03/02/08, 05/24/20
St. Croix, USVI



S
A
I
N
T

C
R
O
I
X


U
N
I
T
E
D

S
T
A
T
E
S

V
I
R
G
I
N

I
S
L
A
N
D
S




















































S
A
I
N
T

C
R
O
I
X



U
N
I
T
E
D

S
T
A
T
E
S

V
I
R
G
I
N

I
S
L
A
N
D
S







You can read about the history of St. Croix in most history books covering the Caribbean and/or territories
of the United States.  You can also obtain a lot of information online.  What I will tell you below is what I
remember from my years on St. Croix.  Some of the information I remember from my various History (World,
Caribbean, U.S.) classes.  Some of the information has been obtained from recent discussions with relatives
and/or friends living on St. Croix.

St. Croix is the largest of the 3 main American Virgin Islands.  It is about 84 square miles (218 sq. km) and
consists of two main towns, Frederiksted (also called West End or Freedom City, or F’sted) in the western
portion and Christiansted (also known as Bassin, Basin, Bass End, possibly from the French for low,  C’sted)
in the east.  The towns were named after Danish kings.  Christiansted was once the capital of the United
States Virgin Islands.  During my upbringing the main thoroughfare connecting the two towns was called
Centerline Road.   (The official name is the Queen Mary Highway.)  I remember that at one point or another
Frederiksted was spelled Fredericksted.  The other two islands of the trio are St. Thomas, the capital, and
St. John, which is mostly a National Park.  St. John is the most natural of the three main islands of the
U.S. Virgin Islands.

St. Croix is 65 miles (105 km) southeast of Puerto Rico, 40 miles (65 km) south of St. Thomas, approximately
1,630 miles (2,640 km) from New York City and 1,115 miles (1,806 km) from Miami.  Most of St. Croix’s hills
are on the northern part of the island and on the east end; however the island has a lot of flat land
especially in the southern portion.  The highest two peeks are Mount Eagle (1088 ft/332 m) and Blue
Mountain (1096 ft/334 m).  
[Getting to St. Croix is no longer easy.  For many years there was a direct flight
from New York City but not any longer.  To get to St. Croix one has to go to San Juan and make a connection.  
Or one has to fly through Miami , Atlanta or Philadelphia and make a connection there.  Connecting in San
Juan is better since there are more flights to choose from.]  
St. Croix is one of the few islands that is
situated completely in the Caribbean Sea.   Most islands are partly in the Atlantic.  Barbados is totally in
the Atlantic.  While most of the islands in the Caribbean Sea are volcanic in origin, St. Croix is coral.

Probably the first settlers of the Virgin Islands were said to be the Ciboney Amerindians.  They are said to
have migrated to the Caribbean from South American.  Eventually the Arawaks arrived.  They were mostly
farmers and in due time were overtaken by the aggressive Caribs.  It is said that the Carib natives on
St. Croix called the island Ay Ay (or River).    Christopher Columbus rediscovered (since the island had
already been discovered by others) Santa Cruz (the French later changed it to St. Croix, but we
pronounce it Croy) on November 14, 1493.    His ships dropped anchor off what is now Salt River to collect
fresh water.  What they thought was a river was not.  The story continues to tell us that this was one of the
first hostile encounters between the Europeans and Native Americans, the Carib Indians in this case.   
From here Columbus sailed on, named the chain of islands after St. Ursula and her Virgins and then
later named the island of Puerto Rico as San Juan Bautista (originally the port was called Puerto Rico, rich
port, and the island San Juan.  But when asked, people said they visited Puerto Rico so the island’s name
was changed to Puerto Rico and the port city to San Juan).

Due to the scuffle, Columbus had with the Caribs the Spaniards decided to declare war on them to eliminate
them.     St. Croix was at one time or another inhabited by Arawaks and/or Caribs.  The Arawaks were said to
be more peaceful and were always on the move in order to avoid the fearsome Caribs.  [
Presently there is
a Carib reservation on the island of Dominica.  There may be Carib descendants on other islands
.]

