November 23rd marks the anniversary of one of the darkest days in St. John’s history that culminated in a violent and widespread uprising by the enslaved individuals. Hundreds lost their lives. Below is an account of that fateful day found in a book entitled, A Historical Account of St. Thomas West India Islands by John P. […]
St. John
The Lure of Caneel Bay Makes One Visitor Want To Stay ~ 1958
Caneel Bay Caneel Bay Caneel Bay ~ 1958 ⛱ In a postcard home to family, a visitor at Caneel Bay, St. John wrote: “Swimming is a pleasure here, the water is so clear and balmy, and the bottom is soft sand. When we’re not swimming, we enjoy watching the constant changes in tones of the […]
Do You Know the Story Behind these St. Croix-Designed Hook Bracelets?
St. Croix Hook Bracelet Have you seen these popular St. Croix-designed hook bracelets or are you lucky enough to own one? I purchased one recently and absolutely love it! I feel as thought it’s a symbol of our unique heritage. I was pleasantly surprised recently to discover that you can find them on amazon! The […]
My Mother’s Memories of Mary’s Point ~ 1940s
The history of Francis Bay, St. John, US Virgin Islands: In this post, you’re going to learn a little information about the Creque family’s home at Francis Bay and the enjoyable memories my mom had there during her childhood. The property was sold to Laurence Rockefeller in 1954, and became a part of the Virgin […]
Beautiful Sketches Found by Artist, Margaret Casey Gates ~ 1936
Margaret Casey Gates Casey’s Sketchbook Discovered in a faded black notebook at the Archives of American Art in Washington DC are a handful of unfinished sketches and watercolors, never before seen of the US Virgin Islands. They were sketched by an American artist, Margaret Casey Gates. Mrs. Gates was a painter and art teacher originally […]
Rare Photograph Found of St. John School Children ~ 1930s
St. Johnians, do you recognize these school children in this vintage photograph? Could they be your family members? In 1933, Civil Engineer, Estus H. Magoon visited the East End Moravian School and snapped this photograph of the students including the teacher and a member of the school board. SaveSave SaveSave
How One Family Shared the Sad Story of the 1733 Slave Revolt
A group of captive men from the African Akwamu tribe planned an attack against their masters at Estate Fortsberg in Coral Bay. ~ November 23, 1733 The slave revolt was an attempt to gain their freedom at all costs, even if it meant death. During the 1930s, our great-grandfather owned the estates of Mary’s Point and Annaberg. Whenever he motored […]