Danish soldiers and military musicians marching in front of Fort Christiansvaern, ca. 1916.
NPS-CHRI Collections
Christiansted National Historic Site, located on St Croix, Virgin Islands, was established in 1952 through the initiative of concerned local citizens. The park’s mandate is twofold - to preserve the historic structure and grounds within its boundaries, and to interpret the Danish economy and way of life in Christiansted between 1733 and 1917. The park consists of seven acres centered on the Christiansted waterfront, or wharf area. On the grounds are five historic structures: Fort Christiansvaern (1738), the Danish West India & Guinea Company Warehouse (1749), the Steeple Building (1753), Danish Custom House (1844), and the Scale House (1856). The National Park Service uses these resources to interpret the stories of the human experience at Christiansted during Danish sovereignty: colonial administration, the military and naval establishment, international trade (including the slave trade), religious diversity, architecture, skilled artisanship and trades, and crime and punishment.
