Virgin Islands History by Valerie Sims
Virgin Islands History and Culture in Photographs
Gentle Breezes and Great Food Make Peter Island a Special Place
Peter Island is truly paradise! My great great grandfather purchased the Great Harbor area in 1913 with the hope of turning it into a coaling station. Everything changed when he died a few years later. The property sat for many years until being sold to the present owners of the island. Visitors have loved Peter […]
Visitor Says Danish Islands Not Worth Millions Paid ~ 1920s
Lately, I’ve been reading old postcards and finding it quite entertaining to see what visitors thought about the Virgin Islands long ago. Here’s an interesting one from the early 1920s. Danish Islands Not Worth Amount Paid “This is the harbor and bay. There is an X over the castles. Remember when the US paid 20 million […]
Cane Bay Plantation, A lovely Spot ~ 1969
You can easily understand why visitors found the Virgin Islands so captivating by reading some of the old postcards they sent. 📧 Here’s one from 1969. Cane Bay Plantation “Hello Folks! This is a lovely spot and I’m sure we will be a lazy pair when this week is over. Spent the afternoon on the beach — […]
Flamboyants and Buttercups and a Lovely Caribbean Belle ~ 1960s
I love these old postcards that capture a moment in time. I remember climbing a flamboyant tree similar to the one in the background as a child. It was so much fun. I felt like I was on top of the world! Those were the carefree days before electronic devices dominated our lives. Even visitors […]
Rare Document Collection Up For Sale From Estate Concordia on St. Croix
Estate Concordia Documents There’s a rare collection of documents about St. Croix’s history on sale today! The documents cover Estate Concordia during the 1850s-1890s, a most tumultuous time…and they’re in English! The estate was owned by Mr. N. Lofgren until September 5, 1895, when he passed away in Christiansted. Estate Concordia is located across the […]
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 […]
Pretty Postcard of the Apothecary Hall on Main Street ~ 1930s
Apothecary Hall This is a pretty postcard of the Apothecary Hall. The three-story building was destroyed by a Christmas fire in 1895, when real candles were used to decorate the tree. 🎄 The only items saved were a few books. The owners received a fair claim having had the building insured with the same company […]
First Civilian Governor of the Virgin Islands Inaugurated ~ 1931
Today in VI History On this day, March 18, 1931, the first civilian governor of the US Virgin Islands was inaugurated. Read more about this historic event here. Shop for historical gifts here! SaveSave SaveSave
St. Thomas Temperance Society Extolls the Virtues of Abstaining from Alcohol ~ 1911
St. Thomas Temperance Society “Too few men have been given such opportunity for worthy service, and fewer still have made of their sojourn here so useful an interlude between youth and age.” Mr. Orville S. Kean Obituary “As a businessman in several fields, a legislator, a Mason, a government employee holding every position of trust, […]
Remembering the RMS Rhone ~ 1867
Remembering the Rhone One of the most tragic hurricanes to ever befall the British Virgin Islands happened 151 years ago. The year was 1867. My great-great-grandfather was 9 years old. His name was Henry Osmond Creque. Six of his siblings along with his parents were huddled together for safety in a cramped, two-roomed cottage. It […]