I Found Jamaica’s 100-Year-Old Hidden Dam! (FULL TOUR) | History Vlog

Added: 2026-05-06

[00:00:28]What's going on everybody? Everybody Noel here again back on another video.

[00:00:32]So this is actually a voice over because apparently my microphone wasn't working at the moment. So there was no audio and I didn't realize until now when I'm doing editing. Anyways, we are in a place called Bowen Hill in St. Tangu and I'm here I am here to explore a abandoned or a decommissioned dam and I'm going to take you guys along with me through the exploration. Uh I don't remember what I was saying but here's the entrance to the journey or the hike to the dam. Also behind me is a primary school called Bowen Hill Primary and Infant School.

[00:01:20]So, let's get started.

[00:01:42]All right. And so I didn't expect I didn't expect to encounter any roadblock, but it would make sense because the hurricane passed and even probably 4 months or 5 months since hurricane pass now and well there's a walkway but as you can see this place definitely they took some damages um from the hurricane.

[00:02:06]Wow.

[00:02:08]Not even remember anything at all about the hurricane. antique. So all the way up in the hills of St. Andrew not lie people realize that anytime me go on any adventure a real real adventure real real adventure because we have hours is some kind of hiking or some kind of journey just to get to the location look at this drop off >> goes all the way down there. They don't want to fall down there cuz once you fall, once you go down, you're not coming back up. Yeah. And people I am already out of breath.

[00:02:50]The hiking easy. But you know the good scenery them or the good location for the mysterious locations is never yet an easy access.

[00:03:03]Yeah.

[00:03:06]Never an easy access.

[00:03:11]Not a lot of people. The scenery and the feeling here is great. Like you might can't you might cannot feel it but the place is just cool and nice. You can hear the sound of the water in the background and there there's just bamboo tree everywhere. It just feel nice and thing. I noticed there's a road here that leads go to that direction.

[00:03:34]I might go down there, but not now. I can see the dam through this. So, we are basically we are technically here at the dam now.

[00:03:46]So, I'm excited.

[00:03:51]Well, all right. So, this is not my first time here, people, but I'm still excited. I came here before and did magnet fishing and thing. never really find nothing much and but I did attempt to do mango fishing. So there's a sign here and you cannot read it so that don't matter. But anyhow, look at this my people. It's massive.

[00:04:21]It's massive. And the water is brown.

[00:04:25]The water is brown and yeah dirty.

[00:04:30]Um, I assume that that is because a lot of rain has been falling since lately in Kingston. A lot of rain. So, well, in this area in general, um, first thing I notice people, water coming from that direction. I see a next opening over there. I see a next opening over there and also there. Not sure about down there. So it seems to me that there's multiple river that feeds into this area right here. So that is a perfect thing. Multiple river lead to one area and it just converted to a dam.

[00:05:08]So before I get started people before we get started people did you know about this dam? Did you know about this location? Let me know in the comment section and we're going to do a drone shot now.

[00:05:55]All right. So, that that was a drone shot. I'm hoping you like it. I love it.

[00:06:00]Anyways, so you can tell there's there's a lot of fish in this water. When you might not see it, but a whole heap of um what them call that? You can see the water break fish in this looks and and know a big fish must in this dam is so big and massive. Most of the dams in this region was constructed in the in the late 1920s to the to to the 1950s cuz them place are old. This is not just 1997 or 2000.

[00:06:34]They can just by look of it. For example, look at the concrete right here. Look on the iron. Look on the rust on all of this. You can tell. So this is not no just wy bill up a long time this bill. All right. So what is the purpose of this dam? Well, of course to supply water to nearby communities. Well, first you have to go to a water treatment plant because no way this water is going straight into everybody pipe or household. So more than likely this dam had to go to they had to they had to channel the water to like a a water treatment um facility if I'm saying it correct. If anybody from water commission watching let me know if my correct or if I want help for add any additional details feel free to add it to the comment section. So based on the look of this down there let me zoom in real quick. This is a pipe that they used that they This is a well it's old.

