.13 MILES

At the end of a tree-lined courtyard, decorated with cheerful mosaics and a mural depicting Marcus Garvey, stands Liberty Hall, the headquarters of Garvey…

4. Coke Memorial Hall

0.17 MILES

The crenelated redbrick building facing East Parade is the 1840 Coke Memorial Hall, named after the founder of the Methodist churches in the Caribbean,…

6. Statue of Queen Victoria

0.2 MILES

An imperious statue of Queen Victoria stands unamused at the eastern side of Parade, erected in 1897 for her diamond jubilee. As well as noting her role…

7. Ward Theatre

0.21 MILES

At North Parade, the distinguished Ward Theatre, built in 1911, once hosted the annual Boxing Day pantomime – a riotous, irreverent social satire. Sadly,…

8. Parade

0.22 MILES

William Grant Park, more commonly known as ‘Parade,’ is the bustling heart of Downtown, and originally hosted a fortress erected in 1694 with guns…

  • placement: superzone
  • path: Destinations/POIs/superzone
  • possible size: [970, 250], [970, 90], [728, 90], [1, 1],
  • targeting:
    {
      "url": "jamaica/kingston/attractions/headquarters-house/a/poi-sig/1421632/358074",
      "destination": "Kingston",
      "continent": "Caribbean",
      "country": "Jamaica",
      "city": "Kingston",
      "position": "superzone"
    }