In July 1847, the Danish government decided to grant freedom to all the children of slaves.  However, adult
slaves would have to wait another 12 years to be free.  This, and what was taking place on other Caribbean
islands, did not sit well with the slaves on St. Croix.  A slave revolt took place on St. Croix in 1848.  The
primary figures of this revolt were John Gottleib (whose name also appears as John Gottliff, Moses
Gottleib, Adam Gottleib and even possibly John Bordeux, thus Buddhoe) and Martin King.  “General
Buddhoe”, as he was called, was eventually deported to Trinidad.  The slaves were emancipated with the
support of the Danish governor, Peter von Scholten.  The Labor Law of 1849 complicated matters for the
slaves.  Things got so bad for the slaves that in 1878 they rioted and burned much of Frederiksted and
many plantations on the island.  The incident was referred to as the Fireburn.  The three main figures of
this were 3 ladies, known as Queens.  
[Recent discoveries in Denmark may change this to four women.]

During the American Civil War (1861-1865), the USA began to negotiate with Denmark for the purchase of
the Virgin Islands in order to establish naval bases in the Caribbean.  It is said that the U.S. was interested
mostly in St. Thomas due to its strategic point.  However, the Danes were not willing to sell only one Island
to the U.S.   A naval base was eventually built to protect the Panama Canal and to prevent Germany from
seizing the islands during World War I. The Navy had jurisdiction over the island for a while. (What would
the islands have been today if the Germans had taken possession of them?)

Many ruled the United States Virgin Islands: the Spanish, the Dutch, the English, the French, the
Knights of Malta, and the Danes.  The islands boast of having been ruled by 7 nations, 7 flags.  Crucian
(the local dialect, pronounced Cru-shan) evolved from this mix of languages in conjunction with what the
slaves spoke.  The Danes were the last one to own the islands and they sold them to the United States in
1917 for $25,000,000.00.  The transfer of the islands took place on March 31, 1917 (known as Transfer
Day).   St. Thomas is now the capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands; however, during the Danish rule
Christiansted was the capital of the Danish West Indies.  Christiansted was also the home to the
American Statesman Alexander Hamilton.  Many of the street signs appear as Gade instead of Street,
a carryover from the Danes.  

Virgin Islanders were granted US Citizenship in 1927.

The U.S. Department of the Interior exercises the jurisdiction over the U.S.V.I.  The government is organized
in the Organic Act of the Virgin Islands of 1936, which was amended (revised) in 1954 and subsequently.   
Limited legislative power are held by a unicameral legislature consisting of 15 senators, a governor,
lieutenant governor and various executive departments, most of which are headed by commissioners.   
The people elect the senators, governor and lieutenant governor for a 4-year term.  

The first Black governor appointed to the Islands was William H. Hastie in 1946.  In 1968, Congress passed a
law granting the people of the Virgin Islands the right to elect their own governor.  The first native-born
Black elected governor, Melvin H. Evans, took office in 1971 based on the first local election held in 1970.  
Prior to this, the governor was chosen in Washington, D.C.  There is a non-voting representative in the U.S.
House of Representative.    The first Hispanic governor was Juan Luis who became governor in 1978.

The Virgin Islands were given the right to draft a constitution, subject to approval by the U.S. Congress.  
Various constitutional conventions to draft the constitution have been held (1965, 1972, 1978, and 1980)
but have not produced a constitution. The fourth convention did produce a document which was approved
by Congress but was rejected by the voters.  A constitution would provide greater autonomy to the residents
of the Virgin Islands.   
[In 2003, the idea of drafting a constitution has again surfaced and is being discussed.  
Similar attempts were made in 194, 1971, 1977, and 1982.  In 2005, the 26th Legislature considered the idea
again and in 2006 a constitution convention was formed.]

Though the residents of the U.S.V.I. are citizens of the U.S., they cannot vote in the U.S. presidential
elections.   If and when they move to the mainland, they can vote.

Being in the Caribbean, St. Croix was affected by the slave trade, as were the other islands.  For that reason,
St. Croix’s inhabitants are mostly Black.  

