Bridgetown is the capital and commercial centre and has a population of about 80 000. Bridgetown was originally named "Indian Bridge" for the bridge which had been constructed over the river (now known as the Careenage) by the Indians. It was later called the "town of St. Michael" in official documents, before finally being named Bridgetown when a new bridge was built in place of the Indian Bridge, sometime after 1654.