Frederiksted, U.S. Virgin Islands

Last updated
Town of Frederiksted
Fort Frederik.jpg
Along Company Street In Downtown Frederiksted
Nickname: 
Freedom City
United States Virgin Islands Saint Croix location map.svg
Red pog.svg
Town of Frederiksted
Coordinates: 17°42′42″N64°52′55″W / 17.71167°N 64.88194°W / 17.71167; -64.88194
Sovereign stateFlag of the United States.svg  United States
TerritoryFlag of the United States Virgin Islands.svg  United States Virgin Islands
IslandSaint Croix
ZIP code
00840, 00841
Area code 340

Frederiksted (the Danish translation of "Frederik's Place") is both a town and one of the two administrative districts of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. It is a grid-planned city, designed by surveyor Jens Beckfor, originally to 14x14 blocks but built 7x7 to enhance the island commerce in the 1700s. Fewer than 1,000 people live in Frederiksted proper, but nearly 10,000 live on the greater western side of the island. Christiansted (mid-island on the north) is about 30 years older, but commerce was limited by its natural, shallow protective reef. Frederiksted was built in the leeward side of the island (shadow of the wind) for calm seas and a naturally deep port. It is home to Fort Frederik, constructed to protect the town from pirate raids and attacks from rival imperialist nations and named after Frederick V of Denmark, who purchased the Danish West Indies in 1754.

Contents

Locals often call Frederiksted "Freedom City". This nickname has to do with the fact that the town was the site of the emancipation of slaves in the then-Danish West Indies. On July 3, 1848, freed slave and skilled craftsman Moses Gottlieb, also known as "General Buddhoe", led the uprising, organized slaves on St. Croix's West End plantations, and marched on Frederiksted. The emancipation of slaves was proclaimed on July 3, 1848, at Fort Frederik on the waterfront at the northern edge of Frederiksted by Governor-General Peter von Scholten.

Frederiksted is home to one of two deep water ports on St. Croix and is the sole port for cruise ships visiting the island. Passengers disembark at the Frederiksted Pier, where they may explore the town, enjoy the beaches, rent a car, or catch a taxi that to other points of interest on St. Croix. The other deep water port is at the South Port and includes the tank farm of the former Hovensa oil refinery and Renaissance Industrial Park. Several government offices occupy historic buildings in the town.

In the early 2000s, Frederiksted was briefly a port for Seaborne Airlines seaplanes, which are based in Christiansted. [1] Seaplane service ended after less than a year when a tropical storm damaged the port facility.

History

Fort Frederik Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- internal courtyard facing west.jpg
Fort Frederik

The 1867 Virgin Islands earthquake and tsunami heavily damaged the town. The tsunami with an estimated height of 7.6 meters beached the USS Monongahela onshore. At least five people were killed. [2]

The town was destroyed by a labor revolt (known as "The Fireburn" because arson was utilized as a means of revolt) in October 1878, which was led by four Crucian female laborers. Frederiksted was restored during the Victorian era, as reflected in its architecture.

Modern Frederiksted operates at a slower pace than Christiansted, except for carnival in January and whenever cruise ships dock in its deepwater port. In recent years successful redevelopment efforts have begun to restore and revitalize this National Historic Site. The 2000 census population of the town was 732, and that of the larger sub-district was 3,767. [3]

In media

Movies

Music

Renovation and revitalization

Several companies [7] have drafted plans to refurbish and enhance the greater Frederiksted area. The Public Finance Authority retained Coastal Systems [8] to develop concepts for a waterfront park, beach, cruise pier, and other site improvements. Teams of land planners, engineers, and landscape architects met with local interest groups to develop plans for redevelopment of the area. Environmental regulatory surveys and permits were managed by the Coastal Zone Management (CZM) Agency of the USVI. Phase I of the project was completed, which consisted of the reconstruction of the waterfront park while maintaining the historical facade representative of St. Croix's heritage. Natural stonework was used throughout the project site in accordance with the local architectural style. [9]

Phase II of the project will involve reconstruction of the community waterfront north of the fort and re-creation of breakwaters, reconstruction of Paul E. Joseph Stadium, and restoration of the beach, restroom facilities, retaining pond, utilities, parking areas, and soccer fields.

Volunteers, community, and art

Volunteerism is a big part of Frederiksted. Clean Sweep Frederiksted [10] [11] engages volunteers in community cleanups, mural and garden projects, and other opportunities. [12] It also worked with the Artists Guild of St. Croix to install dozens of painted rum barrels as community trash bins. [13] The Artists Guild of St. Croix [14] has installed several murals and [15] paintings, and sponsors scholarships. Delta Dorsch, who was born in Frederiksted, wrote The Role of the Storyteller in the Preservation of Virgin Islands Culture (1999) and contributed to The Glory Days of Frederiksted (2004) about Frederiksted's culture. [16]

Climate

Frederiksted has a tropical savanna climate (Köppen Aw) featuring very warm to hot weather year-round.

Water temperatures are usually around 78 to 79 °F (25.6 to 26.1 °C) in winter and 85 °F (29.4 °C) in September. The waters are typically very calm, as Frederiksted is in the leeward side (shadow of the island's wind) with about a 12 inches or 0.30 metres tide.

The sunrise varies from 5:30 a.m. in summer to 7:00 a.m. in winter. Sunset varies between 5:40 p.m. in winter to 7:10 p.m. in summer. St. Croix does not use Daylight Saving Time. The ultraviolet index varies from 10+ in the summer and a maximum of 7 in winter.

Persistent 19-knot (35 km/h; 22 mph) easterly trade winds, moving from east to west across the island year round create a cool breeze.

