The thin Bahamian island that once hosted a dream of American democracy

Countries & Cities · Published 12 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: Stretching 180 km long but barely 1.6 km wide, Eleuthera is a narrow ribbon of land in the Bahamas. Beyond its pink sand beaches and coral reefs, it holds a surprising history: a failed 17th-century Puritan experiment that sought to establish the Western Hemisphere's first European democracy.

The island's current name is a legacy of the 'Eleutherian Adventurers,' a group of Puritan colonists who arrived from Bermuda in 1648 under Captain William Sayle. Their goal was to establish a democratic society, a mission that predated the American Revolution by nearly 130 years. However, the settlement proved difficult, and only a few colonists remained on the island.

Before European arrival, the islands were inhabited by the Taíno or Arawak people. The island was known as Cigateo, which may mean 'distant rocky land' or, according to some, derive from the Lucayan word for 'sea snail.' An intact wooden ritual seat, known as a duho, crafted by the Lucayan people, was discovered on the island in the 19th century and is now held in the British Museum.

During the Cold War, Eleuthera played a strategic role in maritime surveillance. The United States Naval Facility (NAVFAC) Eleuthera served as a shore terminus for the Sound Surveillance System (SOSUS), a technology used to detect submarines. The facility was commissioned on 1 September 1957 and operated for 23 years before being decommissioned on 31 March 1980.

Today, the island's economy is driven primarily by tourism. The landscape is defined by its unique topography, ranging from rolling pink sand beaches to ancient coral reefs, with the highest elevation reaching only 200 feet. Even its geography is striking: at the Glass Window Bridge, the island is only 30 feet wide, a point once described as the narrowest place on earth.

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