History

The history of this island park starts far before Columbus arrived on local shores in 1493.

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History Details

The human history of Virgin Islands National Park is a long one, starting more than 2,000 years before Columbus arrived in 1493. Archaeological evidence of prehistoric activity can be found on nearly every beach and bay, but especially on the Petroglyph Trail. These sites include rock art, the remnants of villages and camps, even ceremonial sites and burial grounds; some date back to 840 B.C., and all help paint a picture of the culture of the Taino, the people inhabiting these islands when Columbus stepped onto the shore. Soon after Columbus arrived, other Europeans began to establish colonies and outposts. The Virgin Islands have been controlled by Spain, France, Holland, England, Denmark, and the United States at different points in time. Across St. John and Virgin Islands National Park you'll find the ruined remnants of sugar mills and sugar plantations, relics from Denmark's rule when sugar cane, a valuable cash crop, was grown and processed on the island. For centuries, the Dutch grew and refined sugar using slave labor, but in 1848 this all came to an end when a slave uprising led to emancipation and the decline of the sugar industry. During construction of the Panama Canal, the U.S. purchased St. Croix, St. Thomas, St. John, and more than 50 outlying islands from Denmark for a cool $25 million. The U.S. recognized the islands' value as military outposts, but this was short-lived and soon wealthy travelers found the island, establishing it as a vacation destination for generations to come. Among them was Laurance Rockefeller, son of mega-wealthy John D. Rockefeller, Jr. Laurance purchased 5,000 acres of St. John for $1.75 million in 1956 and donated it to the U.S. for use as a national park. He also built a personal estate here; his former home is now the Caneel Bay Resort.

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