Fishermen’s Boat Capsizes Two local fishermen swam for their lives using nothing but the buoys from their fishpots to stay afloat. It happened over a hundred years ago on a blustery, Saturday morning in September, in the midst of hurricane season. Between 9 and 10 am, Thomas Rymer, and his friend, Alexander Benjamin were out […]
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The History of the Reef Bay Estate House in St. John by Charles E. Hatch, Jr. ~ 1969
The History of the Reef Bay Estate House So much of St. John’s history has been lost over time. The Virgin Islands National Park in conjunction with the Office of History and Historic Architecture prepared a study on the Par Force Estate and the Reef Bay home to share the history of sugar production on the island. […]
Fun Memories of Frenchtown by Larry Gumbs
Fun Memories of Frenchtown by Larry Gumbs If you love the sea and the vessels that sail upon it, then Charlotte Amalie Harbor was the ideal place for growing up. As a young man, I was thoroughly smitten by boats, ships, and watercraft of all sorts. I feasted my eyes and senses on the fishing […]
The Island Wedding of the Century, Miss Leah Sasso and Mr. William Stevens Tie the Knot ~ 1955
The Island Wedding of the Century! Leah Sasso and Bill Stevens The island of St. Thomas was and still is the most romantic location for a wedding. It was also home to a beautiful, teenage girl, endowed with musical talents, who would meet her future husband in the classroom of her Catholic high school. Leah […]
Hope for Happier Days in St. Thomas ~ 1922
This little poem was found in the old newspapers at a time when the arrival of a new governor gave hope to the possibility of prosperity and progress for the Virgin Islands. Happier Days 1922 “Nineteen-twenty-one’s gone away, Nineteen-twenty-two’s here to stay, For a twelve-month, anyway. May it bring to all and each Happy Days […]
5 Working Conditions for Agricultural Laborers from the British West Indies in St. Croix ~ 1864
Working Conditions for Agricultural Laborers Here is an interesting document found in the Royal Danish Library regarding the conditions under which laborers were employed from the British Islands.
Now, A Poem by Antonio Jarvis ~ 1920s
View of St. Thomas, Danish West Indies, later the US Virgin Islands Antonio Jarvis wrote many beautiful poems and short stories during his lifetime in the US Virgin Islands. Here’s one called, Now from the old newspapers that you may enjoy. Now By Antonio Jarvis If I could pierce the darkness now And send my […]
75 Acres of Denis Bay Estate on St. John For Sale ~ 1920s
Denis Bay Dennis Bay, situated on the northern end of St. John, has a beautiful, sandy beach. A long time ago, there was a large, fine dwelling and laborer’s cottages that once belonged to Mr. J.E. Lindqvist, the island’s Quarter Officer. It sat about fifty feet from the water’s edge. The soil surrounding the property was suitable for […]