Saint Thomas – Charlotte Amalie and the harbour that made the island
Saint Thomas owes its character to its deep natural harbour, on which Charlotte Amalie grew into the capital and chief port of the territory. The island was first settled around 1500 BC by the Ciboney, whose sites have been uncovered at Krum Bay, and later by Arawak and Carib peoples, with remains found at Magens Bay and Botany Bay. Columbus sighted the island in 1493 on his second voyage and named this cluster after Saint Ursula and her companions, a name later shortened to the Virgin Islands. The Dutch West India Company set up a post in 1657, and the Danes resettled the island in 1672. Members are invited to share their own memories here.