Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands
Encyclopedia
Christiansted is a town on Saint Croix, one of the main islands composing the United States Virgin Islands
, an unincorporated territory of the United States
. It is a former capital of the Danish West Indies
and home to the Christiansted National Historic Site
. Christiansted as of 2004, has a population of about 3,000, The 2000 census
population of the town was 2,637; that of the larger sub-district
was 2,865 http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01cn172.html.Christiansted has preserved the 18th-century Danish-style buildings constructed by African
slaves
. Solid stone buildings in pastel colors with bright red tile roofs line the cobblestone sidewalks, adding a touch of European charm. The town's symmetry, with streets running at right angles to the waterfront, makes it popular for walking tours. The commercial area centers on King and Company streets, adjacent to the Christiansted National Historic Site
. The residential area, including portions originally settlements for free blacks, extends inland and uphill from the commercial area.
The town has several small hotels and many restaurants. Several scuba
shops operate in the town, as the wharf has easy access to many diving attractions on the north side of the island.
The botanist Julius von Röhr
started a botanic garden in Christiansted in the eighteenth century and produced a number of landscapes of the island.
United States Virgin Islands
The Virgin Islands of the United States are a group of islands in the Caribbean that are an insular area of the United States. The islands are geographically part of the Virgin Islands archipelago and are located in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles.The U.S...
, an unincorporated territory of the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. It is a former capital of the Danish West Indies
Danish West Indies
The Danish West Indies or "Danish Antilles", were a colony of Denmark-Norway and later Denmark in the Caribbean. They were sold to the United States in 1916 in the Treaty of the Danish West Indies and became the United States Virgin Islands in 1917...
and home to the Christiansted National Historic Site
Christiansted National Historic Site
Christiansted National Historic Site commemorates urban colonial development of the Virgin Islands. It features 18th and 19th century structures in the heart of Christiansted, the capital of the former Danish West Indies on St...
. Christiansted as of 2004, has a population of about 3,000, The 2000 census
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
population of the town was 2,637; that of the larger sub-district
Districts and sub-districts of the United States Virgin Islands
The United States Virgin Islands are administratively divided into 3 districts, which are subdivided into 20 subdistricts.The districts are:# Saint Croix# Saint Thomas# Saint John...
was 2,865 http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2001/cb01cn172.html.Christiansted has preserved the 18th-century Danish-style buildings constructed by African
African people
African people refers to natives, inhabitants, or citizen of Africa and to people of African descent.-Etymology:Many etymological hypotheses that have been postulated for the ancient name "Africa":...
slaves
Slavery
Slavery is a system under which people are treated as property to be bought and sold, and are forced to work. Slaves can be held against their will from the time of their capture, purchase or birth, and deprived of the right to leave, to refuse to work, or to demand compensation...
. Solid stone buildings in pastel colors with bright red tile roofs line the cobblestone sidewalks, adding a touch of European charm. The town's symmetry, with streets running at right angles to the waterfront, makes it popular for walking tours. The commercial area centers on King and Company streets, adjacent to the Christiansted National Historic Site
Christiansted National Historic Site
Christiansted National Historic Site commemorates urban colonial development of the Virgin Islands. It features 18th and 19th century structures in the heart of Christiansted, the capital of the former Danish West Indies on St...
. The residential area, including portions originally settlements for free blacks, extends inland and uphill from the commercial area.
The town has several small hotels and many restaurants. Several scuba
Scuba diving
Scuba diving is a form of underwater diving in which a diver uses a scuba set to breathe underwater....
shops operate in the town, as the wharf has easy access to many diving attractions on the north side of the island.
The botanist Julius von Röhr
Julius von Röhr
Julius Philip Benjamin von Röhr was a Prussian-born botanist and plant collector, naturalist, medical doctor and watercolourist, in Danish service who sent many plants to Europe from South America and the West Indies...
started a botanic garden in Christiansted in the eighteenth century and produced a number of landscapes of the island.
Climate
Notable people
- Judah P. BenjaminJudah P. BenjaminJudah Philip Benjamin was an American politician and lawyer. Born a British subject in the West Indies, he moved to the United States with his parents and became a citizen. He later became a citizen of the Confederate States of America. After the collapse of the Confederacy, Benjamin moved to...
, a ConfederateConfederate States of AmericaThe Confederate States of America was a government set up from 1861 to 1865 by 11 Southern slave states of the United States of America that had declared their secession from the U.S...
politician and a seminal figure in the United States Civil War, was born in Christiansted while it was still a DanishDenmarkDenmark is a Scandinavian country in Northern Europe. The countries of Denmark and Greenland, as well as the Faroe Islands, constitute the Kingdom of Denmark . It is the southernmost of the Nordic countries, southwest of Sweden and south of Norway, and bordered to the south by Germany. Denmark...
colonyDanish West IndiesThe Danish West Indies or "Danish Antilles", were a colony of Denmark-Norway and later Denmark in the Caribbean. They were sold to the United States in 1916 in the Treaty of the Danish West Indies and became the United States Virgin Islands in 1917...
. - NBA player Tim DuncanTim DuncanTimothy Theodore "Tim" Duncan is an American professional basketball player for the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association . The 6-foot 11-inch , 255-pound power forward/center is a four-time NBA champion, two-time NBA MVP, three-time NBA Finals MVP, and NBA Rookie of the Year...
(Two-time MVP) is a native. - Alexander HamiltonAlexander HamiltonAlexander Hamilton was a Founding Father, soldier, economist, political philosopher, one of America's first constitutional lawyers and the first United States Secretary of the Treasury...
was a resident in 1765 after leaving his birthplace of Charlestown, Nevis at age 11. Upon reaching 17 years old, he left from St. Croix to NYC and never returned to the Caribbean.