Hattieville: A Community of Love Built in the Aftermath of Tragedy  

It’s been more than sixty-three years since Hurricane Hattie slammed into Belize, leaving a trail of destruction and heartbreak in its wake. The 1961 storm claimed hundreds of lives and changed the course of the country’s history forever. In the aftermath, Belizeans were forced to rebuild — not just homes, but entire communities. The capital was moved inland from Belize City to Belmopan, and a new village was born: Hattieville, named after the storm, that reshaped the nation. In today’s edition of Belize on Reel, News Five’s Britney Gordon visits Hattieville to find out how much residents know about the village’s powerful origin story. Do they remember why it was founded? And how has life in Hattieville evolved over the decades?

 

Michael Bainton, Hattieville Resident

“Everybody mi do move out the city because the city mi bruk up and dat da when Mr. George Price she he mi wa build Hattieville.”

 

Britney Gordon, Reporting

October thirty-first is usually a night of costumes and candy, but in 1961, it became one of the most terrifying days in Belize’s history. That was the day Hurricane Hattie roared ashore, unleashing devastation across the country. More than ten thousand people were left homeless, and the storm’s impact would reshape Belize for generations. Out of that tragedy came Hattieville, a village built as a refuge for those who had lost everything. It was a place to start over, to rebuild not just homes, but hope. Today, Hattieville is still standing strong, pulsing with life and history. For residents like Linval Mejia, who grew up alongside the village, the story of Hattieville isn’t just something in the past, it’s personal. It’s a reminder of resilience, of community, and of how even the darkest days can lead to new beginnings.

 

Britney Gordon

“How long have you been living in Hattieville?”

 

Linval Mejia, Hattieville Resident

“Fifty-nine years now. I born and grow here.”

 

Britney Gordon

“And you know the history of how Hattieville get its name?”

 

Linval Mejia

“Due to Hurricane Hattie. Hurricane Hattie.”

 

Residents say Hattieville is divided into two parts, the old village and the new village. Mejia was there to see some of these developments occur.

 

Linval Mejia

“Well first time we came, we were more over the next village. The old village and were on some barracks. Barracks we used to live in, then they decided to come up this side, build the school and build some house.”

 

While many long-time residents moved to Hattieville following the storm, some decided to relocate for greater opportunities. Danny Myles, who has been living in Hattieville since the 1970’s shares why his mother decided to relocate the family.

 

Voice of: Danny Myles, Hattieville

“My mom used to work da di sanitorium, through Boom road weh right now da prison. And every day she does have to left we da town and stuff like that. You know how ney landlord go when you can’t pay your rent.”

 

For Myles’ mother, the distance between work and home was more than just miles, it was a daily struggle. Living far from her child made life even harder in the wake of Hurricane Hattie’s destruction. But hope came through the leadership of George Price, whose post-storm rehabilitation efforts helped families like hers find a fresh start.

 

Voice of: Danny Myles

“That’s why we move here because my mom see the opportunities and the owning your own place. Working with the government, ih gene with mister, as usual, father of the nation, and since ih da mi wa person di work with government, he grant ah fi mek ih get wa lee piece of land ya and get ih house.”

 

Hattieville has a population of two thousand one hundred eighty-four residents as of 2022- a number that keeps growing every year. Kenneth Hoare has been living here for about sixteen years and he is happy to see the diversity within his community.

 

Kenneth Hoare, Hattieville Resident

“Ney got more people di come in now. Especially from different places. Hattieville da noh just lone black people. Da mostly that but we got Spanish, Mayan, ih mix. Garifuna, Jamaican, ih mix.”

 

Hattieville thrives on mutual respect and understanding among residents. Although the Belize Central Prison is located nearby, Hoare doesn’t think that it should affect the public perception of the Hattieville residents.

 

Kenneth Hoare

“The place really develop ever since the bad history when ney give the place. Even though we live close to the central prison. We noh mek that stop we from do we thing and show the love and spread the love same way to.”

 

Michael Bainton, a longtime resident of Hattieville, says the village may be small, but its appeal is big. While many still make the daily commute to Belize City for work, Beinton explains that they choose to live in Hattieville for a reason — the peace, the simplicity, and the strong sense of community.

 

Michael Bainton

“We find out that people di come live da di village weh mi so hated. Because we used to name, ney used to call it Cattleville. We had all kind of lee bad name and quarrelsome people but find now people di run come da Hattieville fi rescue.”

 

Hattieville was created in the aftermath of a tragedy to provide peace and relief to Belizeans. Now, sixty-three years later, it is still that peace that attracts people to the village. Britney Gordon for News Five.