Through
his telescope, and with a gleam in his eyes, Christopher Columbus became
enchanted from the very first time he saw a string of Islands in the
Caribbean Sea, which he named Las Isla Virgenes-The Virgin Islands.
From the date of his discovery in 1493, it would be more than 100 years before the rest of the world would see what Christopher saw when he fell upon this tropical paradise. By 1671, after making the first settlement on the Island of St. Thomas, Denmark had emerged as the ruler of these Isles, after many attempts had been made by various European countries such as Holland, France, England and Spain.
By 1685, the Virgin Islands had become a
major
base for the slave trade.
This was partially realized by a treaty signed with the Duchy of
Brandenburg and Denmark, which allowed the Brandenburg American Company to
establish such slave trading in these islands. During this time, the
Virgin Islands was also known as a haven for pirates whose piracy became a
major part of the Islands' economy up until the early 19th century, unlike
the slave trade which continued well into the mid of the 19th century.
By the mid 1700's legitimate trade began to prosper and established merchants began to set up shop in the down town area of Dronnigens Gade also known as Main Street.
In 1718, Denmark decided it was time to expand and the island of St. John was the perfect choice. To complete this expansion , Denmark purchased the Island of St. Croix from France in 1733, making the union of these Islands complete.
By
the early part of the 1700's, St. Thomas had now become know as a shoppers
paradise for merchants and pirates alike. Pirates would scope out
potential ships approaching as they prepared for their attack.
Rumored to have a favorite drink of rum laced with gun powder, the
most famous of these pirates was Edward Teach, know to the rest of the
world as the infamous Black Beard.
Declared as a free port in 1724, St. Thomas, continued in its prosperity well into the 18th century with the production of sugar contributing to the large boom in trading activity.
In 1917, after realizing the great military strategic point the Virgin Island possessed, the United States of America bought these Islands for $25 million in gold. This decision to purchase the Islands was a move to prevent them from becoming a German sub base during the World War I, and during World War II they were utilized by the United States as a defense base.
Managed by the Military and the Department
of Interior since its purchase, the
Virgin Islands finally had the opportunity to blossom when its Organic Act
was passed in 1936. Prior to this Act, residents of the Virgin
Islands were granted US citizenship in 1927. With
the war at an end, the Virgin Islands saw a new genre on the
horizon. A new beginning to showcase the beauty to the world that
Columbus had seen so many years before. With this in mind, the
Virgin Islands emerged as the tourist Mecca we now know today.
In 1996, after years of being owned by the Department of Interior, Water Island became the new addition to the US Virgin Islands, and finally, St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John had a little sister. Today, Water Island is known for its charms and as a tranquil retreat for both residents and visitors alike.
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