Yallahs

Yallahs
City
Yallahs
Coordinates: 17°53′00″N 76°35′41″W / 17.8832195°N 76.5947914°W / 17.8832195; -76.5947914
CountryJamaica
CountySurrey
ParishSt Thomas
Founded1671
Government
 • CouncillorMaud Turgott
 • MayorHanif Brown Sr.
 • Member of ParliamentJames Robertson
Population
 • City
7 641
 • Metro
10 274
Time zoneUTC-5 (EST)
Postal code
JMBTS16
Area code+1876

Yallahs is a town on the southeastern coast of Jamaica in the parish of St Thomas, home to 10,274 residents. The city, which was documented as “Yealoth” in a 1662 census, may have derived its name from Captain Yallahs, a privateer from 1671, or vice versa. Another theory suggests that the name Yallahs could have originated from the Spanish word ‘yalos’, meaning ‘frost’, as the high white cliffs in the area might give the impression of frost.

In 1822, Yallahs was chosen as the site for the first Baptist church in Jamaica. Despite initial setbacks, Rev. Joshua Tinson established both a church and a school in 1828. The Yallahs River, a vital source of fresh water for the neighboring City of Kingston and Saint Andrew Parish, supplies residents via the Yallahs Pipeline. The city, which hosts a variety of Christian denominations, also contributes to the mining industry through gravel extraction along the Yallahs River bank. The St. Thomas Parish Council, located in the parish’s capital town, Morant Bay, governs the town.

Geography

The town of Yallahs is located in the southwestern section of the parish of St. Thomas in Jamaica. It is made up of districts, communities and villages surrounding the Yallahs River Basin including:

West Of The River
East Of The River
  • Poor Man's Corner
  • Yallahs Housing Scheme 1
  • Yallahs Housing Scheme 2
  • Yallahs Housing Scheme 3
  • Heartese
  • Norris
  • Hampstead
  • Logwood
  • Montpellier
  • Newland District
  • Lloyd's Pen
  • Southaven
  • Knightsville
  • Baptist
  • Pondside (North Of The Yallahs Pond)
  • Lowden Hill (North Of The Yallahs Pond)

References