The islands of the Turks and Caicos were first populated by Carib Amerindians. Grand Turk Island is reputed to be the site of Christopher Columbus' first landfall in the New World. Official settlement did not occur right away however and for several decades they became popular pirate hideouts. Bermudian salt collectors were the first to settle the Turk Islands in 1678 or 1681. In 1764-1783 they were under French occupation. After the American Revolution (1763-1783) many loyalists fled to British Caribbean colonies, including (in 1783) the first settlers on the Caicos Islands.

Historic Cockburn Town is the capital of the Turks and Caicos. With a wonderful selection of 18th and 19th Century buildings, Grand Turk has a rustic charm that is truly unforgettable. The Parliament building stands majestically next to centuries old cannons facing west towards the most spectacular sunsets. You will find many Bermudan and Colonial style buildings and ruins, along with The Turks and Caicos National Museum. Additional landmarks include historic Duke and Front Streets along the western shore, a recently renovated 140-year-old lighthouse at the north end of the island and the Turks and Caicos National Museum, which houses artifacts from the Molasses Reef Wreck, the oldest shipwreck in the Americas.