The Untold Story of Ghana’s Coastal Heritage

The Ga Origins — Life Before the Europeans Arrived

Long before European ships dropped anchor on the Gold Coast, the Ga people had built thriving coastal communities along the Accra plains. Sustained by fishing, salt making, and trade, they exchanged smoked fish, salt, and textiles with inland groups like the Akwamu, Akyem, and Akuapem — receiving gold, ivory, and kola nuts in return.

Oral traditions trace their migrations from the Shai Hills and the lower Volta region, giving rise to settlements such as Ayawaso, Osu, and Soko — the last destined to become central to Accra’s colonial transformation.

Before James Fort — The Forgotten Portuguese Outpost of Fort Visão (c.1660)

While most accounts begin with the British, the Portuguese were the first Europeans to settle at what became James Town. Around 1660, they established a trading post and fortified lodge known as Fort Visão, built primarily to support the slave and gold trade.

Located just west of today’s Brazil House, Fort Visão marked the earliest European presence in the area. Though smaller than Elmina or Axim, it was strategically sited on a rocky rise overlooking the Atlantic, allowing Portuguese merchants to monitor ships and coastal trade routes.

The post eventually fell into disrepair after the Portuguese were expelled from the Gold Coast by rival European powers. For centuries, it was presumed lost — forgotten by UNESCO, ignored by the Ghana Museums and Monuments Board (GMMB), and absent from most historical records.

But in February/March 2022, Fort Visão was rediscovered. Its ruins — coral stone walls, laterite foundations, and unmistakable fortification features — stand as defiant evidence against the perception of its destruction. Even more striking: people still live within the compound. The site is privately owned by a lawyer’s family with long-standing ties to the land, though interest in restoration has been minimal.

This is not just a ruin. It is a living monument. A forgotten chapter of Ghana’s coastal heritage, hiding in plain sight.

🏛️ Historical Note: The nearby Brazil House, built by Afro-Brazilian returnees in the 19th century, now stands close to the ruins of Fort Visão — symbolically linking the early Portuguese trade to later diasporic return. The Tabom descendants still live in and around the house, forming a vibrant community that stretches from Ivory Coast to Nigeria, Benin, and Togo.

A Call for Restoration

Despite its historical significance, Fort Visão remains off the radar of heritage institutions. Unlike James Fort and Brazil House, which have received sporadic attention, Fort Visão has yet to be formally recognized or protected.

Yet the site holds immense value — not only as a relic of colonial architecture but as a living archive of encounter, displacement, and return. Its rediscovery challenges the official narrative and opens the door to a broader understanding of Ghana’s coastal history.

Historians and conservationists are now calling for the restoration of Fort Visão, alongside James Fort and the Brazil House, to preserve this layered narrative and honor the communities that continue to live in its shadow.

The Arrival of Rivals — Dutch, Danes, and British on the Gold Coast

By the mid-1600s, the Portuguese monopoly collapsed. The Dutch built Fort Crevecoeur (Ussher Fort) in 1649, the Danes established Christiansborg Castle in 1661, and the British arrived last, constructing James Fort in 1673–74 at the Ga village of Soko — near the ruins of Fort Visão.

These forts were more than trading posts. They were instruments of power, cementing European influence and intensifying competition for local alliances and resources.

The Birth of British Accra and the Growth of Ngleshie Alata

With James Fort completed in 1674 and named after King James II of England, British Accra began to take shape. The Queen of Accra granted permission for its construction, and soon traders, artisans, and freed Africans flocked to the area.

Among them were the Alata people from Allada (present-day Benin), who founded Ngleshie Alata, a Ga sub-group that remains prominent today. The area transformed from a fishing village into a bustling coastal town, driven by trade and migration.

Commerce, Slavery, and the Rise of Wetse Kojo

Inside James Fort, European merchants exchanged guns, spirits, and cloth for gold and enslaved Africans. One man, Wetse Kojo, rose from servant to powerful broker. Fluent in English and trusted by both sides, he became one of the wealthiest men in British Accra — a symbol of the emerging African mercantile class.

Yet his success was shadowed by the grim reality of the transatlantic slave trade, which turned the Gold Coast into one of history’s most tragic crossroads.

War, Collapse, and the Fall of the Ga Kingdom

King Okaikoi of the Ga sought to monopolize coastal trade, angering the Akwamu, who depended on direct access to European goods. In 1677, the Akwamu invaded Accra, killing Okaikoi and collapsing the Ga kingdom. European traders quickly forged new alliances, ensuring their forts remained profitable and protected.

British Accra and the Transformation of James Town

By the late 18th century, British influence was entrenched. James Fort became a customs office, military post, and later a colonial prison. The surrounding neighborhoods flourished — markets, churches, and schools buzzed with life, forming the urban nucleus of colonial Accra.

The construction of the James Town lighthouse further solidified the area’s role as a gateway for ships and commerce.

Modern James Town — Memory, Culture, and Revival

Today, James Town’s weathered walls and narrow alleys tell stories centuries old. The lighthouse stands tall, overlooking a coastline once scarred by enslavement but now alive with color and creativity.

The Chale Wote Street Art Festival has transformed James Town into a global cultural landmark — a celebration of Afro-futurism, heritage, and youth expression.

Legacy — The Spirit of Accra Lives On

James Town’s story is one of transformation: from Ga fishing village to Portuguese outpost, British stronghold, and now a modern cultural hub.

Every ruin, every mural, every wave against the fort walls whispers the same message — the past still breathes here.

It reminds us that Ghana’s history is not just about conquest and trade, but about endurance, creativity, and the unbroken spirit of its people.