[00:07:35]This is a pipe that they used to channel the water to all the way there. And I assume they used to have some big massive pipes that run all the way to that direction or that direction or that direction. And that used to channel the water um to the to the necessary areas and communities. And I don't know if I if I forgot to mention not sure if I forgot to mention people but this is a decommissioned dam and it has been decommissioned from at least the 1950 long long time ago people. Yes.

[00:08:14]All right.

[00:08:16]Yo line of people the dam look scary.

[00:08:19]Look at this massive log right here. I you know right here and then we can assume we can assume um as to why um the dam was decommissioned. So assume three things people three things. So as you can see there's a lot of buildup right here. A lot of buildup. So imagine underneath the water underneath the dam where the water is channelled through.

[00:08:47]You can tell say that a work of build up and probably they didn't even have the money to maintain it or the people you know or the technology. So technology upgrade a lot of sediment build up. What else? And firstly that the dam is aging.

[00:09:02]So based on the looks of it you can see how old it is. You can see how old it is and whatever cracks and people it is not properly maintained. Well, look at this.

[00:09:17]There's a camera right here moved to it.

[00:09:20]So, it it was not properly maintained people. So, that can be few of the reason why it it was decommissioned.

[00:09:29]As me always say, if you're watching and you have any knowledge on it, you can always let me know in the comment section. I am I always welcome any correction or any additional details.

[00:09:40]So, look at this. Now I will call this the h the um something another room. I call it the powerhouse. It don't generate power or electricity but I will call it powerhouse. This is where the the control room. I think that is the correct word. People get a bit of view.

[00:10:01]So this right here is the control room and um it have some numbers on it.

[00:10:09]30 33 26 and I assume these numbers are how wide them open the gates. We don't know at this point I'm guessing on this on that part. Um and people look at this.

[00:10:25]There's a lot of fishing nets here. That means the people here do the people in this from this community do a lot of fishing in this area. That means there's a lot of big fish in this water as well.

[00:10:37]Wait, me and Steph not even know if this even sturdy.

[00:10:43]It feels sturdy enough. Definitely feel sturdy um out there. I'm not lie. Like what is that for? All right. So, in a sense, this kind of look like a fishing area to me. Um which I I I am I am sure it is not that. So people if that thing that police system right there if you have an idea of what they used to use that to do let me know in the comment section like we can't find information now cuz up here has no internet connection. Yeah but I don't know this a shake you know so you have to make one person stand point at a time the two of we can't fall in the dam like me can swim but you cannot swim. Yeah.

[00:11:32]Feel kind of shaky.

[00:11:35]All right, people.

[00:11:37]I'm going show look like right here.

[00:11:41]Yes, this is me right now. Not like kind of scary just to start up right here.

[00:11:45]So, no joke cuz if the water can't swim it up before the water also the edge is right here.

[00:11:57]The edge is just right here.

[00:12:01]So if the current would have pushed me over, it not look that strong still.

[00:12:07]Yeah. And you can't even get an example of how a dam operates people like like like is a is a is a is like a tall wall bu coming high up in the air and deep down like like it goes far far down probably probably even like uh 20 ft 30 something feet 40 something feet even deep just as that and and this store all of the water it can be dirty water or clean water it doesn't matter and the water go to a goes to a treatment plant where they treat it for dirt and anything like that. Then it gets sent out to everybody home. So we could proceed on the journey.

[00:12:50]Let's see what else here. And here's a next camera. So that means that this place is still monitored. I assume by water commission.

[00:13:00]Yeah. Um so but them people just Hold on there.

[00:13:06]Why them just leave them net them fishing net like this like do better do better. Yo this a creek.

[00:13:18]Anyways go on this side people.

[00:13:27]Here's another view of the inside of the control room. I am yet to I yet to figure out what those things used to do.

[00:13:34]as myself, let me know in the comment section.

