US Virgin Islands history is quite a complete one, indeed.
Understanding a little bit about the history of the US
Virgin Islands can certainly help you better appreciate
this insular island territory and its culture. Various
countries have laid claims to the US Virgin Islands since
Christopher Columbus named them in 1493, and the names
of some of the islands and their cities reflect
past occupancy. Now a holding of the United States,
the US Virgin Islands enjoy a booming tourism industry,
part of which is bolstered by some of the island group’s
historic attractions.
Some of the plantations here offer quite a lot of insight
into US Virgin Islands history, so if you like history
and are visiting, you might put a few of them high on
your list of places to visit.
The first known people to inhabit the United States
Virgin Islands were Siboney, Taino, and Carib Indians.
The Caribs were the group that controlled the islands
until Columbus arrived, forever marking a turning point
in the history of the US Virgin Islands. The name
that Columbus gave to the islands is meant to honor Saint
Ursula and her 11,000 virgins. The period that would
follow the arrival of Columbus would see a handful of
European powers establishing and then losing control.
Spain was the first to attempt occupancy of the United
States Virgin Islands, only to be followed by England,
France, and the
Netherlands.
The Dutch bought the island of St
Croix from the French in the year 1733. They
had already settled on Saint Thomas and St
John in the latter 1600's, and once St Croix was added,
the islands became part of the royal Danish colonies.
The city of Frederiksted on St Croix island was a Danish
settlement, and the name certainly reflects that part
of the city’s history. The Little Princess
Estate on St Croix island was built in 1749 by Fredrik
Moth, who was the island’s first governor, and it’s
certainly worth a visit if you want insight into plantation
life.
The sugar industry was the main industry in the United States Virgin Islands in the 18th and 19th centuries, and plantations like the Little Princess Estate are vestiges of that part of US Virgin Islands history. The Cruzan Rum Distillery is a rum factory that still operates on the island of St Croix, and guided tours here can not only give insight into rum making practices, but also into the history of the US Virgins Islands. The old windmill here is of particular interest, as is, of course, the world famous rum. Featured on the St Croix Heritage Trail, the Estate Mount Washington Plantation is just another one of the historic plantations worth viewing. It’s the most well-preserved sugar plantation on St Croix island, and self-guided tours can be enjoyed here.
Fort Christian is one of the most renowned historic
sites in the US Virgin Islands capital city of Charlotte
Amalie, and if you find yourself on St
Thomas island, you might plan to include it on a walking
tour. It dates to the year 1672 and was named after
Christian V, who was the king of the Netherlands.
Concerning the aforementioned sugar plantations, the abolition
of slavery in the US Virgin Islands helped to bring their
glory days to an end. Governor Peter von Scholten
would be the man to officially put an end to slavery in
the islands, which he did in 1848. As the islands
became economically stagnant, the Dutch began to entertain
foreign interests in them. The United States almost
bought the islands of St John and St Thomas from the Dutch
in 1867, but the sale was never realized. In 1902,
the Danish parliament would again deny sale of the islands
to the United States. However, come World War I,
things would change. The United States saw the island
territory as a strategic point in the Caribbean,
and they kept pressuring the Dutch to sell their holding,
which they finally did for a sum of $25 million.
The deal would be finalized in 1917, with the United States
assuming control on March 31.
The inhabitants of the United States Virgin Islands
were granted citizenship in 1927, and in 1970 the territory
was granted Home Rule, meaning they could more or less
govern themselves. Today, they continue as an unincorporated
territory of the United States, and tourism has most definitely
replaced sugar as the main industry here. In the
1950's and 60's, tourism really began to take flight,
partly due to the embargo that the United States placed
on Cuba. In 2004, some 2 million people enjoyed
US Virgin Islands cruises, and
by the looks of things, they are still as popular as ever.
Once you see merely an image of a stunning US Virgin Islands
beach, you realize why so many come here. Besides
offering wonderfully interesting historic points of interest,
the United States Virgin Islands also offer an almost
unparalleled level of fun in the sun.
