A BRIEF HISTORY OF ST. JOHN . . . In the 1300 and 1400s the Virgin Islands were primarily inhabited by Taino Indians from Venezuela, Santa Dominga, and Cuba. The Tainos were adept farmers and skilled craftsmen, excelling at creating artifacts from wood, stones and ceramics.

They traded their artifacts, woven cotton cloth designs and agricultural products with the Indians of the other islands and eventually with the Europeans. It was Christopher Columbus who first came upon the islands in 1472 during his second voyage to the New World and St. Thomas was colonized that same year. History of the Tainos

Following the arrival of Columbus sugar cane production and rum making became the primary industry in the islands. The demand for sugar had grown in importance to Europeans who had recently been introduced to coffee they considered to bitter to drink without a sweetener and the Virgin Islands were ideal for growing the crop because of its temperate climate. With the consolidation of the small farms into the larger estates a shortage of laborers was created and slavery was introduced to the islands in 1674. The first slaves were the Carib Indians who proved to be too susceptible to the white man's diseases, then indentured servants were used and finally the Africans who were thought to be the only ones who could work the long hours in the hot climate.

St. John was the site of the first slave insurrection in the Virgin Islands. There was growing unrest amongst the slaves as early as 1722, especially on the Island of St. John where their conditions were particularly cruel. But it wasn't until 1733, after many slaves died of starvation brought on by a year of droughts, hurricanes and insect plagues, that there was a revolt. On the 23rd of November in 1733 the fort in Coral Bay was attacked and all but one soldier, who managed to escape and carry word to the governor on St. Thomas, were killed. The rebelling slaves raised their flag and shot the canon off three times signaling an island wide insurrection. Although only 146 of the 1048 slaves were actually actively involved in the revolt, one third of the white population was killed and over half of the 92 plantations were greatly damaged. Six months later the French re took the island though and most of the slaves in hiding committed suicide rather than turn themselves in. Those that did surrender were tortured and killed despite having been promised pardons.

In 1733 St. John was purchased by the Danes and it became a part of the Danish West Indies along with St. Thomas and St. Croix. Under Denmark's rule the economy of the Virgin Islands centered again on the plantation systems which continued to be worked by the field slaves.

Coral Bay was the original seat of government for the island of St. John although it eventually moved to Cruz Bay where the judges and government officials lived.

It wasn't until 1848 that Captain Mourier arrived at St. John from St. Thomas with the announcement of the Emancipation Proclamation. Fearing a mass exodus of laborers the chief constable immediately issued a public notice prohibiting anyone from transporting persons of the working class away from the island.

Following this abolishment of slavery most of the Europeans left the island and the sugar plantations deteriorated. The freed slaves staked their land, built homes and returned to fishing and small farming. The Danes sold the islands to the United States in 1917 who bought them for $24 million in an attempt to prevent enemy strongholds.

Lawrence Rockerfeller purchased Caneel Bay, Trunk Bay and Hawkes Nest in the early 50s subsequently giving it all to the US Federal government to be used as a US National Park. The park was formally created in 1956 under President Eisenhower.

With the free port status and the world increase in tourism during the 60s and 70s St. John, along with St. Croix and St. Thomas, became a desired vacation destination.