Virgin Islands History by Valerie Sims
Virgin Islands History and Culture in Photographs
How A World Record Blue Marlin Was Caught ~ 1977
Blue marlin tournaments became very popular in St. Thomas after John Battles set an all-tackle world record in 1964. He landed an 814-pound Blue marlin, which enticed anglers from all over the world to try their luck in VI waters.🎣 Blue Marlin World Record On Aug 6, 1977, another world record was set! Larry Martin from […]
Remembering A Special Neighbor, Doris Jadan
On December 20, 2004, Doris Jadan, our good friend and neighbor, passed away. I had the opportunity to visit her gravesite recently. ✟ Doris started the Environmental Studies Program at Julius Sprauve school and wrote many cookbooks and natural history books about the island of St. John. She was an environmentalist teacher, author, and journalist […]
How Derrick Barges Help the Maritime Industry ~ 1933
The September 1932 hurricane wreaked havoc on the maritime industry in the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. Boat owners were writing to the owner of the Creque Marine Railway to reserve space at the slip. It was shaping up to be a busy season for them. One such letter Mr. Creque received was […]
The First Public Library Opens ~ 1920
For generations, many citizens longed for a public library in the Virgin Islands! With the generous help of the Red Cross, the first public library opened its doors on December 10, 1920. The opening ceremony took place at the Bethany Mission House. Afterward, the congregation walked over to the Grand Hotel (Top floor) to see the […]
A Visit from the Pan American Goodwill Flyers ~ 1934
As I was flipping through an old family album, this photograph of an African-American man wearing a captain’s hat and a dark blazer caught my eye. The children seemed enamored with him and I wondered who this mysterious captain could be? As I turned the photograph over, hoping to find my answer, I was disappointed. Nothing was written on […]
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, […]
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 […]
Lost at Sea! A Jost Van Dyke Sloop Vanishes Without a Trace ~ 1916
Imagine saying farewell to your loved one at the dock as they boarded a boat, then discovering later that they never made it to their destination. On a dark and rainy evening in January of 1916, Mr. C.H. Berrian hugged his wife goodbye as she boarded a boat destined for West End, Tortola. She had been […]
Running a Rockin’ Rock Bar on Norman Island ~ 1990s
During the 1990s, my husband and I opened a beach bar on an uninhabited island in the British Virgin Islands. It was one of the most thrilling times in our lives! Every day brought new challenges and new experiences. I shared some of those memories in a post on the website, Women Who Live On Rocks. For […]
ON THIS DAY, The Devastating Hurricane of 1867 hit the British Virgin Islands and Danish West Indies
ON THIS DAY, the costliest and deadliest hurricane of 1867, hit the British Virgin Islands and the Danish West Indies! My 2x great-grandfather was just 9 years old. He spent that fateful day huddled in a two room home in the Anegada settlement with his parents and six siblings. Had the hurricane’s path veered further north, […]