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Charlotte Amalie ( ; ), located in Saint Thomas, is the historical capital and largest town of the U.S. Virgin Islands. It is located on the island's southern shore at the head of Charlotte Amalie Harbor. The town is known for its historic sites, Danish colonial architecture, harbor, and shopping. In 2020, it had a population of 8,194, making it the most densely populated town in the U.S. Virgin Islands. It has a deep-water harbor that was once a haven for pirates (including Blackbeard) and is now one of the busiest ports of call for cruise ships in the Caribbean. About 1.5 million-plus cruise ship passengers land there annually, and hundreds of ferries and yachts pass by each week. Protected by Hassel Island, the harbor has docking and fueling facilities, machine shops, and shipyards and was a U.S. submarine base until 1966.


Name

Known for its many beer halls, the town was founded in 1666 as Taphus ( Danish for 'beer house' or most literally 'tap house'). In 1691 the town was renamed Charlotte Amalie in honor of Danish King Christian V's wife, Charlotte Amalie of Hesse-Kassel (1650–1714). Between 1921 and 1936, the town was called St. Thomas by the United States. In 1936 the capital was recognized as Charlotte Amalie.


Official designation

Like the rest of the U.S. Virgin Islands, the town of Charlotte Amalie has no local government and is directly administered by the territorial government. However, it has boundaries defined by the Virgin Islands Code, and it is recognized as a town by the U.S. Census Bureau. Charlotte Amalie sits between the CDPs of Charlotte Amalie West and Charlotte Amalie East; together, these three CDPs comprise the subdistrict of Charlotte Amalie (or "the City").


Neighborhoods


Downtown Charlotte Amalie

Downtown Charlotte Amalie is divided into three historical quarters, reflecting its Danish colonial past: * ''Kongens Kvarter'' (English: King's Quarter): This area contains many historic government buildings, Charlotte Amalie harbor defense structures and landmarks. It is central to administrative activities during the colonial period and today. Government House, the Virgin Islands Capitol Building, Superior Court of the Virgin Islands (in the Alexander A Farrelly Justice Complex) and United States District Court of the Virgin Islands (in the Ron Delugo Federal Building), Emancipation Garden as well as Fort Christian are located in this quarter. * ''Dronningens Kvarter'' (English: Queen's Quarter): This quarter features residential areas as well as the downtown commercial shopping district. * ''Kronprinsens Kvarter'' (English: Crown Prince's Quarter): This area historically housed various community as well as merchant activities like the sale of slaves and produces at the Rothschild Francis Square. It also includes a mix of residential and business spaces. The transitions between the quarters in downtown Charlotte Amalie are not always clearly marked. However, the best way to identify these changes is by following Virgin Islands Route 308. This road, which passes through all three quarters, provides a practical guide to their boundaries. * In Kongens Kvarter, Route 308 is known as Nørre Gade (English: North Street). It begins at the easternmost side of the quarter, at the intersection with Bjerge Gade (English: Mountain Street) Route 314. Here, the road is a two-lane street. * As you enter Dronningens Kvarter, the road becomes Dronningens Gade (English: Queen Street) and transitions into a one-way street heading west. * In Kronprinsens Kvarter, Route 308 changes its name to Kronprinsens Gade (English: Crown Prince Street) and returns to being a two-lane road. Finally, as Route 308 exits downtown Charlotte Amalie, it becomes Harwood Highway, marking the end of the historic downtown district at the west end. Downtown Charlotte Amalie is primarily bordered on the south by Virgin Islands Highway 30, commonly known as Veterans Drive or the Waterfront Highway. The northern boundary is less clearly defined, but a useful rule of thumb is that once the street names transition from Danish to English, you are likely outside of downtown Charlotte Amalie as downtown Charlotte Amalie is the only area of the island of St. Thomas with street names in Danish.