[00:13:37]And people, you know, the next thing we want talking about like like there's so many abandoned places in Jamaica are decommissioned. Like this is an example of Jamaica infrastructure and things. So me think I think know if me wrong, let me know if I'm wrong or you can drop a suggestion in the comment section. Do you think that the government should or somebody of authority should like use these different places as a heritage site or a tour? Tourists can come here like there's a lot of tour tourist option for Kingston Jamaica and St. Andrew. People can come here and the tour, learn about the history, about the dam, you know, instead of having it sitting here and not being used, you know, you can do tour. The people from the community them themselves can be hired to do the tour, do a walk through, you know, come here and take photo. You can do photo shoot up here. All them things, video shoot, all them things there. Yeah.

[00:14:45]Um, all right. So, we're going to head down to that side and see if there's anything else to see.

[00:14:53]And you know people the next thing you want to talk about is like know if all people let me know in the comment section if I should come back here with my underwater drone and search do a drone search like when the water clear up and put it and clean more come back with underwater drone and do a search or fishing. Yeah, fishing on the water and do a drone search um and see if we can find anything under underneath the water. Yeah, let me know that. I think that would be an interesting video.

[00:15:35]All right.

[00:15:39]And now like in some country they like slide off like use some tube and just slide off of this all the way down.

[00:15:50]Wow, look at this.

[00:15:56]Alive still dead.

[00:15:59]>> No, not him. Move. I'm zoom in. Touch him.

[00:16:08]>> You see move?

[00:16:10]>> Yeah.

[00:16:13]>> All right. Can't help him. I don't want to touch him and not have the knife.

[00:16:18]>> I want him now.

[00:16:20]>> Yeah. So people this how me talk about people like like put up them things here. Do not leave the net like that.

[00:16:29]Why you leave the net like that?

[00:16:32]Pack up your net. The net no good again.

[00:16:34]So cut it up and dash it. Burn it. But don't just leave it like that.

[00:16:39]>> You see at first see one up close like this. You wonder what I got about this.

[00:16:48]I wonder have no knife or no scissors on me to cut him free.

[00:16:55]Uh I wonder what can do.

[00:17:00]Uh we're not sure people are not sure.

[00:17:04]Uh like fully confused now. know if we can touch him cuz have teeth know bite teeth there and people don't bash him leave him alone because can I cut him free from this and we don't want touch him too much because >> because we don't know we don't know if have certain disease can really affect affect us you know so we don't want to trouble you But if let me know in the comment section if I do the right thing or the wrong thing.

[00:17:42]Never leave him as is. Um and if you're watching this and you live up in this community, please you see where it calls, you see where the net cause. So just cut the net. Dash the net. If it no good no more, pack it up and burn it or dash it. But don't leave it like this. Yeah.

[00:18:02]>> Oh my god. Oh my god.

[00:18:06]Oh, >> him jump a while ago. I'm saying full of energy.

[00:18:10]>> Oh my god.

[00:18:11]>> So this Oh, the sunlight burn him.

[00:18:15]>> The sunlight burn him. Sunlight like um um what now? It's very >> light sensitive. You see that? It can bite. So this is why we don't want to touch him.

[00:18:33]>> All right. here. At least try me something.

[00:18:39]Um >> me wonder if we can like at least move him to a shade so the sun like this or we can at least um put something over him so the sun torch him like this whole day. I don't know.

[00:18:56]>> Um, but the neck connect is a long piece of net people like like we just like see something. It's a long piece of net.

[00:19:10]>> A long piece move.

[00:19:13]>> A long piece of net help him really really and truly.

[00:19:18]And it hot out here people. No joke. So cut real quick and try see a solution that is this is why you know from this day on start walk start to walk with a um a pocket knife. Yeah start walk with a pocket knife cuz no way something as simple as this can't help cut him free at least leave him in the bush over there. So >> yo that's dangerous you know cuz it would have bite me. Oh yeah. Cut and come.

[00:19:50]>> All right. So try um tear we can actually pop the um the nets because out here so long then actually pin I try pop him free break him free and safe.

