St Thomas

Beez Neez now Chy Whella
Big Bear and Pepe Millard
Wed 3 Feb 2010 21:48

Saint Thomas USVI

 

 

 

 

The USVI's with St Croix at the bottom, St John above right and St Thomas above left

 

 

 

Like most of the Caribbean St Thomas was originally settled around 1500 BC by the Ciboney people, later the Arawaks, then the Caribs.

In 1657 The Dutch West India Company established a post on St Thomas. The first congregation was the St Thomas Reformed Church in 1660. The island was divided into plantations and sugar cane productivity was the main economic activity. In 1685 Brandenburgisch-Africanische Compagnie took control of slave labour and for some time the slave auctions on St Thomas were the biggest in the world. Taphus was the name given to the huge natural harbour for the drinking establishments located around it's edge, renamed Charlotte Amalie (the capital) in 1691 in honour of the wife of the Danish King Christian V. It was later declared a free port by Frederick V. A small Jewish community set up in the area and built Beracha Veshalom Vegmiluth Hasidim, the oldest synagogue in continuous use in the United States.

While the sugar trade had brought wealth to the island's free citizens, by the early 19th century Saint Thomas was in decline. The continued export of sugar was threatened by hurricanes, drought and competition from America. In 1848 when slavery was abolished the resulting rise in labour costs further weakened the industry. Given it's harbours and fortifications St Thomas still retained strategic importance and in the 1860's the US sought to buy the island, St John and St Croix for $7.5 million from Denmark, but failed to find domestic legislative support for the bid.

 

 

 

 

We doubt this man knew he was catching forty winks where the slave market was held. Bear in an internet cafe sitting next to a man in full tribal dress, whatever next.

 

 

After being poorly managed by the Danish, a local islander, David Hamilton Jackson, was instrumental in persuading the Danish to allow the USA to purchase the islands of St Thomas, Croix and John. In 1915, he traveled to Denmark and convinced the King to allow freedom of the press in the islands. He began the first newspaper - The Herald. Later he organised labour unions for better working conditions for the workers. The islands have an annual celebration to honour the legacy of David Hamilton Jackson. The US transfer of the islands finally took place on the 31st of March 1917 behind Fort Christian at a cost of $25 million. This was part of the defense strategy to maintain control over the Caribbean and the Panama Canal during WW1.

 

 

 

 

Percival Wilson Sparks, a US Naval Officer, designed the flag of the USVI's. Sparks married a local woman, Grace Joseph Sparks. When his superior, Rear Admiral Summer Ely Wetmore Kitelle commissioned the design of the flag, PW Sparks asked his wife and her sister, Blanche Joseph (later Sasso) to sew the very first flag. That flag was used until factory produced flags were available. The inspiration for the design came from the Presidential Seal, Sparks decided to have an eagle facing the olive branches representing peace, rather than the arrows which represent the islands. At the request of the Sparks family; this piece of history was entered into the Congressional Record in Washington D.C. on the 30th of April 1986, vol 132, No 56, by the Congressional Delegate Ron de Lugo. Every year Transfer Day is recognised as a holiday.

US citizenship was granted to the residents of the islands in 1927. The Department of the Interior took over administrative duties in 1931. American Forces were based on the island during WWII. In 1954, passage of the USVI's Organic Act officially granted territorial status to the three islands and allowed for the formation of a local senate with politics dominated by the Democratic and Republican Parties. Full home rule was achieved in 1970. The post-war era saw the rise of tourism on the island. With relatively cheap air travel and the embargo on Cuba, the numbers of visitors greatly increased. Despite natural disasters such as Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and Luis and Marilyn in 1995, the islands infrastructure continues to improve.

 

 

 

The architecture is very European and has quite a quaint feel

 

 

The USVI's are the only place under American jurisdiction where cars drive on the left, this was inherited from the Danish practice, so it is quite strange to see the numerous imported cars with the steering wheel on the "wrong side". There are open-air cabs, also known as the "safaris". It costs two dollars and is the cheapest way to navigate the island. There are set routes that they follow. One passes by every drop-off location about every 5–10 minutes. The island has many regular taxis from compact size to large vans, as well as open-air, covered trucks called "safari cabs" with bench seats. The latter usually operate only between high-traffic points, e.g., cruise ship terminals at Havensight and Crown Bay and downtown Charlotte Amalie. Passenger and limited car ferry services to neighboring islands such as Water Island, St. John, St. Croix, and the British Virgin Islands run regularly out of the Red Hook Terminal, Charlotte Amalie, and Crown Bay Marina.

 

 

 

 

Magens Bay on the north coast, not only in the 1000 places book, but, voted one of the world's most beautiful beaches in the National Geographic. The horseshoe shaped bay boasts a mile-long strip of white sand.

 

 

Blackbeard's Castle is one of five National Historic Landmarks in the USVI's. Built in 1679 by the Danes as a watchtower to protect the harbour, it was originally called Skytsborg Tower (meaning gun tower). It is located at the highest point on Government Hill. Danish soldiers used Skytsborg as a vantage point to spot enemy ships. It is not known what year Skytsborg Tower took on the name of Blackbeard's Castle, but the infamous Edward Teach aka Blackbeard, did sail the Caribbean waters in the early 1700's. It has become part of the lore of the island that he used the tower as a lookout for his own purposes of piracy. It was the centerpiece of a private residence for many years, but now is surrounded by a small hotel (The Inn at Blackbeard's Castle), a restaurant and a pool. The restaurant was closed in 2007. There is only a snack bar which is open when the grounds are open for tours.

 

 

 

The many side streets are crammed with shops, and, the odd eaterie or two. Bear enjoys a crab wrap......... next stop Culebra

 

 

 

ALL IN ALL A FASCINATING ISLAND WITH SO MUCH RETAIL THERAPY