The official residence of the President of The Gambia occupies a prominent waterfront position near the northern tip of St Mary's Island. The grounds are not open to visitors, but the area around the entrance and the adjacent July 22nd Square — named for the date of the 1994 coup that brought Yahya Jammeh to power — gives a clear sense of how the city's political geography is organised. The square was the site of the formal independence celebrations and military parades under Jammeh's rule.
The waterfront walk from State House along the northern shore of the island is a pleasant early-morning route, with views across the mouth of the Gambia River to the north bank at Barra. Fishing boats, ferries, and the occasional container vessel pass in the channel. The harbour area just to the south has the activity of the fishing dock and the ferry terminal.