Christopher Columbus discovered the United States Virgin Islands the year after he discovered the mainland, 1493. Possession of all real estate in the US Virgin Islands and control of the area went first to the British, then to the Dutch, the French, the Spanish, the Knights of Malta then the Danes. The United States bought the Virgin Islands in the middle of World War I, for a payment of 25 million dollars.
If you are discussing moving to the US Virgin Islands (USVI) or St. Thomas or other VI Islands real estate, you may want to learn something about Caribbean culture first. The nearby Blackbeard Castle is also a historical part of Caribbean culture. It looms over the small town, as it has since the 17th century. Once a stronghold castle called Skytsborg, today it houses a hotel and restaurant.
The unique Caribbean culture of the US Virgin Islands is made up of the heritage of its ancient inhabitants. The first owners of the US Virgin Islands included those of West Africa, Denmark, Spain, Ireland, Poland and Germany, as early as the late 15th century. A large part of Caribbean culture is reflected in the music of the US Virgin Islands. Here you will immerse yourself in songs and melodies of cariso, calypso, reggae, soca and steel pan. The art is unbridled in the local flavor of its drawings, paintings, photographs and sculptures. Camille Pissarro, a prominent Impressionist painter, was just one of the successful artists who owned property on St. Thomas and other islands in the US Virgin Islands.
You’ll get an excellent look at Caribbean culture at the many festivities. On St. Croix Island there is a holiday called Three Kings Day, St. John’s Island is home to the US Virgin Islands’ 4th of July celebrations, and on St. Thomas Island it is the annual Carnival. There are tons of other celebrations annually that reflect the Caribbean culture of the area.
The history behind the Caribbean owners of the St. Thomas property is shrouded in the history of the Caribbean, including Pirates of the Seas, and is best found in the island’s historic Fort Christian National Monument. The oldest structure on the islands, Fort Christian, is located in the city of Charlotte Amalie. Here you can visit the Museum of the Virgin Islands and investigate the memorabilia of the first islanders. Fort Christian Market Square has been a bustling market since the 18th century. Although food and other goods are now sold there, their first sales were of slaves. Emancipation Garden is close to Market Square. It is named after Governor Peter von Scholten’s emancipation of slaves in 1848. The oldest tabernacle in the United States that has persisted in continuous use is also at St. Thomas.
Additional interesting views of Caribbean culture can be found at the Crown House on St. Thomas Government Hill. Still elegant, it was the home of the port captain and governor general of the West Indies when Denmark ruled the area. Seven Arches Museum, a bit more of local Danish history, is a fully restored house from around 1700, with entrances for slaves. Owning a property in St. Thomas is clearly having a piece of history in a land steeped in Caribbean culture.