By Dr. Dante Beretta A little over 100 years ago, a talented young Danish artist named Hugo Larsen, visited the Danish West Indies. During his three year sojourn in the West Indies, he spent the majority of his time on the island of St. Thomas, creating many drawings and paintings. My favorite Hugo Larsen is […]
St. Thomas 🇩🇰
9 Newspaper Men Are First to Tour the Danish Training Ship, DANMARK ~ 1934
This week marks the anniversary of the first visit of the Danish Training ship, Danmark to our shores. 🇩🇰 In 1934, Virgin Islanders rolled out the red carpet for the crew and cadets when they arrived. Gallantly entertained at the home of Consul-General Thage and Mrs. Thage, the officers enjoyed a sumptuous buffet supper. The following day, a picnic was planned for everyone at Lindbergh […]
A Famous English Actor Causes Quite a Stir ~ 1903
Did you know that one of England’s most popular actors visited St. Thomas? Edward Compton visits St. Thomas Edward Compton was an English actor, renowned for his performances of the 18th century, Shakespearean plays. When the RMS Solent stopped in St. Thomas, news traveled fast about the distinguished passenger on board. Mr. Compton was on a tour through […]
Celebrating Three King’s Day ~ 1910
Three King’s Day had the reputation of being the happiest of the holiday seasons! It was a half-holiday that started at noon, but the partying usually went from morning to evening. The Meaning of Three King’s Day For many Christians, the holiday season didn’t officially end until the 12th day of Christmas, known as the Feast of the […]
Rebuilding a Sunken Sailboat ~ 1916
The Schooner, Eagle Last year, I shared a fascinating story about the inter-island sloop, Eagle. Included were rare photographs of her crew and some of her passengers. The Owner In late 1916, the owner of the Eagle was Captain Oswald Waldemar George of St. John. His route spanned the seas between the British Virgin Islands and the Dominican Republic. The Eagle, like the Zuhrah, Fancy Me, […]
The Disappearance of the Sloop, SPIDER ~ 1916
St. Thomas was struck by one of the most destructive hurricanes in the history of the Danish West Indies! ⚡ The unforgettable date was October 9, 1916. The Spider Captain William Creque, the brother of our direct ancestor, sailed right into its fury. On that fateful day, he was the captain on board the Spider. The 45-ft sloop […]
Peruvian Independence Celebrated ~ 1916
During the history of the Danish West Indies, the honoring of Peruvian Independence was an important commemoration. 🇵🇪 The History of Peruvian Independence In 1821, General Jose de San Martin organized a plan to defeat Spanish forces by taking control of Lima, Peru. He won and became known as Peru’s liberator. Since that day, the Peruvian Independence holiday […]
Fire Destroys the St. Thomas Telegraph Office ~ 1909
On this day in 1909, a horrific fire destroyed the iconic building which housed the Telegraph Office in St. Thomas! The fire alarm went off shortly after 5 o’clock in the morning and within an hour the building was totally consumed! The only remnants were the upper northwestern wall which had to be pulled down […]