Frenchtown

Frenchtown is a distinctive neighborhood and fishing community within the town limits of Charlotte Amalie, located southwest of downtown and just south of Highway 30. Originally settled by French immigrants from the island of Saint-Barthélemy in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, it has retained a strong French-Caribbean influence that is evident in its traditions, cuisine, and way of life. Frenchtown is known for its vibrant French heritage, with many families in the area tracing their ancestry to Saint-Barthélemy. The community celebrates French traditions, including culinary and religious practices. Historically, Frenchtown was a fishing village, and fishing remains an important part of its identity. While downtown Charlotte Amalie is known for its Danish street names, Frenchtown stands out with its French-named streets, reflecting its rich French-Caribbean heritage. *


Landmarks

Charlotte Amalie has many buildings of historical importance and other important landmarks: * St. Thomas Synagogue, the second oldest synagogue in the western hemisphere and oldest under the United States flag; * Frederick Lutheran Church; * Blackbeard's Castle, a U.S.
National Historic Landmark A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a National Register of Historic Places property types, building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the Federal government of the United States, United States government f ...
, built in the 17th century by the Danes; * Bluebeard's Castle, built in the 17th century by the Danes; * Fort Christian, the oldest standing structure in the Virgin Islands Archipelago; * Emancipation Park, which has a copy of the Liberty Bell and a statue of a freed slave blowing a conch shell.


History


Early history

Archaeological records indicate that the present-day U.S. Virgin Islands have been home to native people groups, including the
Taíno The Taíno are the Indigenous peoples of the Caribbean, Indigenous peoples of the Greater Antilles and surrounding islands. At the time of European contact in the late 15th century, they were the principal inhabitants of most of what is now The ...
, Arawak, Kalinago/Carib, and the Ciboney people. Several of these groups lived in present-day Charlotte Amalie in small fishing communities. When Christopher Columbus arrived in 1493, during his second voyage to the Americas, the archipelago was still inhabited by Carib, Arawak, Ciboney, and Taíno peoples. As was the case in most of the Americas, these native populations died relatively quickly from disease when the Europeans settled. While Columbus claimed the present-day U.S. Virgin Islands for Spain, early Spanish settlers were focused more on Puerto Rico and other Caribbean islands. As a result, St. Thomas remained unprotected by the Spanish for many years, which left Charlotte Amalie's sheltered coves to be frequented by pirates, like Blackbeard, as well as mariners and other European settlers.


17th century

The Danish West India Company chartered Charlotte Amalie in 1671 after King Christian V decided to secure them for plantations. As early as in 1672, the Danish government began the construction of Fort Christian on Saint Thomas Harbor in Charlotte Amalie. In 1675, the Danes constructed four pubs near the water's edge on the western side of the Fort. The Danish government supplied convicts to work the plantations but soon allowed colonists from neighboring islands to settle there, as well as to permit the importation of slaves from Africa. In 1680, there were more black African slaves than white European settlers. Adjacent
Water Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance. It is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known liv ...
and Buck Islands served as pasture lands for the town, and Taphus was renamed Charlotte Amalie in 1691 after King Christian V's wife. It was the main port of the Virgin Islands Archipelago and was connected to about 50 plantations by one road, which remains the main highway today.


18th century

In the early 18th century, more than 3000 white settlers lived in town, and sugar production and slave trading were the economic mainstay. After the Danish government wanted direct administration of the archipelago in 1754, the capital was moved from Charlotte Amalie to Christiansted on the Island of Saint Croix. That partly made the economy in town to transition from slave trading and agriculture to general commerce. The slight could not hamper the town's growth, as merchants profiteered in arms and rum trades to belligerent countries. In 1764, Charlotte Amalie was declared a free port by King Frederick V, and the town became the busiest harbor in the Caribbean. The American Revolution in the 1770s was good news for the town, as it was thriving times for the local businessfolk. The town began to be filled by immigrants from Europe, Africa and the Caribbean, most of them from other islands of the
Lesser Antilles The Lesser Antilles is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea, forming part of the West Indies in Caribbean, Caribbean region of the Americas. They are distinguished from the larger islands of the Greater Antilles to the west. They form an arc w ...
. By 1778, the Danish government had strengthened their military position by building Bluebeard's Castle and Blackbeard's Castle, lookout towers on the crests of the two hills in the town. The town prospered as a free port and United States, Danish, Sephardic, German, French, British, Italian and Spanish importing houses operated here. At the end of the 18th century, United States founding father and future architect of the United States Constitution,
Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757July 12, 1804) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the first U.S. secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795 dur ...
, decided the town was so wealthy that "gold moved through the streets in wheel-barrows". At one point, the town of Charlotte Amalie in the Danish West Indies was the second-largest city in the Danish Realm, only smaller than the capital of
Copenhagen Copenhagen ( ) is the capital and most populous city of Denmark, with a population of 1.4 million in the Urban area of Copenhagen, urban area. The city is situated on the islands of Zealand and Amager, separated from Malmö, Sweden, by the ...
.