Rainforests occur on the western side of St. Croix due to the topography featuring 1,400 foot or 400 metres peaks, which gather moisture from the trade winds. This rainforest climate is unique to the Frederiksted side of St. Croix.

Climate data for Frederiksted, United States Virgin Islands
MonthJanFebMarAprMayJunJulAugSepOctNovDecYear
Mean daily maximum °F (°C)82
(28)
82
(28)
84
(29)
84
(29)
86
(30)
87
(31)
87
(31)
87
(31)
87
(31)
87
(31)
86
(30)
84
(29)
85
(30)
Mean daily minimum °F (°C)69
(21)
69
(21)
69
(21)
71
(22)
73
(23)
75
(24)
75
(24)
75
(24)
75
(24)
73
(23)
71
(22)
71
(22)
72
(23)
Average rainfall inches (mm)2.2
(56)
1.9
(48)
1.6
(41)
2.6
(66)
4.0
(100)
2.7
(69)
3.3
(84)
4.3
(110)
5.6
(140)
5.4
(140)
4.5
(110)
3.6
(91)
41.7
(1,060)
Source: Weatherbase [17]

Hurricanes:

Notable people

See also

Related Research Articles

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danish West Indies</span> Former Danish colony in the Caribbean

The Danish West Indies or Danish Virgin Islands or Danish Antilles were a Danish colony in the Caribbean, consisting of the islands of Saint Thomas with 32 square miles (83 km2); Saint John with 19 square miles (49 km2); and Saint Croix with 84 square miles (220 km2). The islands have belonged to the United States as the Virgin Islands since they were purchased in 1917. Water Island was part of the Danish West Indies until 1905, when the Danish state sold it to the East Asiatic Company, a private shipping company.

Saint Croix is an island in the Caribbean Sea, and a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), an unincorporated territory of the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hurricane Hugo</span> Category 5 Atlantic hurricane in 1989

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Hurricane Lenny</span> Category 4 Atlantic hurricane in 1999

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Fort Frederik, also known as Frederiksfort, is a U.S. National Historic Landmark in Frederiksted, United States Virgin Islands. It was built between 1752 and 1760 by Denmark-Norway to defend the economic interests of the natural deep water port of Frederiksted and to ward off pirates. It has red and white painted walls, making it quite different then yellow and white of Fort Christiansværn on the other side of the island. It is located at the north end of Frederiksted, in St. Croix, south of the junction of Mahogany Road and VI 631. It should not be confused with Frederiks Fort, Fortberg Hill, on St. John, which is also listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">1878 St. Croix labor riot</span> Uprising in the Danish West Indies

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederiksted Pier</span> Cruise ship pier in Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands

The Frederiksted Pier is the 1,526-foot, deep water, cruise ship pier located in Frederiksted, U.S. Virgin Islands. It is located at the west end of Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands and accommodate two Eagle-class vessels, of a maximum of 142,000 gross tons each with drafts up to 29 feet and two mini-cruise vessels with drafts of 18 feet. Anchorage is also available in the outer harbor for larger ships. The platform of the pier is equipped with a fendering system that is designed for submarines.

Frederik Christian Hals von Moth was a Danish merchant, nobleman, colonial administrator and planter who served as Governor-General of St. Thomas and St. John in the Danish West Indies from April 1724 - May 1727 then again from 21 February 1736 - 13 April 1744. In addition, he served as Governor of St. Croix from 8 January 1735 - 15 May 1747. In 1736, his title was changed to Governor General (generalguvernør). His military rank was Commander (kommandørkaptajn). In addition, he held the rank of justitsråd.

Delta Dorsch was an educator, story-teller and preserver of the cultural history of the United States Virgin Islands. Teaching for 38 years, working with the Department of Education and the Commission on the Preservation of Virgin Islands Culture, Dorsch was a tireless advocate for conserving traditions of the Virgin Islands and teaching as a means of giving them life. She contributed two books on the history and traditions of the country and received many awards and honors in recognition of her work.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Frederik Christian von Meley</span> Danish surveyor

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">1916 Virgin Islands hurricane</span> Category 3 Atlantic hurricane in 1916

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">1867 Virgin Islands earthquake and tsunami</span> Earthquake and tsunami in the Caribbean

The 1867 Virgin Islands earthquake and tsunami occurred on November 18, at 14.45 in the Anegada Passage about 20 km southwest of Saint Thomas, Danish West Indies. The Ms  7.5 earthquake came just 20 days after the devastating San Narciso Hurricane in the same region. Tsunamis from this earthquake were some of the highest ever recorded in the Lesser Antilles. Wave heights exceeded 10 m (33 ft) in some islands in the Lesser Antilles. The earthquake and tsunami resulted in no more than 50 fatalities, although hundreds of casualties were reported.

References

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  12. "Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service in Frederiksted | St. Croix Source". Archived from the original on 2015-01-21. Retrieved 2015-06-15.
  13. "Roll Out the Barrels". Sleansweepfrederiksted.wordpress.com. 1 May 2015. Retrieved 26 August 2018.
  14. "St. Croix Community Projects associated with the Artists Guild of St. Croix". Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2015-06-15.
  15. "@ School: Apprentice Art Students Brighten Frederiksted | St. Croix Source". Archived from the original on 2016-12-20. Retrieved 2015-06-15.
  16. Buchanan, Carol (March 28, 2015). "Birthday Party Rededicates Dorsch Cultural Actvities[sic] Center". St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands: St. Croix Source. Archived from the original on July 10, 2015. Retrieved 15 December 2016.
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  18. Service, US Department of Commerce, NOAA, National Weather. "San Juan, PR". Srh.noaa.gov. Retrieved 26 August 2018.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)