Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
STREET NAMES
Street signs are labeled with original Danish names. North St, for example, is Norre
Gade ( gaa -da, which is 'street' in Danish). Main St (Dronningens Gade) and Back
St (Wimmelskafts Gade) have signs in English as well as Danish and are generally
called by their English names.
FRENCHTOWN
Occupying a peninsula on the western side of St Thomas Harbor, this fishing village is
now a hot restaurant quarter. The island's 'Frenchies,' aka Huguenots who immigrated to
St Thomas from St-Barthélemy, populated the community of brightly painted frame houses
during the mid-19th century. At one point, Frenchtown had about 1500 people who spoke
a mix of 18th-century Breton French and West Indian Creole, but in recent years, many of
the neighborhood's French citizens have assimilated or moved away.
There are still a number of fisherfolk here, and you can see them bring in their catch
from the jetties and sell them at the QuetelFishMarket( 5-9amSat) on the waterfront.
To get to Frenchtown from downtown, take a taxi (per person $4), or walk west on
Waterfront Hwy past the Seaplane Terminal and turn left just after the post office. The
1.25-mile walk takes about 25 minutes from Emancipation Garden. The neighborhood is
compact, so everything is easy to find once you arrive.
Frenchtown Heritage Museum MUSEUM
( www.frenchheritagemuseum.com ; Rue de St-Barthélemy; 9am-6pm Mon-Fri)
The little yellow museum preserves the history of St Thomas' French inhabitants. Exhibits
show old photographs of the community's first families and artifacts like fishing nets,
musical instruments, French lace and mahogany furniture. It's located next to the Joseph
Aubaine Ballpark.
HAVENSIGHT
A hundred years ago, the area on the east side of St Thomas Harbor (known today as
Havensight) was a bustling steamship wharf and coaling station. Today it's still busy, but
with behemoth cruise ships that tie up to the West Indian Company Cruise Ship Dock.
Search WWH ::




Custom Search