Tempting tropical beaches, lush forests, and crystalline Caribbean waters are the hallmark of Virgin Islands National Park on the island of St. John. Virgin Islands National Park's hills, valleys and beaches are breath-taking. On August 2nd of the same year United States Congress passed legislation to establish the Virgin Islands National Park. At this point, the small island of St. John was home to more than 100 large plantations that grew cotton, tobacco and sugarcane. If you visited the islands prior to the 2017 hurricanes, and if you had favorite museums, ruins, beaches or resorts, your return trip may be touched with sadness. The park is 12,909 acres of land and 5,650 acres of water. The coral is unfortunately becoming damaged from overuse however. The park was established in 1956 and now also includes waters surrounding St. John (added in 1962) and most of Hassel Island (1978) in the harbour Caroline Sullivan History/Culture, St. John, Travel April 2, 2015 September 25, 2016 Annaberg Plantation, ruins, sugar plantation, virgin islands, Virgin Islands National Park, Windmill at Annaberg Whether you are newlyweds on your honeymoon or on a family vacation in the U.S. Virgin Islands, there are plenty of things to see in St. John. These sites have given us a greater understanding of the region’s prehistory, along with the religious and social development of the Taino people who greeted Columbus. Beaches, coral reefs, hiking trails, and natural sites are the park's main attractions. Brief History of the Park. This material covers where to stay, fun things to do, culture, local events, beach guides, how to get around, plants and animals, history, tips, things to see, art galleries, shopping and so much more. At this point, there were nearly 1,100 slaves on the island, as opposed to little more than 200 Europeans. [13], Located on St. John's south shore, Salt Pond Bay is a protected bay and beach. The remaining portion, the Caneel Bay Resort, operates on a lease arrangement with the NPS, which owns the underlying land. The beaches of Virgin Islands National Park are regularly named some of the best in the world. Other animals that can be found in the park or surrounding regions include donkeys, sheep, goats, deer, pigs, mongoose, and cats and dogs. The islands of the Caribbean have long held dark secrets and legends of lore. Trunk Bay has a beach that has been voted one of the Ten Best Beaches in the World by a variety of notable travel publications such as. Laurence Spelman Rockefeller, a major conservationist from the famous Rockefeller family, was heavily involved in establishing many national parks in the United States, including Virgin Islands National Park. Virgin Islands National Park, conservation area covering some three-fifths of the island of St. John in the United States Virgin Islands, West Indies. Cinnamon Bay Campground is located inside the park, as is Caneel Bay Resort on the north shore which lies on Rockefeller's former personal estate. The current state of the park and its scattered communities is one of rebuilding and efforts continue toward restoring the charming communities to what they were before these disasters. Virgin Islands National Park is a park located in the U.S Virgin Islands, encompassing 60% of Saint John Island, and most of Hassel Island. Cultural relics such as the “Little White House” at Cinnamon Bay, which was the island’s oldest structure, dating to the 1600s, and housed the Cinnamon Bay Archeology Museum, was destroyed by the massive storms. Efforts to create a national park here were began in the 1950s by a gentleman with the name of Rockefeller. The bay is also home to the Cinnamon Bay Campground and water sports rental. Virgin Islands National Park is a park located in the U.S Virgin Islands, encompassing 60% of Saint John Island, and most of Hassel Island. By 1733, there were 109 cane and cotton plantations covering the island. However, within its 7,000 plus acres on the island of St. John is the complex history of civilizations - both free and enslaved - dating back more than a thousand years, all … Overnight and day use mooring balls are available for boaters. In 1956, Rockefeller purchased more than 5,000 acres on the island of St John and gave all but 170 acres on the northwest shore to the federal government in order to create Virgin Islands National Park. [6] The trust intends to sell the property to the National Park Service as federal funds become available. Such atrocities led to a major slave rebellion in November of 1733, during which Akwamu slaves wrested control of the island of St. John from their European masters, many of whom were brutally killed during the overthrow. Park Junkies may recall, these Rockefeller folk have had their hand in the creation of a few other parks. Sugar production continued for more than a century, effectively ending with the emancipation of the slaves in 1848. History of Virgin Islands National Park The nearly five centuries of the Virgin Islands’ cultural history is as colorful and enthralling as a carnival parade. In 2006, The Trust for Public Land purchased the 415-acre (167.9 ha) Estate Maho Bay for preservation. A year after Virgin Islands National Park was established in 1956 there were 11,900 visitors. 1300 Cruz Bay Creek Updated information dedicated to Moving and Living in the Virgin Islands. An interesting historical footnote is that Laurence and his wife, Mary, donated their Vermont home that today is the park system unit known as the Marsh-Billings-Rockefeller National Historic Park.