[00:20:04]Yo, kind of dangerous and I'm not steer you enough cuz kind of scary.

[00:20:32]All right. So, I managed to get him free. Not 100% free, but this is good enough. Yeah, with me have a knife or scissors. I'm going to get him completely free and it can fly away when night come. But I have no access to that.

[00:20:54]And as said, really want to touch him like that. So, this are the best we can do. We know this not really make him survive. But at least he not suffer in the harsh sunlight all day long.

[00:21:09]>> Yeah.

[00:21:16]>> As a matter of fact, put him right here.

[00:21:19]Hopefully somebody come and see him and and say, "All right, >> maybe we can help him by um cutting set him free." Yeah, because Yeah, just hope hopefully somebody see him and do that. Anyways, back to the video. I will be heading all the way down there to the end of the dam to see if there's nothing else to see.

[00:21:45]>> Yeah, people. So, um um people, if you think I did a great job helping the the the Rockbot, I think this v video deserve a like. Please like the video. I really appreciate it. And then the next thing is if you are not yet subscribed, please do so. I am on the road to 100,000 subscriber people.

[00:22:11]So if you want some flourish like that just subscribe from now as as you know these these type of videos is my type of video. So if you're interested in something new all the time subscribe from now people. Yeah. Um so as you can see yeah man the structure is very old.

[00:22:31]So you can tell it's a really long time the bridge was decommissioned you know.

[00:22:36]to read and truly on the internet like come read up there's no actual date exact date like when it get when it was built and when it was decommissioned there's just some estimates and things yeah and then over here now people here's a raft I assume that this ra is used to catch fishes or maybe maybe Um, I can't tour him. I don't think he's that cuz I never see see something something like that out up here. So, more likely I have to like catch fish.

[00:23:16]So, the rain, look at the rain go fall soon. The rain did fall really heavy yesterday. So, kind of put some pepper on my step and move faster because we still need to go around to the waterfall. Sun can see that. Yeah.

[00:23:36]Mhm.

[00:23:38]Not like the manmade dam in Jamaica.

[00:23:41]Amazing. Like the next man made man-made dam like a dam much bigger than this.

[00:23:46]Well, no it no bigger than this but it tall like it's a dam but it turned into a waterfall like way taller than this.

[00:23:55]Um I think that I think that is called Regga Falls. Those of who didn't know reg is offici is was originally a dam and it is considered as considered as um the tallest man-made waterfall in Jamaica. People look at this. I never know this. There's water running in the bridge handle or railings.

[00:24:24]I never know that. You can't even feel the water channel through it. But see there, there's a pipe here and it break off and go somewhere. So you know what that means? Say that means that there's more to around here than just this.

[00:24:43]Mhm.

[00:24:45]Yeah.

[00:24:47]There's more to it. I never know that.

[00:24:52]Okay people good come down here we not even go over there so so over there there's a container house go some more so you can see that whole more fish in it like get crazy with this now and what a scale of some big fish in the water then all right So over here there's a container house and everything and there's blue and white which is water commission color. So more likely them still just as me expect because see the camera down there earlier. So more than likely them still um channel water from up here but not really use actual um damage structure. Yeah. And right here it reads, >> "This stone was laid on the completion of this dam by his excellency, the governor, Sir, >> what's that? Reginald."

[00:26:04]Sir Reginald Edward Stubs, KMG, Mayor Honorable Alamant, Alamant E. Dcasta MBE Town Clerk WJ Walker JP Designed by the Engineering Depth Department KSAC City Engineers H Cood M I C E R Ne R Ne Nielson Constructed by what that Miss Miss I don't know what it stand for. Sir WG Armstrong White War white with war.

[00:26:55]I first some of them some of them name the people. Anyways um so it's time I won't go go any further and I won't go any further. I'm going to keep it just as simple as this cuz I meand alone up here. So, it is time to head around to the waterfall people just as promised earlier. Um, so we're going to skip to that and yeah.