19th century

A growing share of the West Indian trade passed through the port in the beginning of the 1800s, and the rise of steamships made Charlotte Amalie an ideal coaling station for ships sailing between North- and South America. In 1804, Charlotte Amalie was struck by a horrendous fire that destroyed more than 1200 homes and stores throughout the town. Two more fires came in 1805 and 1806, and the densely settled town lost another thousand buildings. Neighboring islands gradually began importing coal directly from producers, and Charlotte Amalie was sidestepped in trade in the early 1800s. The abolition of slavery in 1848 further diminished Charlotte Amalie's commercial role and the town suffered from a brutal recession, as did most of the Caribbean following abolition. During the
American Civil War The American Civil War (April 12, 1861May 26, 1865; also known by Names of the American Civil War, other names) was a civil war in the United States between the Union (American Civil War), Union ("the North") and the Confederate States of A ...
in the early 1860s, the town evolved into a smuggling center for ships running the federal blockade of ports in the Confederacy. As an acknowledgment of the port's smuggling success, the Danish government decided to move the capital of the archipelago back to Charlotte Amalie in 1871. The latter half of the 1800s was also soon hit by a cholera epidemic that killed thousands. Charlotte Amalie fell into an unsuccessful dormancy until the United States purchased the islands from Denmark in 1917.


20th century

In 1915, the United States became interested in buying the U.S. Virgin Islands. They were concerned over German infiltration in the
Lesser Antilles The Lesser Antilles is a group of islands in the Caribbean Sea, forming part of the West Indies in Caribbean, Caribbean region of the Americas. They are distinguished from the larger islands of the Greater Antilles to the west. They form an arc w ...
. The U.S. purchased the Danish West Indies in 1917 for $25 million. Charlotte Amalie was under U.S. Navy rule until 1931. The United States decided to make Charlotte Amalie the main headquarters of the renamed United States Virgin Islands. When American tourists were barred from Cuba in 1960, some began visiting Charlotte Amalie instead. As an unincorporated territory of the United States, the U.S. Virgin Islands became a haven for mainland United States citizens seeking luxury vacations or a second home in the Caribbean. During the mid 20th century, resorts began to be built and direct flights from the U.S. to Charlotte Amalie increased tourism. During the last half of the century, Charlotte Amalie experienced extraordinary economic growth, largely as a consequence of being a U.S. territory with a growing U.S. tourism. The tourism has not only led to a growing economy, but also to preservation and conversion of historic buildings and homes. Many ancient commercial buildings were made into restaurants and shops. During the 1980s and 90s, many buildings were restored to how they looked 200 years ago. The tourism industry has thrived on the island, driving the economy of the U.S. Virgin Islands, but limited flatland space in the mountainous terrain constrains Charlotte Amalie's economic and population growth. The spread of hilltop homes overlooking the Caribbean crystal blue waters began trending in the 1960s as well.


Geography

Located mid-island on the south shore of the mountainous Island of Saint Thomas, Charlotte Amalie stretches about around Saint Thomas Harbor from the Havensight district, where the cruise ships dock in Charlotte Amalie East, to the Crown Bay (Sub Base) area in Charlotte Amalie West. The red walls of the Danish Fort Christian and the open space of Emancipation Garden and the Vendor's Market are the center of downtown. Many of the town's historic buildings and businesses stand on the slopes of Government Hill just north of Emancipation Garden. This is "Kongens Quarter". To the west, spanning the area between Waterfront Dr and Dronningens Gade (Main Street), are a score of alleys, each lined with colonial warehouse buildings that have been turned into stores and urban malls. Protected by the peaks of Water Island and Hassel Island, Saint Thomas Harbor makes a deep indentation in the Island. The bay affords vistas from lookout points as high as , including for instance Drake's Seat. Charlotte Amalie is built on three low volcanic spurs called Frenchman Hill (Foretop Hill), Berg Hill (Maintop), and Government Hill (Mizzentop). Charlotte Amalie is located at coordinates 18°21' north and 64°57' west.


