Within this section you will find over 100 articles which have appeared in publications of the Society, have been the subject of our hikes and wanderings and/or are simply of interest to anyone with a love of St. John and its rich history.
If you’d like to submit an article for consideration in a future newsletter or quarterly journal, please be aware of the following guidelines.
- Word count should be between 500-1,000 words. Articles longer than 1,000 words are accepted on a case-by-case basis, so please contact us in advance for pre-approval;
- Please single space after periods;
- Article should be concise, on topic, and most importantly, relate to V.I. or Danish West Indies history; and
- The article’s relevancy to St. John should be clear.
Please send articles to the attention of newsletter editor Andrea Milam at: ContactUs@StJohnHistoricalSociety.org.
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Nov 2018October 2018 Newsletter
ATTENTION MEMBERS AND FRIENDS! The next meeting of the St. John Historical Society will take place on November 13, 2018 at 7PM at the National Park Headquarters. Ken Wild will talk on the status and restoration of cultural resources in the Park after Hurricanes Irma and Maria. Ken has worked here in the Virgin Islands National Park for 35 years. He has worked in almost…
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Jul 2018July 2018 Newsletter
Dear Members and Friends, It has been a trying time for St. Johnians these last 11 months since the devastating storms Irma-Jose-Maria of September, 2017. It’s been difficult for people who stayed during the storm as well as those who were displaced to other places. People are still without basic services; some waiting for their homes to be rebuilt or fixed as materials are in…
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Oct 2014Proposed Bylaws Revisions
Periodically the board of directors reviews and updates the Bylaws of the St John Historical Society to better reflect the needs of the growing organization. This was last done in 2011 and adopted in January 2012. At the October 3rd board meeting, the board approved with amendments a set of changes and additions proposed by a subcommittee of the board. The board proposes the following changes to its…
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Aug 2014About our New Watermark and Logo
Over the years, the St. John Historical Society has become aware of an increasing demand placed on the wealth of images that the society has accumulated and posted on its website. Some of this material is in the public domain, some is on permanent loan to the society with unlimited or limited use permission, while still others are owned outright by the society. Regardless, the…
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Aug 2014Archeology in the Virgin Islands National Park
(A presentation by Ken Wild, summarized by Diana Hall) Members of the St. John Historical Society present at the April 8 membership meeting learned that 2013 was an extremely productive year for the National Park Service Archeology Program as Virgin Islands National Park Archeologist and Cultural Resource Manager Ken Wild updated the audience on the program’s accomplishments. Wild, who graduated from the University of Tennessee…
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Aug 2014More on the Archaeological Dig at the Bellevue Estate
Last week, we posted a link to the Tradewinds article on the initial archaeological survey work being undertaken at Bellevue, along with some important background information as to the Historical Society and the St. John Community Foundation’s objectives. That posting can be viewed here. On August 3rd, Tradewinds provided a follow-up to the initial reporting and we link that latest article here. Further Background While Alan Armstrong’s work this summer was…
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Jul 2014A New Look for the Society Website
With technology opening so many new doors, there has never been a better time for history to be shared throughout the world. The St. John Historical Society Board of Directors is pleased and excited to announce the launch of our new website, complete with a blog, media library, online store, newsletter sign-up, links to our YouTube, SlideShare, and Facebook accounts, and more. We may be…
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Jul 2014Archaeologists Dig into Bellevue Estate History
Background… On March 28, 2013, the St. John Historical Society entered into a 99 year lease agreement with the St. John Community Foundation for a small parcel of land on the Bellevue Estate, off Gift Hill Road, on St. John. The parcel being leased is part of a larger piece of the land gifted to the Foundation by Reliance Housing, largely because of the important…
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Jul 2014A Few Words About Our Website Home Page Images
On the home page of our website we feature four of the most historically-significant images ever produced of St. John. We believe these renderings help bring to life the incredibly rich history of this very special island. They are: Coral Bay from the Emmaus Moravian Mission Station, dated 1833, by Robert H. Schomburgk (Lithograph of Coral Bay, from a painting by Robert…
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May 2014The Last Kayak Adventure
The following article is a special Five Quarters supplement written and designed by SJHS member Valerie Sims. It tells the tale of the legendary Captain Franz Romer, who set out to make the first recorded crossing of the Atlantic Ocean in a sea kayak. The SJHS Media Committee is grateful for Valerie’s captivating contribution. Please click on the link to see photos and read the…
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May 2014The Search for Thomas Ivinson: Plantation Manager in Danish West Indies
(Contributed by SJHS Member Kim Viner in the city of Laramie) On the high plains of southeastern Wyoming stands a wonderful 1892 mansion built by Edward Ivinson. Edward was one of the most prominent men in the community for many years and a noted philanthropist later in his life. The fully restored house is now the home of the Laramie Plains Museum (LPM). Despite being…
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May 2014Help Needed to Complete the Restoration of the Free-Colored Cemetery of Cruz Bay
Tucked away in a corner of Cruz Bay, between establishments reflecting modern life in this little island town, is the final resting place of six Free-Colored St. Johnians who died between 1820 and 1879. Although Cruz Bay’s Free-Colored Cemetery is incredibly significant for myriad reasons it had been all but forgotten until last month, when local residents joined forces with the St. John Historical Society…