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Fort Frederik, also known as Frederiksfort, is a U.S.
National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
in
Frederiksted, United States Virgin Islands Frederiksted is both the town and one of the two administrative districts of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. It is a grid-planned city, designed by surveyor Jens Beckfor, originally to 14x14 blocks but built 7x7 to enhance the island commerce i ...
. It was built between 1752 and 1760 by Denmark-Norway to defend the economic interests of the natural deep water port of
Frederiksted Frederiksted is both the town and one of the two administrative districts of St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. It is a grid-planned city, designed by surveyor Jens Beckfor, originally to 14x14 blocks but built 7x7 to enhance the island commerce i ...
and to ward off pirates. It has red and white painted walls, making it quite different then yellow and white of Fort Christiansværn on the other side of the island. It is located at the north end of Frederiksted, in
St. Croix Saint Croix; nl, Sint-Kruis; french: link=no, Sainte-Croix; Danish and no, Sankt Croix, Taino: ''Ay Ay'' ( ) is an island in the Caribbean Sea, and a county and constituent district of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), an unincor ...
, south of the junction of Mahogany Road and VI 631. It should not be confused with Frederiks Fort, Fortberg Hill, on St. John, which is also listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
. According to Westergaard, "It was soon found that a customs house was not sufficient, but that cannon must be provided, and placed as to command the roads where the ships lay anchored. In lack of such a 'water battery', ships were accustomed to slip away in the night-time without securing papers of paying their dues." In 1776, the first salute from foreign soil to the new nation of the United States of America was fired from the fort. The salute of Old Glory which had been raised on an American brigantine at port in Frederiksted was a violation of the laws of Denmark-Norway's neutrality however the islands had helped the British colonist in America sealing a friendliness between the two colonies, and the salute was therefore appropriate. It is from this fort that Danish Governor-General Peter von Scholten emancipated the slaves on 3 July 1848. John Gottliff (also known as Moses Gotlieb, General Bordeaux, or Buddhoe) had led 8,000 blacks in a freedom march to Frederiksted. At the time, there were 17,000 slaves and 5,000 free blacks on St. Croix. The fort includes a museum and art gallery, it is open weekdays from 8:30am to 4pm, and Saturdays from 1pm to 4pm. Admission is $3 (2015). Fort Frederik was listed as a contributing property in the Frederiksted Historic District in 1976. It was individually listed on the
National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...
in 1996. It was further declared a
National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
in 1997. Fort Frederik now stands guard over the Eliza James-McBean Clock Tower and Emancipation Park, a town park right in front of the Frederiksted fort and waterfront. The park contains statues of historically important Virgin Islanders. Small paths weave through dozens of large mahogany trees and fragrant flowers. This Federiksted park honors the slave revolt leader General Buddhoe and also serves to recall and honor the 1848 proclamation by Governor Peter von Scholten that emancipated slaves in the Danish islands. The park has many benches and a small gazebo and is the location for Jazz in the Park, every 3rd Friday of the month (2014).


Images

Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- 2nd story facing SW.jpg, 2nd Story facing SW Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- 2nd story facing west.jpg, 2nd Story facing West Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- 2nd story panoramic facing south to west to north.jpg, 2nd Story Panoramic facing South to West to North Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- 2nd story panoramic facing west to north to east.jpg, 2nd Story Panoramic facing West to North to East Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- bell.jpg, Bell with View of N2theBlue Scuba Diving in the Parking Area Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- cannon battery facing west.jpg, Cannon Battery Facing West Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- cannon view facing west.jpg, Cannon View Facing West Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- cannons view North.jpg, Cannons View Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- freedom display and museum onsite.jpg, Freedom Display and Museum onsite Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- internal courthyard 2nd story panoramic.jpg, Internal Courtyard 2nd Story Panoramic Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- internal courthyard comander%27s quarters and the portofino.jpg, Internal Courtyard Commanders Quarters and the Portofino Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- internal courthyard comanders quarters facing south.jpg, Internal Courtyard Commanders Quarters Facing South Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- internal courthyard facing south.jpg, Internal Courtyard Facing South Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- internal courthyard panoramic facing west to north to east.jpg, Internal Courtyard Facing West to North to East Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- internal courthyard portofino facing north.jpg, Internal Courtyard Portofino Facing North Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- internal courthyard portofino west.jpg, Internal Courtyard Portofino West Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- internal courtyard facing NE.jpg, Internal Courtyard Facing NE Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- internal courtyard facing north.jpg, Internal Courtyard Facing North Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- internal courtyard facing south.jpg, Internal Courtyard Facing South Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- internal courtyard facing west through the portofino.jpg, Internal Courtyard Facing West through the Portofino Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- internal courtyard facing west.jpg, Internal Courtyard Facing West Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- musket window.jpg, Musket Window Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- onsite museum.jpg, Onsite Museum Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- seawall facing east with cannons, panoramic.jpg, Seawall Facing East with Cannons, Panoramic Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- seawall facing east.jpg, Seawall Facing East Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- seawall facing west cannons.jpg, Seawall Facing West with Cannons Fort Frederik, St. Croix, USVI -- SW view from seawall cannons.jpg, SW View from Seawall with Cannons


See also

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List of United States National Historic Landmarks in United States commonwealths and territories, associated states, and foreign states This is a list of National Historic Landmarks in U.S. commonwealths and territories, associated states, and foreign states. Included are lists of National Historic Landmarks (NHLs) and of National Park Service administered areas in U.S. Commonw ...
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National Register of Historic Places listings in the United States Virgin Islands __NOTOC__ This is a list of the buildings A building, or edifice, is an enclosed structure with a roof and walls standing more or less permanently in one place, such as a house or factory (although there's also portable buildings). Buildings c ...


References


External links

* {{NRHP in Saint Croix, United States Virgin Islands Forts in the United States Virgin Islands Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands 1760s in the Caribbean Government buildings completed in 1760 Buildings and structures in the Danish West Indies 18th century in the Danish West Indies Forts on the National Register of Historic Places Buildings and structures on the National Register of Historic Places in the United States Virgin Islands National Register of Historic Places in the United States Virgin Islands National Historic Landmarks in the United States Virgin Islands Historic American Buildings Survey in the United States Virgin Islands Government buildings in the United States Virgin Islands Infrastructure completed in 1760 Museums in the United States Virgin Islands Historic district contributing properties in the United States Virgin Islands