Virgin Islands, The

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Lying to the east of the Greater Antilles of Jamaica, Cuba, Hispaniola, and Puerto Rico is the easternmost territorial outpost of the United States.

The Virgin Islands.

They were purchased from Denmark in 1917 at a cost of 25 million dollars and have often been called our most expensive piece of real estate.

Before the United States flag was raised here, the islands knew the authority of Spanish, British, French, Dutch, and Danish rule.

The islanders elect members for their own legislative assembly.

However, their governor, who is under the supervision of the Secretary of the Interior, is appointed by our president.

Narrow streets are named after those in Denmark, and thick walled buildings have wooden doors that can be closed against tropical storms.

The city of Charlotte Amali on St.

Thomas Island retains the influence of its former Danish owners.

Fort Christian, built in 1671, is the oldest building on the island.

It is now occupied by the local police department, but the jail is seldom used.

Charlotte Amali is the busy center of inter -island commercial activity.

Thai jewelry, Swiss watches, and Irish linen are available at reasonable prices in this duty -free port.

Other works of art include carved ivories from India, and silver, ceramics, and glassware from the Scandinavian countries.

The economy has depended mainly on tourism, but now some light industry is developing.

Visitors are usually greeted with the haunting calypso rhythm of a native Virgin Islands steel band.

Mace, alto, and tenor pans are produced by cutting 55 -gallon oil drums into various lengths.

Each raised area produces a different tone.

This music is basically composed of rhythmic patterns of African dances, which the slaves brought to the countries of their forced adoption.

The words now used are commentaries on current events and local life.

At the beautiful modern hotels on St.

Thomas, guests may enjoy the lovely gardens where palms, royal poinsettia trees, hibiscus, bougainvillea, and the colorful leaf of the croton vie for attention.

Here, where it is always summer, blossoms cascade in waves along the many stairways, for much of Charlotte Amale is built on a hillside.

This castle, built in 1666 by a Danish governor, is now part of a hotel.

A legend claims that a buccaneer named Bluebeard concealed the skeletons of his six wives on these grounds.

If we can't solve the mystery of the six wives, we can at least relax and enjoy the view from the veranda.

Many of the hotel swimming pools are filled with salt water, as freshwater is scarce.

There are no springs or wells on the island, so municipal catchment reservoirs of concrete have been built to catch rainwater.

Water conservation is practiced throughout the year.

Nature has been most lavish in distributing her physical beauty.

Everywhere there are turquoise bays where swimming is a year -round pleasure.

There are few animals or reptiles on the islands, but on the north coast of St.

Thomas is the home of the land crab.

If you're patient and quiet, they will slowly emerge.

Some of the largest measure eight inches in diameter.

Tropical fish are caught every morning and sold locally.

They have such colorful names as square tail, white angel, bonita, sea robin, parrot fish, grouper, and amberjack.

The centipede breed of cattle is a cross between African and English stock.

They require little water and are highly resistant to disease and tropical heat.

Croix, largest of the three islands, was also named by Columbus in 1493 for the cross of stars he saw in the southern sky.

Alexander Hamilton, first secretary of the treasury, worked as a bookkeeper at the age of 12 in this hardware store in Christianstead.

The only two cities, Christianstead and Frederikstead, are connected by Center Line Road, which runs the entire 23 -mile length of the island.

At one time, much of St.

Croix was covered with fields of sugar cane.

The French deserted the island in the 17th century after burning the cane fields and some palatial estates.

Vegetation is slowly smothering what remains of those stately plantation homes.

Dozens of mill towers still remain from those days when power from the wind was used to grind and press the sugar cane.

Many homes are made from these old towers, and when new homes are constructed, an old ruin may be incorporated to keep the past alive.

Saturday is a busy day at the markets.

The native Virgin Islander is Negro.

They are gentle, dignified, and speak island English, a puzzling speech born of many influences.

It is a descendant of the sing -song calypso talk of the British landowners and men who came to manage their plantations.

Words of Spanish, Dutch, French, and Portuguese are blended with 17th century English, making this a fascinating language to hear.

To relax and enjoy the beauty of the Virgin Islands, the trade winds, and the blue Caribbean is an experience long to remember.

We can be proud that these colorful and romantic islands are part of the United States and the queens of the Caribbean.

© BF -WATCH TV 2021

Abstract

"A brief history portrays how the influence of previous Dutch, French, Spanish and Danish rule still prevails in the streets and markets of these paradise islands in the Caribbean. The climate and topography, and the importance of the tourist industry is explained. See and hear a Virgin Island steel band playing authentic Calypso music; the varieties of flora, fish and land crabs; the only remaining sugar mill, and how the old mill towers are converted into homes."
— Robert Davis Productions, "Temporary Sound Film Brochures for Recent Subjects"

Run Time

0:09:13

Format

16mm

Extent

350 feet

Color

Color

Sound

Optical

Reel/Tape Number

1/1

Has Been Digitized?

Yes

Genre

Travelogue

Form

Short

Subject

Tourism
Industry

Related Collections

Robert and Theresa Davis Collection

Related Places

North America ➜ Virgin Islands

Main Credits

Robert Davis Productions (is production company)

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