Frederiksted, St. Croix: 7 Jan 2009

Tiny Frederiksted, with a population of less than 1000, is St. Croix’s main port. The landmark rust-coloured Fort Frederik, built in the 1750s to protect the town from marauding pirates, is said to have fired the first salute by a foreign nation in support of American independence in 1776. The fort was also the site of Governor-General Peter von Sholten’s emancipation proclamation of 1848, which freed the slaves of the Danish West Indies.

Many of the shops and restaurants are found on Strand Street, adjacent to the harbour. The town retains a charming Victorian ambience, having been rebuilt after a fire destroyed most of the wooden structures in 1878.