Cruise Port Spotlight: Frederiksted and Christiansted, St. Croix

The largest of the trio of U.S. Virgin Islands (the other two being St. Thomas and St. John), St. Croix is also the easternmost point of the U.S. Christopher Columbus discovered the island in 1493 and named it Santa Cruz, which means Holy Cross, before the native Caribs chased him away. The French claimed the island in the 17th century (hence its current name of St. Croix, (the French translation of Santa Cruz). Denmark purchased St. Croix from the French in the 18th century, and the Danish influence prevailed until the latter part of the 19th century (the U.S. acquired it and St. Thomas and St. John in the early 20th century from the Danes), so Danish architecture is in evidence to this day.

By Georgina Cruz

March 3, 2011