American history enthusiasts are in Bermuda for a conference to mark the 400th anniversary of the settlement of the Island. The Society of Early Americanists, which exchanges ideas and information about the literature and culture of America, is holding its sixth biennial conference at the Fairmont Hamilton from today until Saturday.

This year's meeting, sponsored by the Department of Tourism, is an open-topic discussion. A special registration rate of $25 is available for Bermuda residents.

Pre-conference events yesterday focused on the Town of St. George's, the site of the first settlement by the survivors of the Sea Venture wreck. For registration information, visit the conference registration table on the Mezzanine Level of the Fairmont Hamilton or the conference website: www.societyofearlyamericanists.org/conference/2009/index.shtml.