Climate

Charlotte Amalie's average year round temperatures range from and the climate is classified as a
tropical savanna climate Tropical savanna climate or tropical wet and dry climate is a tropical climate sub-type that corresponds to the Köppen climate classification categories ''Aw'' (for a dry "winter") and ''As'' (for a dry "summer"). The driest month has less than ...
(
Köppen Köppen is a German surname. Notable people with the surname include: * Bernd Köppen (1951–2014), German pianist and composer * Carl Köppen (1833-1907), German military advisor in Meiji era Japan * Edlef Köppen (1893–1939), German author ...
''Aw''). The town has a short
dry season The dry season is a yearly period of low rainfall, especially in the tropics. The weather in the tropics is dominated by the tropical rain belt, which moves from the northern to the southern tropics and back over the course of the year. The t ...
that runs from January through March and a
wet season The wet season (sometimes called the rainy season or monsoon season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. Generally, the season lasts at least one month. The term ''green season'' is also sometimes used a ...
that covers the remaining nine months, though technically June, with a monthly average precipitation of could be considered a dry season month. While Charlotte Amalie does have a lengthy
wet season The wet season (sometimes called the rainy season or monsoon season) is the time of year when most of a region's average annual rainfall occurs. Generally, the season lasts at least one month. The term ''green season'' is also sometimes used a ...
, outside the months of September through November, the town generally does not see the heavy precipitation that is prevalent in many other cities with a
tropical climate Tropical climate is the first of the five major climate groups in the Köppen climate classification identified with the letter A. Tropical climates are defined by a monthly average temperature of or higher in the coolest month, featuring hot te ...
. The town is generally very warm and humid. Average temperatures in Charlotte Amalie are at a near constant, with average high temperatures at about and average low temperatures at about .


Population


Demographics


2020 Census

Age: * 21.8% under age 20 * 30.0% age 20 to 44 * 29.3% age 45 to 64 * 18.9% age 65 and over


Religion

According to the CIA ''World Factbook'', more than 95 percent of the people describe themselves as Christians. 42% are Baptist, 34% Catholic and 17% Episcopalian. There are also Jewish, Hindu and Muslim populations of European, Middle Eastern, and Caribbean origin.


Historic Places of Worship

The town's Saints Peter and Paul Cathedral is the episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Saint Thomas, which covers the American Virgin Islands and is the sole
suffragan A suffragan bishop is a type of bishop in some Christian denominations. In the Catholic Church, a suffragan bishop leads a diocese within an ecclesiastical province other than the principal diocese, the metropolitan archdiocese; the diocese led ...
of the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Washington (D.C.). Saint Thomas is home to one of the oldest
Jewish Jews (, , ), or the Jewish people, are an ethnoreligious group and nation, originating from the Israelites of History of ancient Israel and Judah, ancient Israel and Judah. They also traditionally adhere to Judaism. Jewish ethnicity, rel ...
communities in the
Western Hemisphere The Western Hemisphere is the half of the planet Earth that lies west of the Prime Meridian (which crosses Greenwich, London, United Kingdom) and east of the 180th meridian.- The other half is called the Eastern Hemisphere. Geopolitically, ...
as Sephardic Jews began to settle the island in the 18th century as traders and merchants. The St. Thomas Synagogue in Charlotte Amalie is the second oldest synagogue in the western hemisphere and oldest under the United States flag. US Virgin Islands, Frederick Evangelical Lutheran Church was founded in 1666. The present structure was completed in 1793. The Episcopal Diocese of the Virgin Islands (Anglican Church) is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America (ECUSA/T.E.C) which includes both the United States Virgin Islands and the British Virgin Islands. The diocese is a part of Province II of the Episcopal Church.


