St Croix Historical Tour I
Description
St. Croix V.I. Historical Tour:
5 hours
Our tours are all full service and very exclusive, we pick up locally from any hotel, cruise ship, or residence and deliver a tour and other common services such as optional shopping and swimming time at no additional cost while providing a high quality tour that makes the excursion an even better value.
A five hour tour including lunch time. We tour the two historical districts and the line that separates the cities that use to divide St. Croix during the simultaneous colonization of the Dutch and British, who fought bitter wars for control of this gorgeous 84.25 acre spread of an island. We visit the distillery and and drive to Sandy Point where Christopher Columbus tried to land and named Cabos de Flechas, “The point of Arrows.” Columbus named St. Croix Santa Cruz (Holy Cross) before the language was changed due to the French occupation.
This was before the takeover by the French who had several set backs, before selling it to the Danes, before the Danish Crown officially took over. The two towns are distinct from each other architecturally with Victorian and contrasting Dutch style edifices well worth being called a “Heritage Site.” Both towns have huge forts ready to protect their respective harbours, now to be explored.
This tour covers the historical locations of Alexander Hamiltons rearing before moving to the U.S. for study. It covers historical herbal medicines and flora, fauna, the chronology of European countries that colonized the territory and the beaches.
Schedule: If your cruise ship is delayed (We are aware of it) and/or doesn’t fit the available
schedule options, we do pick up 30- 45 minutes after your ship arrives (berths).
1. Regular: 9:30 am The tour entails some optional walking in two parks around these incredible forts.
Features:
· Fort Frederik and Fort Christianvaern
· Botanical Garden
· Salt River (Columbus’ attempted landing area)
· University of the Virgin Islands
· Historical recital during the drive through
· Alexander Hamilton’s childhood home
· Herbal Medicines
Includes:
· Water
· Lunch at Turtles Restaurant (Huge Club Sandwiches & beverage)
· Surprises
Price: Adults – $165.00
Children– $145.00 (13 and younger)
St. Croix – Locater
Santa Cruz (Holy Cross; Latin): Christopher Columbus first named it in 1493.
Saint Croix (French): French “owned” St. Croix and was sold to Denmark in 1733.
Located: 17degrees 45 North and 64 degrees 45 west
Size: 84.25 square miles (28 miles in length and 7 miles in width)
Population: 53,073; 2000 census (50,000 Christiansted and 3,000 Frederiksted)
Highest Point is: Mount Eagle (1,165 ft. /355m)
Average Rainfall: 45’’
Average Temperature: 80 degrees Fahrenheit
Religion: Catholicism
Local and National Holidays
New Year’s Day – January 1
Martin Luther King’s Day – January 15
President’s Day – February 19
Transfer Day – March 31
Holy Thursday – April
Good Friday – April
Easter – April
Easter Monday – April
Carnival – The first Friday and Saturday of January usually.
Memorial Day – May 28
V.I. Emancipation Day – July 3
Independence Day – July 4
Labor Day – September 3
Columbus Day – October 8
Liberty Day – November 1
Veteran’s Day – Nov.11
Thanksgiving Day – Nov. 22
Christmas Day – Dec. 25
Christmas Second Day – Dec. 26
Notes: Saint Croix is named in the French language today. It is the largest of the four main islands and fort-six cays that comprise the Virgin Islands. The island has seven senators that serve the people, elected every two years.
There are a total of 15 senators in the legislature while St. Thomas has seven senators, and St. John has 1 Senator “At Large”. Water Island the smallest of the four Virgins and has no senatorial representation. Its population is less than 300 people and less than 1 sq.mi. Saint Croix has two towns although it is one island, with one government. This dual city started when the island was colonized simultaneously by the Dutch and the English.
