Background Notes For U.S. Virgin Islands
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Geography
The U.S. Virgin Islands is comprised of 68 islands and cays
located in the Caribbean Basin 1,075 miles east-southeast of Miami,
and 50 miles east of Puerto Rico. Three miles separate the two
smaller inhabited islands of St.Thomas ( 32 square miles ) and St.
John ( 28 square miles ). Both are distinguished by a rugged
mountainous topography with numerous sandy beaches and inlets along
the shoreline. St. Croix ( 84 square miles ), 40 miles south of
St.Thomas, has rolling hills and a broad central plain between the
relatively dry east end and the more lush, agricultural west end.
Almost two million visitors come each year to the Virgin Islands,
the perfect place for a vacation. The weather is always comfortable,
making the Virgin Islands an ideal destination for a vacation the
year round. There is a wide range of accommodations, excellent
sports, a selection of other things to do, world-class dining, and a
reputation for having the best shopping in the Caribbean.
ST.CROIX:
This is the largest of the United States Virgin Islands, 82 square
miles in area. There are two distinct towns to visit: Christiansted
and Frederiksted. Christiansted has been called the picture-book
harbor of the Caribbean; a natural reef just offshore assures a haven
for yachts and smaller pleasure craft. The architectural quality and
historic interest of the one - time Danish West Indies capital has
made part of Christiansted a National Historic Site.
In Christiansted or Frederiksted, you can shop the day away
through quaint shops filled with French perfumes, china, crystal,
batik clothing and jewelry or take a walking tour of Fort
Christiansvaern, Government House, the Steeple Building, the Old
Customs House and Fort Frederik. Just off St.Croix is the only U.S.
underwater National Monument called Buck Island. The Park itself
covers over 850 acres, including the island proper, with a sandy
beach and picnic tables. The reef has two major underwater trails-
Turtle Bay Trail and East End Trail. There, in a depth of 12 feet,
you can snorkel the spectacular nature trail where rare rainbow
colored fish, unusual coral formations, deep-water flowers, lobster
and seahorses are in abundance.
Moving west along the North Shore, visit the west side of Salt
River where Columbus first arrived in the Virgin Islands in November
1493 on his second voyage to the New World. As you head towards
Frederiksted, you’ll come upon Creque Dam Road and the 15 acres of
the Rain Forest. The dam itself is 150 feet high. You will also go
along Mahogany Road, which is lined with mahogany trees, yellow cedar
(the territorial flower of the Virgin Islands), bougainvillea,
hibiscus and orchids. On your way, be sure to stop along the shore
and sample one of our tropical drinks made with “Cruzan” rum.
Frederiksted has its share of shops and shopping and Whim
Greathouse, a plantation restored to its original grandeur as it was
in the 1700s. With it’s impressive new pier, many cruise ships dock
here, approaching the palm-fringed town from the open sea.
Frederiksted is known for its continuous shoreline.
The island has fine hotels, wonderful beaches, excellent dining,
sights to see and a wide selection of other things one can do and
enjoy.
ST.JOHN:
Even though this is the smallest of the Virgin Islands, 28 square
miles in size, many say it is the loveliest. Two-thirds of this
lovely island is a U.S. National Park. And here you see what the
world is like when nature takes care of itself. Spend day after day
on beach after beach, each with its own panoramic view. Let a
friendly mongoose lead you along a woodline trail. Many of them end
on a plateau high in the sky, with another panorama of white beaches,
emerald cays and touquoise waters.
The National Park at St.John is terrific for snorkeling. At Trunk
Bay, there’s an underwater trail with weighted plaques telling you
what you are seeing as you snorkel our spectacular waters. In
addition to the National Park, restaurants and places to stay, there
is a small town - Cruz Bay. And the smaller one of Coral Bay. In Cruz
Bay there are gift shops and well - stocked grocery stores; there are
also dive centers and jeep rental services. Once you’ve traveled
around the island, you’ll see why its called an unspoiled hideaway.