Languages and literacy

More than 95 percent of the population are literate. Although English is the official language, most people speak a dialect called Virgin Islands Creole, which differs from standard English in many ways. Virgin Islands Creole is used informally and standard United States English (spoken with a uniquely Virgin Islands accent) is usually preferred in school, at work and in more formal conversations. Most older children and adults can quickly switch between Virgin Islands Creole and United States English. Spanish is spoken by 16.8% and French Patois is spoken by 6.6% of the town's population. While Spanish is spoken by migrants from
Puerto Rico ; abbreviated PR), officially the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, is a Government of Puerto Rico, self-governing Caribbean Geography of Puerto Rico, archipelago and island organized as an Territories of the United States, unincorporated territo ...
(US) and immigrants from the
Dominican Republic The Dominican Republic is a country located on the island of Hispaniola in the Greater Antilles of the Caribbean Sea in the Atlantic Ocean, North Atlantic Ocean. It shares a Maritime boundary, maritime border with Puerto Rico to the east and ...
, creoles are spoken by immigrants from St. Barthelemy,
Dominica Dominica, officially the Commonwealth of Dominica, is an island country in the Caribbean. It is part of the Windward Islands chain in the Lesser Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean Sea. The capital, Roseau, is located on the western side of t ...
and
Haiti Haiti, officially the Republic of Haiti, is a country on the island of Hispaniola in the Caribbean Sea, east of Cuba and Jamaica, and south of the Bahamas. It occupies the western three-eighths of the island, which it shares with the Dominican ...
; Dutch and Papiamento are spoken by immigrants from Saba, Aruba, St. Maarten and Curaçao.


Economy

The economy is based on tourism, handicrafts, jewelry, and the production of rum, bay rum, and jams. As well as being the USVI's political capital, "the City" is the port capital of the U.S. Virgin Islands. Charlotte Amalie is the third most popular cruise ship destination in the Caribbean Sea. Up to eleven cruise ships can occupy the harbor on any given day, though usually there are about five.


Tourism

About 1.5 plus million cruise ship passengers visit on average per year. Tourist attractions include Blackbeard's Castle which is one of the most visited attractions in the town, Bluebeard's Castle, 17th-century Fort Christian, the distinctive Legislature Building, the 99 Steps Stairway, Emancipation Garden, Market Square, Seven Arches Museum, St. Thomas Synagogue, Frederick Lutheran Church, and the Weibel Museum. Tourists usually either arrive by airplane at the Cyril E. King Airport, approximately west of Charlotte Amalie, the Crown Bay cruise ship port, or the Havensight cruise port. In the 21st century, Charlotte Amalie has benefited from proximity to
San Juan, Puerto Rico San Juan ( , ; Spanish for "Saint John the Baptist, John") is the capital city and most populous Municipalities of Puerto Rico, municipality in the Commonwealth (U.S. insular area), Commonwealth of Puerto Rico, an unincorporated territory of the ...
, where passengers from larger aircraft can transfer to smaller aircraft for a 30-minute flight to Charlotte Amalie. The town has also become a jumping-off place for other islands in the U.S. and
British Virgin Islands The British Virgin Islands (BVI), officially the Virgin Islands, are a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean, to the east of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands and north-west ...
. In this century, there have been more high-speed ferries each year leaving Charlotte Amalie for St. Croix, St. John and
Tortola Tortola () is the largest and most populated island of the British Virgin Islands, a group of islands that form part of the archipelago of the Virgin Islands. It has a surface area of with a total population of 23,908, with 9,400 residents in ...
. A seaplane wharf is near the west end of the inner harbor; the planes take passengers to St. Croix. Because of its duty-free policies, the Territory is sometimes referred to as "the duty-free capital of the world". Charlotte Amalie has more jewelry shops and perfume vendors than anywhere else in the Caribbean and is known for its outdoor shopping Vendors' Plaza. On Main Street (Dronningens Gade) there are many major shops, including Tiffany, Breitling, Rolex, and Fresh Produce. Havensight and Crown Bay docks are other shopping areas, with a number of stores adjacent to the cruise ship docks. Along Dronningens Gade are more than 400 shops, most of them selling jewelry and in the Havensight Mall. The western end (near the intersection with Strand Gade) is called "Market Square." Once the site of the biggest slave market auctions in the Caribbean Basin, today it is an open-air cluster of stalls where resident farmers and gardeners gather occasionally to sell their produce.


