Fort Frederik's Cannons

Last crawled date: 1 year, 8 months ago

Located in Frederiksted St Croix, Fort Frederik was built in 1760 and named in honor of the Danish monarch, Frederik V. Although Fort Frederik is mall in size and garrison, Fort Frederik has played a huge role in influencing some pivotal events in Virgin Island history. Despite the official neutrality during the American Revolution, the residents of the Danish Islands favored their support of American Independence. Fort Frederik’s cannon fired the first salute to the new flag of the United States on October 25, 1776. It was also here at Fort Frederik on July 3, 1848, that 8,000 slaves surrounded the Fort and demanded their freedom or they would lay waste to St Croix. Bowing to their demands, the governor announced that “all unfree in the Danish West Indies are free”. However, thirty years later a bloody labor rebellion was to devastate the greater part of St Croix. Fort Frederik was unsuccessfully assaulted but many plantations were destroyed. Over the years, Fort Frederik has been used for almost every conceiveable government function; a military garrisaon, police staion, jail, court, fire department, publi library, and telephone exchange, to name a few. Today, Fort Frederick is one of the most handsome fort in the West Indies and serves as a museum on St Croix. #american_revolution #artilery #cannon #christiansted #forts #frederiksted #historical #st_croix #tourism #virgin_islands