Explore the rich historical background of St. Croix, including colonial periods, indigenous peoples, slavery, emancipation, and post-colonial developments.
Hardens Gut is a historically significant area located in the Frederiksted area of St. Croix, in the vicinity of the Ball Park, on what was once Estate La Grange. The term “Gut” refers to a ravine or watercourse, which is common terminology in the Caribbean for natural waterways that channel rainwater from the hills to […]
The island of St. Croix has a rich history marked by a succession of different European powers and, eventually, its purchase by the United States. Early European Settlers In 1625, Dutch and English settlers landed at Saint Croix. They were soon joined by some French refugees from Saint Kitts. However, conflicts were inevitable. The English
The Historical Possession of St Croix Read More »
St. Croix’s earliest inhabitants—the Igneri, Caribs, and Taino – form an integral part of its cultural tapestry. While there were interactions and cultural exchanges between Arawak-speaking groups (Igneri and Taino) and Carib-speaking groups, they each had their own distinct cultures, and social structures. The Taino, dominant in the Greater Antilles, boasted sizable villages and rich
Indigenous Peoples of St. Croix Read More »
Location: 17°45’44.99″N 64°53’10.14″WEstate Northside. NA-37 Monks Bath is a feature, located in the north-west of St Croix, approximately 3.7 miles north of Frederiksted. According to one story, monks carved the pool to stay clean without using their fresh drinking water. However, others say that the pool was built in the 1950s or 60s by property owners who
In 1733, the Danish West India-Guinea Company acquired St. Croix from the French for 750,000 Livres. To comprehend its value today, we need to convert this amount into present-day dollars. The Livre tournois, serving as the French Pound in medieval France, predates the French Franc introduced in 1795. In 1720, the Livre was valued at
For What It’s Worth Read More »
When you wish upon a starYour dreams will take you very far,But when you wish upon a dreamLife ain’t always what it seems [Earth, Wind & Fire] In a thought-provoking piece, F. D. Flam, a columnist for Bloomberg, highlighted that “Follow the science” is more of a slogan than a concrete policy. This sentiment is
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On the Estates page, I delve into the intricate process of mapping and surveying St. Croix to formally define estate boundaries. Reflecting on the modern ease of land observation through Earth Observing Satellites, I am struck by the remarkable task of surveying and demarcating estate boundaries on St. Croix with such apparent precision. The method
A Measure of the Land: The Danish Acre Read More »
On 31, August 1772, a devastating hurricane hit St Croix. On September 6th of that year, Alexander Hamilton wrote a letter to his father James Hamilton on St Kitts which was later published by The Royal Danish American Gazette. Hurricanes are a common occurrence in this region, with many of us having experienced multiple instances.
Devastation in the Danish West Indies Read More »
Julius von Rohr (1735-1793), became a surveyor in the Danish West Indies in 1757 at the young age of 22. He created two maps of Christiansted which predate the Oxholm map of 1778-1780 (referred to in the post The Road Not Taken). These two maps which the Danish Archive number as 337.216 and 337.228, were
I shall be telling this with a sighSomewhere ages and ages hence:Two roads diverged in a wood, and I—I took the one less traveled by,And that has made all the difference.Robert Frost “The Road Not Taken” – 1915 Odd, the above image may look, but it is a fragment of the Oxholm map of the
The Road Not Taken Read More »