HISTORY
The history of the Virgin Islands
is woven into a rich tapestry of tales. It all started with Christopher
Columbus' second voyage in 1493. He first sighted St. Croix, which
he named Santa Cruz and claimed for Spain. Sailing further North,
he found endless islands and christened them Las Islas Virgenes
- The Virgin Islands.
After this excitement, the islands
drowsed on, stirred only by an occassional passing buccaneer or
explorer. In the 1600's European powers continued to claim and
settle Caribbean islands. At various times, Holland, France, England,
Spain, Denmark and the Knights of Malta all wanted to possess
the Virgin Islands.
In 1671, Denmark clearly ruled St.
Thomas, establishing the first permanent settlement there. In
1685, the Danes signed a treaty with the Dutchy of Brandenburg
to allow the Brandenburg American Company to establish a slave-trading
post on the island. At about the same time, the early governors
gave their tacit approval to the use of St. Thomas as a pirate
refuge, knowing that the local merchants would benefit from the
open sale of pirate booty on the city streets. But while piracy
ceased to be a factor in the island's economy in the early 19th
century, the slave trade continued until 1848.
From 1700 to 1750, when piracy already
was on the wane, legitimate trade was on the upswing and prosperous
merchants replaced buccaneers on Dronnigens Gade (Main Street)
in Charlotte Amalie.
By 1718 they Denmark's island settlements
expanded to St. John. A fort was constructed in Coral Bay, one
of the safest harbors in the Caribbean. In 1733, Denmark arranged
to purchase St. Croix from France, uniting the three Virgin Islands
of today. During this colonial period, St. Thomas was known as
a shopper's paradise for pirates and buccaneers, who perched atop
the mountains to "spyglass" approaching ships. The most
famous and colorful was Edward Teach, known as Blackbeard. Legand
has it that he sipped rum laced with gunpowder from his stronghold
at Blackbeard's Tower.
The Danish Crown declared St. Thomas
a free port in 1724. Throughout the 18th century the islands prospered
with sugar plantations and St. Thomas became a major trading emporium
until 1848 when Denmark abolished slavery. The United States bought
the islands in 1917, as part of its military defense strategy,
for $25 million. The US wanted to prevent the islands from becoming
a German sub base. But not until 1927 were residents granted U.S.
citizenship. During World War II, St. Thomas was developed as
a defense base. When World War II ended, St. Thomas moved into
a new position of eminence as a tourist mecca. The Military and
the Interior Department managed the territory until the passage
of the Organic Act in 1936.
Today, the islands are a choice port
of call among cruise lines and a popular vacation destination.
Although the islands hard hit by Hurricane Marilyn in September
1995, the islands' hotels, shops and attractions have recovered
from the storm.
On of the latest signs of the islands'
growth was the official addition of Water Island to the Virgin
Islands in 1996. Located just off the southern coast of St Thomas,
the island belonged to the U.S. Department of the Interior, who
received title from the U.S. Army in 1952. Once a strategic military
base during World War II, the island is a tranquil retreat with
secluded beaches and resorts, making it a soothing addition to
the Virgin Island's Charms.
[Source:
http://www.virginisles.com]