St. Croix is one of the few islands in the Caribbean that can claim being totally surrounded by the
Caribbean Sea.  Most of the islands are surrounded by the Caribbean Sea on one side and the Atlantic
on the other.  St. Croix also boasts in having the most easterly point of the United States of America, Point
Udall.  Also, if my memory serves me right it is said that St. Croix is one of the few coral islands in the
Caribbean.  Most of the islands were created by volcanic activities.

Life on St. Croix was, and still is, lived at a slow pace.  We teased each other that our time zone should be
known as Crucian Standard Time (CST), not Atlantic Standard Time.  Everyone knew everyone and it felt
like everyone looked out for each other.   All elders had to be respected, everyone greeted each other
whether they knew each other or not, and any authority figure became a surrogate parent.  Complete
strangers would greet each other on the street.  Respecting others and being respected by them was
very important. When one got into a conversation that was not open to others, one would be called “fresh”
or “fast and fahword”.  To be “fresh: or “fast and fahword” meant you were being rude!   Strangers were
allowed to reprimand us.  Most of the times they would then report to our parent(s) and we would be
reprimanded a second time.  However, these individuals were not always right but since they were adults
they had more credibility.  There were some adults that could not be trusted.  Ma knew who they were and
we tried to stay clear of them.  Children back then were raised by the community.  
[I was in for a rude
awakening when I came to New York City.  One day on the subway this lady looked at me and I said hi.  Why
did I do that?  That’s what I was accustomed to from my days on St. Croix.  The lady let me have it.  After
that I didn’t speak to anyone unless spoken to.  I realized quickly that the people of NYC were not like
those I had left on St. Croix!]

At home we were only allowed to speak Spanish.  Speaking English or Crucian got us punished if Ma was
close enough to hear the conversation.  Though we thought it was unfair at the time, I am now thankful for
having learned Spanish.  Because Ma never went to school, I think she did not feel worthy enough to learn
English.  Though she understands it, she refuses to speak it.  One of us was always with her whenever she
had to run an errand to act as an interpreter.  On the streets we spoke Crucian.  The people born on the
island call themselves Crucians.  At one time it was spelled with a Z instead of a C since the Spaniards once
called the island Santa Cruz (Holy Cross).  At school we were taught English.  In some classes we were not
allowed to speak a word of Crucian or Spanish.   The Puerto Ricans on St. Croix spoke what could be called
SpanCruGlish, a combination of Spanish, Crucian and English.  

From the late 30s to the 50s, Puerto Ricans, especially those from the island of Vieques, began to migrate
to the island in search of a better life.  The Navy had taken over most of Vieques and a lot of people who
worked at the sugar refinery (La Central) were displaced since the plant was in the portion taken over by the
Navy.  Some time in 1950 Ma moved to St. Croix.  Ma already had relatives on St. Croix who could assist her.  
Some of these relatives would eventually leave for New York and California or return to Puerto Rico.  My
father, Francisco Rodríguez, Sr., died before I was born.  
[From what I discovered by perusing documents
Ma has, dad was born November 17, 1920 and died December 3, 1950.  The little I know about dad is that he
was from a well to do family.  Back in the days, it was not “proper” to marry out of one’s social class or religion.  
Ma and her family were considered part of the poor class.  Further discussion with Ma about the migration
from Vieques to the U.S. Virgin Islands revealed that she arrived on St. Croix on a ferry that went from island
to island transporting goods and people.  Ferry type boats and sailboats were used to move people and
goods throughout the area.  Some sailboats used only sails but some had both sails and a motor. (You can
find more information in The Vieques Connection.]

In the late 50s and early 60s, a new set of immigrants came to the island.  First they were used to cut the
sugar cane that many locals refused to harvest.  The locals found the work too hard.  Who wanted to be in
the sun all day cutting cane for pennies a day?  The immigrants came from the other Lesser Antilles.  Later on
more came to the island to work at the new oil refinery (Amerada Hess), and others at the Alumina plant
(VIALCO). Most of these immigrants decided to make St. Croix their home!  
[Today the alumina plant is gone
and the oil refinery is now named Hovensa.]  

