St. Croix, like most Caribbean islands, has a long history intertwined with colonialism. Rob and I recently visited Ft. Frederick in Frederiksted and learned a little more about the history of the island. The Fort was built by the Danish and originally served to protect the western side of the island. Overtime it became central to other historical events, such as the labor riots of 1878 and The Fireburn. Today the Fort is a national park and is open to the public.

The Fireburn

The labor riots of 1878 are also referred to as the Fireburn. This event has great significance for St. Croix. It's not something that many people know about outside of this island, but it's impact is palpable today. The Frederiksted post office has a large painting painting behind the desk depicting the Fireburn. At the center of this painting there are three powerful female figures. The most prominent of the three was called Queen Mary by her followers. Under Danish rule slavery was slow to be abolished on St. Croix, and slower still to adopt humane workforce practices. The three women depicted in Fireburn artwork have become symbols of the rebellion. Today the central road through the island is called the Queen Mary Highway.

This painting depicting The Fireburn hangs prominently in the Fredericksted post office.

Exhibits

The Fort has a variety of exhibits in various rooms ranging from artwork to historical artifacts. The artwork displayed demonstrates the unique and vibrant culture that exists on St. Croix and throughout the Caribbean. I especially liked the room dedicated to the Moko Jumbie's, Jumbie's are frequently seen at festivals here on St. Croix. Sculpture displayed at Ft. Frederick.

Beyond the rooms, visitors can take the stairs to the top of the Fort to see the residence, and have a better view of the water and the town of Frederiksted.

Cannons line the roof of Ft. Frederick.