ST.THOMAS:
Charlotte Amalie is the capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands and one
of the most popular cruise ports in the Caribbean. Charlotte Amalie
is where the ships dock and the white and pastel houses with red
roofs are heavily sprinkled against a background of emerald hills.
Colorful sloops dock along the waterfront, and a few steps back, down
alleyways lined with old Danish warehouses, is the world-famous
shopping center. Another part of the island looks very much like the
countryside of France, with cattle grazing in green fields. The early
warehouse buildings and residences are of great distinction and
typical of West Indian architecture with hip roofs, arcaded first
floors with semicircular headed openings extending to the sidewalk,
heavy wood shutters hung on massive and often decorative wrought iron
brackets.
To see the island, 33 square miles in size, you can rent a car or
take a guided tour. One part of the trip takes you up and up
circling
and winding hills. Drake’s Seat is where Sir Francis used to sit and
count his ships. Be sure to stop at Magens Bay a heart shaped beach
considered by National Geographic as one of the ten most beautiful
beaches in the world.
In St.Thomas there are fine hotels, restaurants, the largest
charter yacht fleet in the Caribbean, an abundance of water sports,
golfing, and a variety of other things to do away from the beach.
U.S. Virgin Islands History
The Virgin Islands were discovered by Christopher Columbus in
November, 1493, on his second voyage to the new world. He named the
islands after the legend of St. Ursula and her 11,000 seagoing virgin
martyrs.
The discovery of the Virgin Islands like the rest of the West
Indies, was followed by Spain’s assertion of exclusive right to them
on the basis of prior discovery.
The concession granted by Spain to other European nations to trade
in the West Indies was but the first step towards their establishment
of colonies. The decline of Spanish power in the seventeenth century
made it increasingly difficult for Spain to protect its monopoly.
Accordingly, other nations were able to breach it. The direction of
settlement was indicated by Spanish neglect to colonize the smaller
islands of the lesser Antilles in favor of the Greater Antilles.
Beginning with the English, followed by the French and the Dutch,
the seventeenth century witnessed an increasing invasion of Spanish
territorial claims to the West Indies. The crowned “heads” of Europe
were eager to exploit the West Indies and colonization was encouraged
on a large scale. It was in keeping with this general European trend
that Denmark chartered the West Indian Company and established its
first colony in St.Thomas in the second half of the 17th century,
before expanding its control to St. John, and buying St.Croix from
the French in 1733.
For 251 years, under Danish rule, the islands developed as sugar
growing, slave holding estates. The islands enjoyed a golden age of
commerce and development due to Denmark’s policy of neutrality plus
the granting of liberal trading laws. St. Thomas became a key
Caribbean port for transshipment between Europe and the Americas. Raw
materials were assembled from within the region and exchanged in
North America and Europe for processed goods.
On St. Croix and St. John, sugar plantations flourished until the
mid-1800’s. Slaves whose labor was used to fuel the plantation
economy rebelled in 1848. By the late 1800’s the United States became
interested in purchasing the islands, and bought them from Denmark in
1917 for $25,000,000 in gold as a naval base against the German
threat to Panama Canal Zone shipping. It took over fifty years of
negotiations between Denmark and the United States beginning with the
Civil War of 1861, before a purchase agreement was reached on March
31,1917. Hope had now been raised in the islands for better days
ahead.
The islands were administered and ruled by the U.S. Navy from 1917
to 1931, a period which was unsatisfactory to the inhabitants of the
islands. As the economy began a gradual slow rise, it was dashed
again by the impact of Prohibition on the rum industry. Later, toward
the end of the depression years, the United States Congress gave the
Islands its Territorial Organic Act or Constitution, which defined
its administration under the Department of the Interior, with an
appointed Governor and an elected local municipal council.
The Virgin Islands Elective Governor Act of August, 1968
essentially increased the political power of the people and their
elected representatives in the legislature. Beginning from November
3, 1970 and continuing every four years, qualified Virgin Islanders
could elect by majority vote their own governor and jointly with him,
a lieutenant governor.
Congresswoman Donna Christian-Green
U.S. Virgin Islands Government