Culture

The culture is a mixture of American (US) socio-economic activities- and Afro/Latino-Caribbean culture, with an influence from Danish colonial history. There are American fast food chains in the town, as well as local restaurants serving only Caribbean cuisine. Grocery stores contain items from the US mainland, and local items such as rum. Seafood and local produce can be found at open-air markets.


Danish influence

Named Charlotte Amalie in honor of the wife of Danish King Christian V, the Danish influence is strong. The heritage is predominant in several ways in Charlotte Amalie today. The Danes left castles, cemeteries, churches, forts, town homes, sugar mills and plantation houses that are still standing. Many geographical names are kept in Danish and many locals have Danish heritage. The most widely spoken language, Virgin Islands Creole, has many words and expressions left from the
Danish language Danish (, ; , ) is a North Germanic languages, North Germanic language from the Indo-European languages, Indo-European language family spoken by about six million people, principally in and around Denmark. Communities of Danish speakers are a ...
. For instance, Danish words like "skål" (toast), "bjerg" (mountain) and "frikadeller" (meatballs) are commonly used. Much of the historic colonial architecture is still standing and words like "street" are more commonly referred to by the Danish translation "gade".


Architecture

Charlotte Amalie has the largest collection of colonial buildings in the Caribbean. Most of the buildings are classic Caribbean adaptions of English Georgian architecture built by the Danes, dating to the 1830s.


Museums and Art Galleries

A list of Museums and Art Galleries in the town of Charlotte Amalie: * Fort Christian * Saint Thomas Historical Trust Museum * Camille Pissarro Gallery *Seven Arches Museum *Weibel Memorial Museum * French Heritage Museum * 81C Contemporary Art Gallery


Transportation

There are three main roads in Charlotte Amalie. Waterfront Drive, also called Veteran's Drive, fronts the harbor and extends from Havensight Mall to Frenchtown. This four-lane road is best navigated by car or taxi. Dronningens Gade, also called "Main Street", Norre Gade, run parallel to the waterfront. Wimmelskafts Gade or "Back Street", is one block farther inland, parallel to the shoreline. Street names in the town are remnants of the Island's Danish past. Charlotte Amalie is notable for being the only U.S. capital city (either of a territory or state) where traffic drives on the left side of the road – this despite a previous fourteen-year period of attempting to conform to the United States' right side principle, which was abandoned and reverted to left side by popular demand. The United States Virgin Islands (USVI) is the only United States jurisdiction of any kind where the rule of the road is to drive on the left. However, virtually all passenger vehicles are left hand drive due to imports of U.S. vehicles. making the driving experience in the USVI very similar to the situation in
The Bahamas The Bahamas, officially the Commonwealth of The Bahamas, is an Archipelagic state, archipelagic and island country within the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean. It contains 97 per cent of the archipelago's land area and 88 per cent of ...
, and for largely the same vehicle import reasons.


Airports

The Cyril E. King Airport serves the residents of Charlotte Amalie but it is located in Charlotte Amalie West. The only air transport available in the town of Charlotte Amalie is the Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base (IATA: SPB, FAA LID: VI22), also known as St. Thomas Seaplane Base. It is located just east of Frenchtown on Highway 30. This private-use airport is owned by the Virgin Islands Port Authority. At this base, a seaplane shuttle service is operated between Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands, St. Croix and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas


Ferry Terminals

The Edward William Blyden Ferry Terminal, located next to the Charlotte Amalie Harbor Seaplane Base, serves as the only ferry terminal to surrounding islands from the town of Charlotte Amalie. From the terminal nonstop service to Christiansted, U.S. Virgin Islands and
Tortola Tortola () is the largest and most populated island of the British Virgin Islands, a group of islands that form part of the archipelago of the Virgin Islands. It has a surface area of with a total population of 23,908, with 9,400 residents in ...
in the
British Virgin Islands The British Virgin Islands (BVI), officially the Virgin Islands, are a British Overseas Territories, British Overseas Territory in the Caribbean, to the east of Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands, US Virgin Islands and north-west ...
. To accommodate the entry of foreign travelers entering into US Virgin Islands, the terminal has U S Customs and Border Patrol Offices and officers stationed at the terminal.