What confused me in the 60s was the way the local Blacks were treating the Blacks from the other islands.  
This was a time when they chanted, “I’m Black and I’m Proud”, yet the statement did not include all Blacks on
St. Croix.  To distinguish between those born on the island and those who were not, the Black Crucians
began to use the phrase, “Ah bahn ya!”  “(I was born here.”)  They all looked towards Mother Africa but it
seemed that their vision was only for American and/or Crucian Blacks.  But weren’t all Blacks brought as
slaves to the various islands from Africa?  Why should there be a difference between a Black from a British
or French island and one from an American possession?  I could not get an answer.  
[In the 20th Century,
the legislature of the U.S. Virgin Islands tried to define what a “native” Virgin Islander should be.  It created
havoc.  The definition was developed in such a way that would exclude a lot of people who were born in the
USVI.   If ones ancestors were not born on St. Croix on a certain date their offspring would not be considered
“native”.  However, those drafting the law realized that even their roots were not all in the USVI and for that
reason, the arbitrary date was used in order to be included in the definition of “native”.  Being born off the
island of parents born in the USVI also became an issue.  Again, incorporating certain stipulations into the
draft satisfied that.  It was a slap in the face to many.  I would be able to call myself a Crucian but not a “native”
Virgin Islander.  Nonsense.  The only true “natives” were those Columbus and his men met in 1493!!  Luckily
such nonsense was never passed into law.  I think if “native” was defined, it would have been used as an
instrument to discriminate against those that would have been considered non-natives.   What if only
“natives” could vote?  How about only allowing “natives” to run for public office?   It could have been
stipulated that land could only be sold to “natives” and only “natives” could own businesses.   The real
reason behind defining “native” was never adequately explained nor understood.]

What is so strange is that though the Black Crucians were saying “Ah bahn ya” if they took time to trace
their ancestry they would find that even they had roots on the other islands.   African slaves were dispersed
throughout the Caribbean!  Not all slave families were kept together when traded.

If a racist was walking down one of the streets on St. Croix and saw two Black men, would he be able to tell
the difference between the Black Crucian and the “Alien”?  Would he hate the “Alien” and love the Black
Crucian?  I doubt it very much!

Puerto Ricans were no longer the target.   The new migrant workers were blamed for all the ills of the island.  
They were called “Aliens”, “Garrots”, and “Antiguans” (though not all were from the island of Antigua).  
These individuals had come to St. Croix for a better way of life but were treated like dirt.  
[Strangely enough
many Black Crucians ended up marrying these individuals.]

I became friendly with a few of the newcomers and was called all kinds of names.  As a Puerto Rican, we
had basically been through the same when we arrived on St. Croix so I knew first hand what they were
experiencing.  For many years, these “Aliens” were not allowed to attend public schools though the private
schools welcomed them with open arms.

Strangely enough, in the 60s many Arabs began moving to St. Croix.  They were mostly door to door
salesmen.  They sold clothes, linen, etc., out of suitcases or from the back of cars.  When they came to
your door, it was hard to get rid of them.  They rarely took no for an answer.  Though the Black Crucians
complained about the “down islanders”, they did not seem to complain about the Arabs.  Most of the Arabs
are/were from Lebanon.
 [Today the Arabs on St. Croix own most of the supermarkets and gas stations and
lots of property.  While the Black Crucians were focused on the “down islanders”, the Arabs slowly became
owners of a large chunk of St. Croix!  The “down islanders” have over the years also been able to purchase
a lot of St. Croix’s real estate.]

The 1960s was a crazy decade.  It was confusing and enlightening.  It was sad and happy.  There was great
music yet great strife in the country.

The most amazing structures on St. Croix are the sugar cane mills that dot most of the island.  The mills can
be seen on flat lands as well as on the summit of many hills.  How did these mills get on these hills?  How
were the stones brought up to such high places?  Who brought them up? Were the plantation owners that
brutal to the slaves?  How many people were needed to do the hard labor?  How many people died?  Did
they have technology that got lost with time?  Or could someone else have been responsible?  (You can
imagine whatever you want here.)   The other strange thing is that the mortar used to hold the stones
together have withstood time.   Most of the mills have withstood years of rain, heat, and hurricanes better
than most of the modern structures.   They are an incredible reminder of the past.  
[Didn’t someone
suggest knocking them down because they were reminders of our past as slaves?  I am glad they
still stand.]

