History of Frederiksted

Frederiksted is a beach town on the island of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Originally designed in the 1700s by surveyor Jens Beckfor to improve commerce, Frederiksted was built on St. Croix's leeward side to ensure calm seas and a naturally deep port.

8. Places to Eat

Here’s a handful of recommendations you will enjoy.

• Roots-N-Kulchah (Vegan)

• Cast Iron Pot

• Corrine’s food van (Vegan)

• The Galleon

• Frontline

• Cibone

• Le Cuisinier

• Napoleon’s Pizza

9. Live Music

There are numerous sunset sail excursions with music onboard. If you’re looking for live music you can find music at several restaurants and bars. There are also a few nightclubs and lounges on the island.

10. Health – Sunblock and Hydration

Most sunscreens contain Oxybenzone, an ingredient that has been found to be very harmful to coral reefs, so please be sure to buy a coral reef safe sunscreen for your trip (My-StCroix.com). The Caribbean is a naturally humid part of the world, and Saint Croix is no exception. Remember to drink lots of water and replenish your body's hydration.

11. Experience the Culture

The complex heritage of Saint Croix is a result of its rich history, and the lively cultures that have grown together so artfully on the island come from African, European, American, and of course, Taino and Carib influences.

12. Greetings and Local Customs

A proper greeting is an essential part of Crucian life, and simple American greetings such as “Hi” or “Hello” won’t cut it. Greet everyone you meet with a friendly, “Good morning”, “Good afternoon” or “Good night”, including rooms full of people.

13. Getting Around the Island, and Vehicle Rentals

Vehicles can be rented at the Henry E. Rohlsen Airport, as well as in the cities, but please remember we drive on the left-hand side of the road! Rental cars are recommended but taxi buses are available. There is no Uber or Lyft on the island.

14. Things to Do

From historical museums and botanical gardens, from snorkelling to horseback riding, and from bar hopping to drinking with the pigs, Saint Croix has a never-ending supply of activities that will keep absolutely anybody busy.

15. Leaving – Customs and Duty-Free

All gifts received during your stay must be declared when you leave, along with all purchases, so be sure to hold onto your receipts. US citizens may return to the Mainland US with $1600 of duty-free purchases, and six bottles of liquor if one of them is Cruzan rum.

Citations

“Sunscreens a Threat to Coral Reefs”, My-StCroix.com, 21 Oct. 2015, http://my-stcroix.com/help-save-our-virgin-islands-coral-reefs-safer-sunscreens/

Frederiksted is a beach town on the island of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Originally designed in the 1700's by surveyor Jens Beckfor to improve commerce, Frederiksted was built on St. Croix's leeward side to ensure calm seas and a naturally deep port. It's home to Fort Frederik. Constructed to protect the town from pirate raids and attacks by rival imperialist nations, and named after Frederick V of Denmark, who purchased the Danish West Indies in 1754.

Frederiksted is often called "Freedom City" the local's nickname referring to its site of the emancipation of slaves in the then-Danish West Indies. On July 3, 1848, freed slave and skilled craftsman Moses Gottlieb spearheaded an uprising. With it, slaves were gathered on St. Croix's West End plantations and marched on the town. Emancipation was proclaimed by Governor-General Peter von Scholten that day on the waterfront at Fort Frederik.

Led by four brave women, Crucian laborers, in 1878, Frederiksted sustained a labor revolt "The Fireburn”. The town was restored during the Victorian era, reflected in the town's historical architecture. These four women became icons and are referred to as the Queens of the Fireburn.

Check in to paradise

A modern St. Croix vacation calls for time in Frederiksted for a lush sanctuary of beauty, sunny adventures, and cultural fare, all wondrous experiences that speak to travelers’ souls.

From your home base, St. Croix Blue House, expand your horizon, and your fun! Frederiksted offers year-round vibrant experiences, particularly during the January carnival and also whenever cruise ships dock in the town’s port.

Frederiksted shines with artistic and cultural traditions that you’ll find at every turn. That’s because Croix culture abounds in rich history and a varied combination of native Caribbean and Taino, African, European, and American heritages. The Crucian people are proud and happy to share their culture with everyone.

The historic district includes the fort, the Customs House and the 'Victoria Home,' a most elaborately detailed building in the Virgin Islands and also St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church, built in 1848, The Benjamin House, genuine 19th-century Danish residential design, and cuisine to die for!

Besides exhibits featuring Caribbean artists, the waterfront museum offers a generous variety of classes and events. There’s stilt dancers (called Mocko Jumbies) and Quelbe, music that’s accompanied by a type of square dancing. The music is performed by scratching on hollowed-out gourds (by a scratch band)!

The adventurer in you will love to experience:

∙ Jumping off "Big Dock", the Frederiksted Pier

∙ Hoisting the sails on a historic ship

∙ Visiting an old plantation home or old sugar mill ruins

∙ Playing in tide pools

∙ Riding horseback in a rainforest

∙ World-class scuba diving

Sponges, Sea Horses, Spiny Lobsters, oh my! And more awaits the delighted traveler in sunny paradise. Dreaming of sanctuary? Frederiksted has lots to offer. After all, the town's population is less than 1,000 extremely friendly people. Crucians speak English, by the way. And they also love the clean and sparkling ocean waves lapping upon the sand, the tropical paradise they call home and wishing always to share their paradise with you.