Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Alexander Hamilton
Note the plaque to Alexander Hamil-
ton near the bandstand. Born on the
nearby island of Nevis (British),
young Hamilton lived in St. Croix
from the time he was eight until he
left for the colonies at the age of 16.
The building at the head of King's Al-
ley is where he worked as a clerk.
Fort Christiansvaern
, painted a deep yellow with white
trim, has been restored to the way it looked in 1820. Stop at
the Visitor's Center just inside the entrance door and pick up
a yellow pamphlet, which will guide you. Each area is care-
fully marked with corresponding numbers and arrows. The
brick used to build the fort and its walkways was a ship's
ballast. Never engaged in battle, the fort served as a military
garrison and a police station. It contains punishment cells
(for disruptive slaves), dungeons, officers' quarters and a rec-
reation room. Climb to the water battery overlooking the har-
bor with its cannon still in place. Great spot for photos.
a
The $3 entrance fee to the Fort Mu-
seum is also valid for the Steeple
Building Museum.
Cross Hospital Street at Company Street.
The Steeple
Building
housed the island's first Lutheran Church, which
opened in 1753. The steeple was added 50 years later. It has
since served as a bakery, hospital and school. A small but in-
teresting museum with Indian artifacts and information
about life on the plantations operates here now. Open from
9 am-4 pm weekdays. Directly across Company Street, the
Danish West Indies & Guinea Co. Warehouse
will soon
open as a Slavery Museum.
Visit the old
Charte House
(Danish Manor). It served as a
map-making center for sailors in the trading ship era. Nicely
