usvi-on-line
97 years ago
97 years ago
This short description will give us all a glimpse into the huge change in such a short time - since the Danes started settling the USVI in 1670's, and STT had become a bustling port seeing that STJ was just an agrarian wilderness as late as 1918 is enlightening.
St. John may be reached by any of the sloops running between the islands; or from the east end of St. Thomas at Smith’s Bay by boat to Cruz Bay, which consisting of a few detached houses, is called the town.
Many years ago it rejoiced in a battery mounted with cannon and a lieutenant with a detachment of twenty soldiers.
Now only a judge and two policemen represent the majesty of the law in this peaceable and well-ordered island.
Dutch Creole was once the prevailing language, many of the planters being of Dutch descent. The present population of 900 consists almost entirely of Negroes who speak English. They are represented in the Colonial Council of St. Thomas and St. John by three members, one appointed by the government and two eleted by the people. Only on horseback and not without a certain sense of fear can one ride along the pathways of the steep cliffs and mountains. Probably on account of the difficult roads and the distance between the estates, social life is virtually nil….
The lover of natural scenery will find much to reward him in his rambles. Magnificent views are everywhere: whether horseback riding, walling or boating, the excursionist can be assured of the most delightful surroundings.
Should boating be preferable a pull (row) to St. Mary’s Point with its lofty granite cliffs studded with mica glimmering in the sunshine, or Smith’s Bay (Leinster Bay) with its fine bathing beach cannot be easily forgotten. The bottom of the bay is of beautiful white sand, spread like a carpet and covered with all sorts of brightly colored marine plants, which spring up in graceful form and owing to the peculiar transparency of the waters, seem quite near to the observer….
…Denis Bay, America Hill and Leinster Bay are popular resorts among regular visitors to St. John and at all these places good food and splendid living accommodations can be had at reasonable prices….
…The only means of transportation on the island of St. John is by horseback. Narrow and uneven roads over steep and irregular hills are far from suitable for carriages or vehicles of any kind, but horses nay be hired for $2.00 per day and the services of a good guide may be procured at a nominal price….
On St. John there are at the present only two white landowners and only one white man making his home there. The population is almost entirely rural, there being no town worthy of the name in this section, the largest settlement being at Cruz Bay.
From Luther K Zabriskie’s book, The United States Virgin Islands, published in 1918
- See more at: http://seestjohn.com/st_john_life/#sthash.leGBrQL8.dpuf
This was on Gerald Singers site this morning:
http://seestjohn.com/st_john_life/
Thank You for printing it!
Should you get the chance, finding a copy of another 1918 book, The Virgin Islands Our New Possessions by De Booy and Faris is a spectacular read with many photos.
St. John may be reached by any of the sloops running between the islands; or from the east end of St. Thomas at Smith’s Bay by boat to Cruz Bay, which consisting of a few detached houses, is called the town.
Many years ago it rejoiced in a battery mounted with cannon and a lieutenant with a detachment of twenty soldiers.
Now only a judge and two policemen represent the majesty of the law in this peaceable and well-ordered island.
Dutch Creole was once the prevailing language, many of the planters being of Dutch descent. The present population of 900 consists almost entirely of Negroes who speak English. They are represented in the Colonial Council of St. Thomas and St. John by three members, one appointed by the government and two eleted by the people. Only on horseback and not without a certain sense of fear can one ride along the pathways of the steep cliffs and mountains. Probably on account of the difficult roads and the distance between the estates, social life is virtually nil….
The lover of natural scenery will find much to reward him in his rambles. Magnificent views are everywhere: whether horseback riding, walling or boating, the excursionist can be assured of the most delightful surroundings.
Should boating be preferable a pull (row) to St. Mary’s Point with its lofty granite cliffs studded with mica glimmering in the sunshine, or Smith’s Bay (Leinster Bay) with its fine bathing beach cannot be easily forgotten. The bottom of the bay is of beautiful white sand, spread like a carpet and covered with all sorts of brightly colored marine plants, which spring up in graceful form and owing to the peculiar transparency of the waters, seem quite near to the observer….
…Denis Bay, America Hill and Leinster Bay are popular resorts among regular visitors to St. John and at all these places good food and splendid living accommodations can be had at reasonable prices….
…The only means of transportation on the island of St. John is by horseback. Narrow and uneven roads over steep and irregular hills are far from suitable for carriages or vehicles of any kind, but horses nay be hired for $2.00 per day and the services of a good guide may be procured at a nominal price….
On St. John there are at the present only two white landowners and only one white man making his home there. The population is almost entirely rural, there being no town worthy of the name in this section, the largest settlement being at Cruz Bay.
From Luther K Zabriskie’s book, The United States Virgin Islands, published in 1918
- See more at: http://seestjohn.com/st_john_life/#sthash.leGBrQL8.dpuf
This was on Gerald Singers site this morning:
http://seestjohn.com/st_john_life/
Thank You for printing it!
Should you get the chance, finding a copy of another 1918 book, The Virgin Islands Our New Possessions by De Booy and Faris is a spectacular read with many photos.
Re: 97 years ago
The actual title if the book is: The Virgin Islands of the United States of America.
Re: 97 years ago
The quotation is from this book, as Hugo noted:
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookD ... E+Luther+K.
http://www.abebooks.co.uk/servlet/BookD ... E+Luther+K.
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Teresa_Rae
- Posts: 2053
- Joined: Mon Oct 09, 2006 5:44 pm
- Location: Downstate IL
Re: 97 years ago
Very interesting, thanks for sharing.
Let us live so that when we come to die even the undertaker will be sorry.
- Mark Twain
- Mark Twain
Re: 97 years ago
My wife's grandfather was a member of the first naval marine contingent that landed on St. Croix in 1917 when the US took over from the Danes. We have a photograph of him in front of the scale house in Christiansted. The frigate landed in Fredericksted and they traveled by truck over to Christiansted area. Before he died he told me the details and said there were only 14 Marines in that group. He also relayed a story about them having a swim contest to the small key in the CSted harbor and that two of the guys actually drowned during the race. The photo we have is of him in a swim suit with the naval anchor on the chest. I know this is not ST. John related but I'm returning to STJ next week and I always think about his stories when I returned to the rock. We took a great photo of my wife in the exact same spot of his photo, when we first visited St. Croix in 1979. Sadly we have not been back to STX but hope to do so someday.