Public Transit

The VITRAN (Virgin Islands Transit) system is a comprehensive public transportation system serving the U.S. Virgin Islands. The system encompasses various modes of transportation, including buses, paratransit services and ferries. The buses and paratransit services are the only modes of transport that are available within the Charlotte Amalie however. All VITRAN bus routes on St. Thomas serve the town of Charlotte Amalie.


Alternative Fixed Path Transit

"Safaris", as they are called locally, are open air taxis mounted onto the back of a pickup truck. Some "safari" drivers operate on several VITRAN bus fixed paths including the suspended VITRAN 101 route. Those that do are locally called "Dollar Ride", a term used to describe the original fare charged that matched the old VITRAN fee. Those following a VITRAN fixed path, charge the same amount as VITRAN buses (plus bag/luggage fee) as they are required to do by the rate set by the Taxi Cab Commission. Before entering a "safari", riders should verify with the driver that they are "dollar ride" and the path. On days when there are many cruise ships in the harbor however, utilizing these fixed path safaris are difficult to catch as most drivers suspend their fixed path service to serve cruise passengers because they make more money doing so.


Highways and Routes

In the USVI, highways and major routes beginning with 3-4 are located on St. Thomas. Many of these highways and routes pass through or border the town of Charlotte Amalie. Some of the major highways and roads include: * Highway 30 (VI 30) passes through Charlotte Amalie as Waterfront Highway/Veteran's Drive. * Route 35 (VI 35) enters Charlotte Amalie as Maude Proudfoot Drive (Mafolie Rd.) and ends at Highway 30 as Hospital Gade. * Route 38 (VI 38) Alton Adams Sr. Drive and becomes Dronningens Gade East (not connected to Dronningens Gade). * Route 40 (VI 40) enters Charlotte Amalie as Theodore Bushelte Dr. and becomes Gamle Nordsidevej in the Charlotte Amalie. * Route/Highway 308 (VI 308) start in Charlotte Amalie at Route 314 as Norre Gade and becomes Harwood Highway at the west end of Charlotte Amalie. * Route 313 (VI 313) Rumer Drive connecting Highway 30 to Route 38. * Route 314 (VI 314) Connects Route 38 on the west side of Bluebeard's Hill to Route 38 on the east side of Bluebeard's Hill. * Route 316 (VI 316) First Avenue


Step Streets

Charlotte Amalie is renowned for its numerous historic staircases (or “step streets”), which are a unique feature of the town's architectural and cultural heritage. The 45 step streets, in total, date back to the Danish colonial era and were originally built to help residents and visitors navigate the steep hills of the town. They serve as a network of pedestrian pathways connecting different levels of the hilly terrain of Charlotte Amalie. These "step streets", like the actual streets in Charlotte Amalie, have names that end with "Gade". For example, Store Taarne Gade (English: Great Tower Street) is the famed 99 Steps and Bred Gade (English: Broad Street or Wide Street) are just two of the most famous "step streets". Many of the staircases remain functional and in use today, offering not only utility but also a glimpse into the town’s history. The steps reflect the ingenuity of Danish urban planning during colonial times, allowing for the development of a town in a challenging, hilly environment. The historic steps are not only a functional part of the town’s layout but also an enduring symbol of the architectural ingenuity and cultural legacy of Charlotte Amalie.


Education

St. Thomas-St. John School District operates public schools. Elementary Schools: * Jane E Tuitt Elementary School K-8 Schools: Lockhart K-8 School Junior High Schools: * Addelita Cancryn Junior High School High Schools * Charlotte Amalie High School Adult Education * Raphael O. Wheatley Skill Center Parochial and Private schools: * All Saints Cathedral School * Sts. Peter & Paul Catholic School * Calvary Christian Academy Universities and Colleges: The University of the Virgin Islands, Orville E. Kean Campus, serves the residents of Charlotte Amalie but is located in Charlotte Amalie West.


