About Us
Who We Are
The St. John Historical Society is your starting place for exploring the people, places and events that shaped the history of St. John. Whether you are conducting research, preparing a lesson plan, looking for something fun to do, a history buff who appreciates rare documents and photos, or just in love with St. John and want to learn more, we can help.
The St. John Historical Society is a membership-based, non-profit organization. Throughout the past 52 years, the Society has been an authoritative source on St. John, meticulously documenting, preserving and then sharing with the public the history of a very special island. This has been achieved with the help of numerous professional historians, crafts people, artisans, musicians and educators who have brought this island’s rich history to life. Through its collections, publications, media, educational programs, field trips, special events and more, the Historical Society has been and continues to be the leading resource for discovering this very special island. The vitality and stability of the organization has been sustained and assured by a succession of very dedicated volunteer Board members over the years.
Our Core Values
On St. John you’ll find history under every rock, on every beach, and on every trail. It’s everywhere to those who take time to notice. St. John Historical Society maintains an archive of the Society’s collections, records, and other pertinent published and or written materials relating to the history and cultural heritage of St. John.
The St. John Historical Society supports and encourages the preservation and protection of objects, structures, traditions, and features of historic, cultural, or archeological value to the island of St. John.
The St. John Historical Society Board and members are neighbors, landowners, and community members. They collaborate with the people and businesses in the St. John community to document and preserve their unique history and share this with the world. The SJHS encourages, assists and supports the development of historical and cultural-heritage programs and events in cooperation with local museums, libraries, schools, and other public and private groups or institutions, and fosters participation in all of the activities. They act in cooperation with the Virgin Islands National Park as well as other historical, cultural and archaeological institutions or organizations.
The SJHS values education and specifically historical education. Much of what they do is focused on sharing what they learn. A major goal is always to increase the knowledge, awareness and understanding of St. John’s history and cultural heritage by such means as lectures, seminars, field trips, hikes, consultations, special educational programs and events.
Board of Directors
Article IV of the Society’s Bylaws provides that there shall be seven (7) officers and four (4) representatives who comprise the Board of Directors of the Society. The Bylaws also provide that the board shall be elected by the membership. The officer’s positions consist of the President, Vice President, Secretary, Treasurer, Archivist/Alternate Secretary, Historian and Media Chair.
Vice President
Treasurer
Secretary
Representative
Representative
Representative
Representative
Representative
Administrative Assistant
Representative
Representative
Board Advisors
Further, the board has, from time-to-time, found it desirable to appoint Board Advisors in order to ensure continuity and stability of the Society. This year we are pleased to include as advisors the following:
Education
Education and community are two of the core values that underlie the St. John Historical Society. For this reason we have worked with the local schools and have major plans to establish an educational outreach program targeted toward the youth of St. John.
The goal is to work with educators to design a series of classroom programs, field trips, and activities that showcase the island’s rich history. This program is in its infancy at this point. Members of the SJHS Board have reached out to all of the local schools to hear their areas of interest, and are now working on the development of a program to meet their educational needs.
Students on St. John are required to fulfill 100 hours of community service before graduation. The SJHS also provides opportunities for volunteering that also teach students about the history of their home.
As we develop the education program we are focusing on the needs of each grade level. It is there that we will start a base and build upon it each successive year. One of our Board Advisors is working with the teachers to better understand the interest and comprehension of each grade level. We plan to offer workshops in the classroom along with field trips to historical destinations.
Some of our recent interactions with the local school children of St. John include:
- One of our Board members, a docent at Annaberg Sugar Mill, provided a two-hour guided tour of the Sugar Mill for a group of ninth grade students.
- We assisted two classrooms in gathering and sharing information on the Tiano Indians.
- A Board member is presenting the concepts of an archeological dig to a group of third graders.
- We organized a clean up day at the Annaberg School ruins along with historical interpretation and invited students to join us for volunteer credits.