Relics of the Slave Era

Christiansted – the Danish Connection: 12 Jun 09

The Gold Fort

Christiansted’s picturesque historic buildings lured us with a short walking tour.  These pastel painted Danish Government buildings are now on the National Register of Historic Places.  We took Bruce into a town dinghy dock and began a tour from the popular district of Kings Wharf.  We eyed a few watering holes on the boardwalk as possibilities for our later “sundowners”. 

Kings Wharf had been used for commercial trading for more than 250 years.  St Croix was known as the “Garden of the Antilles” and as such hosted many large sugar plantations and molasses factories.  It was also a busy centre for slave trading. 

Fort Defences

We began our tour at Fort Christiansvaern (Christian’s Defences) a well cared for yellow painted fort – known locally as "the golden fort".  Built in 1749 on a site of an old French Fort, this small 4 point citadel was used until 1878, playing out a role that included prison, administration, security and court facilities for a small but busy colony.  In conjunction with gun emplacements located in Protestant Cay and Fort Louise Augusta, this wealthy and industrious settlement was provided with quite formidable protection.  The guns however, were never fired in armed conflict; the fort was used to protect the small colony from pirate attacks, hurricanes and slave revolts. 

Old Customs House

The Danish edge for design was clearly evident, even then and attention paid to detail given trying circumstances.  Interestingly, this compact fort was constructed from Danish bricks, formerly ships ballast.  The wings were well laid out and space, although compact, was well used.  At one time, the cells housed the wife of one of the staffers – her ability to shop outweighed his ability to pay – so he embezzled some funds…  Of course, she was packed off to a jail cell for two years in the hope she would come to her senses! 

Floor tiles St Croix (with toes) - the start of an obsession for tiles?

The rooms used by the Commandant and his family were large, and inviting - pastel colours, lots of perfect views from large windows and high ceilings.  I’m sure other fort occupants (especially the incarcerated) grumbled but again the well thought out, open plan and use of a wide verandah and shutters to cool the rooms made perfect sense in a Caribbean climate.  Lastly, I must pass comment on the well sited latrines.  Don’t the Danish just have an eye for detail! 

Old Sugar Mill

Having spent some time enjoying the Fort, we worked our way through a grid of narrow streets looking at the Customs House, the Old Danish Scale House, the Company Warehouse where slaves were once auctioned and finally Government House.  Our Cap’n distracted a historically minded GS only once – the delights of a second hand bookstore were just too tempting. 

After a quick turn around an old sugar mill right on the dock area, we chose a pub that overlooked Protestant Cay.  This small coral island is now a small resort and Christiansted’s only harbour beach.  Locals take a 5 minute ride to find beach, bar & babes on weekends.  Otherwise, the inner harbour area is crammed with yachties (live-aboards) who add to the milieu of the district.