St. Croix has no rivers.  In the old days there were a lot of windmills all over the island that pumped water
from wells. Today most are gone.  The two windmills I remember the most are the ones in Whim and on
Mahogany Road, on what I think was/is Oscar Henry’s land.  The one on Mr. Henry’s property is still standing.  
All homes on the island have cisterns for storing water caught during the rains; some have wells, while
others use potable water or a combination thereof.  During the dry season most families have to buy
water.  Those hooked up to the government water system have meters and must pay for the water.

In what I will tell you, I will try to use the names of the streets.  However, keep in mind that when I was
growing up, we knew where everything was without having to refer to the name of the streets.  To find so
and so, you had to go next or close to so and so.  Most of the streets outside the town did not carry signs.  
However, we knew where Mahogany Road was, knew how to get to Ham’s Bluff, etc.   Only recently did they
post road and junction signs to make it easier for the tourists.  Mahogany is Route 76 (intersections are
referred to as JCT) while Centerline Road (Queen Mary Highway) is 70 and the Melvin H. Evans Highway,
believe it or not is Route 66 while the road to Hannah’s Rest is 661.
[It appears that the streets going
north/south were used to identify the plots, even for those on streets going east to west.  In other words, a
house on Queen Cross Street, which goes east/west, would appear as a plot number with Hospital or Prince
Street as the street name.  Any plot numbers I have indicated refer to a 1940 map of Frederiksted which I
purchased from The Whim Museum.  I have used the plot number but refer to the street regardless of how it
runs.  Recently, the homes were re-numbered in what people thought was a more modern system but the
new numbers created a lot of problems.  It appears most of the tax collection agencies, etc., have the homes
listed based on the old plot system.  If I cannot figure out a plot number, I have indicated the address used by
the post office and the number will be preceded by the letter “p”.]

Before the highway was built, whenever we traveled from Frederiksted to Christiansted, we took
Centerline Road.  If we took a left at La Reine, we would say we were traveling the old road to C’sted or
Northside Road.  We felt the old road took longer to get to where we were going and liked it when the
driver did so our trip would las longer.

Around election day, we always had Bull and Bread day.  It was an event that took place in Grove Place.  
I don’t think I ever attended.  I suppose since my mother was not into the politics of the island, we did not
make it to Grove Place.  I remember some of my friends telling me that they served beef and bread.  I
imagine there were other things to eat.  
[It turns out that November 1st, is known as Liberty Day, or Bull
and Bread Day, in honor of David Hamilton Jackson.  Mr. Jackson was a politician, lawyer, educator, judge,
editor and labor leader.  He established the first labor union in the Virgin Islands in 1915.  Today, the day
is still celebrated but not with the same fervor as years gone by.]

On January 30, 2004, Act No. 6642 that was passed by the 25th Legislature on December 17, 2003 was signed
by Governor Turnbull making “Quelbe” the official music of the Virgin Islands.   “Quelbe” comes from a
mixture of various forms of music – cariso, bamboula,  European military fife and drum music, etc.  A
“Quelbe” band at one time consisted of a flute, guitar, steel triangle, tambourine, squash and bass drum.  
The brass drum was replaced by the pipe and the banjo was added with the saxophone replacing the flute.  
The pipe was a long metal pipe that was curved at both ends and blown into.
 [The best pipe blower that I
can remember was Paddy Moore.  I don’t know if the pipe is used today.]
© 2008, Property of Jorge L. Rodríguez.  Not for publication in any media without permission
Original draft written in 2003.
© 2008, Property of Jorge L. Rodríguez.  Not for publication in any media without permission
Original draft written in 2003.
This page and the following pages (Frederiksted, St. Patrick's, St. Joseph's and Harrigan) are part
of a project I am/was working on.