Notable people

* Alton Adams − lyrics writer of the Virgin Islands National Anthem and first band master of Afro-Caribbean heritage for the
United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...
* Edward Wilmot Blyden − ambassador and is credited by some as having laid the foundation of West African nationalism or
Pan-Africanism Pan-Africanism is a nationalist movement that aims to encourage and strengthen bonds of solidarity between all Indigenous peoples of Africa, indigenous peoples and diasporas of African ancestry. Based on a common goal dating back to the Atla ...
* Callix Crabbe
Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...
player * Hannah Davis − fashion model *
Kelsey Grammer Allen Kelsey Grammer (born February 21, 1955) is an American actor and producer. He gained fame for his role as the psychiatrist Dr. Frasier Crane on the NBC sitcom ''Cheers'' (1984–1993) and its spin-off ''Frasier'' (1993–2004, and again F ...
− actor, director and producer * Emile Griffith − boxer who won world championships in the Welterweight and Middleweight divisions *
Alexander Hamilton Alexander Hamilton (January 11, 1755 or 1757July 12, 1804) was an American military officer, statesman, and Founding Fathers of the United States, Founding Father who served as the first U.S. secretary of the treasury from 1789 to 1795 dur ...
− born in neighboring island of
Nevis Nevis ( ) is an island in the Caribbean Sea that forms part of the inner arc of the Leeward Islands chain of the West Indies. Nevis and the neighbouring island of Saint Kitts constitute the Saint Kitts and Nevis, Federation of Saint Kitts ...
; moved to the Danish West Indies (present-day U.S. Virgin Islands), where he grew up * Elrod Hendricks − Major League Baseball player * Julian Jackson − boxer * J. Raymond Jones − political activist * Al McBean − Major League Baseball player * Alonzo G. Morón (1909–1971) – university president, educator, and civil servant; born in Charlotte Amalie, Danish West Indies (present-day U.S. Virgin Islands) * Ralph Moses Paiewonsky − governor * Calvin Pickering − Major League Baseball player * Jasmin St. Claire − former pornographic actress * Charles Sainte-Claire Deville − French
geologist A geologist is a scientist who studies the structure, composition, and History of Earth, history of Earth. Geologists incorporate techniques from physics, chemistry, biology, mathematics, and geography to perform research in the Field research, ...
* Henri Sainte-Claire Deville − French chemist * Camille Pissarro − a key member of the French Impressionist painters * Rashawn Ross − trumpeter who tours with Dave Matthews Band * Roy Lester Schneider − governor and physician * Morris Simmonds − German physician and pathologist * Karrine Steffans − ''New York Times'' best-selling author * Terence Todman − ambassador * Denmark Vesey − leader of planned slave uprising in Charleston, South Carolina * Peter von Scholten − governor general * David Levy Yulee − first Jewish member of the
United States Senate The United States Senate is a chamber of the Bicameralism, bicameral United States Congress; it is the upper house, with the United States House of Representatives, U.S. House of Representatives being the lower house. Together, the Senate and ...


Gallery

StThomasHarbor.jpg, Saint Thomas Harbor at night USVI_St._Thomas_Charlotte_Amalie_Fort_Christian.JPG, Fort Christian USVI St. Thomas - Charlotte Amalie - City view.JPG, Charlotte Amalie from a Dronningens Quarter overlook Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands 1a33934u original.jpg, Bunker Hill (Commandant Gade), 1941 Charlotte Amalie 1.jpg, Overlooking town from Skyline Drive St Thomas Island 1980.jpg , Harbor and Havensight view from Bluebeard's, 1980 ConchBlowerSTT1.jpg, Conch Blower statue, Emancipation Garden ThreeQueensSTT.jpg, Three Queens Fountain, Blackbeard's Castle Government-Hill-USVI.jpg, Charlotte Amalie, 1899


References


External links

* {{Authority control Capitals in North America Capitals in the Caribbean Port cities in the Caribbean Populated places in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands Populated places established in 1666 1666 establishments in North America Towns in the United States Virgin Islands