Water Island, U.S. Virgin Islands
Encyclopedia
Water Island was acquired by the USA in 1917 from Denmark but continued to be owned by a corporation until several decades later. Since 1996, it has formed part of the U.S. Virgin Islands, a United States territory located in the Caribbean Sea
. The island is of volcanic origin
and lies to the south of Saint Thomas in the Charlotte Amalie harbor. Ferry service runs regularly from Crown Bay, Saint Thomas to Phillips Landing, Water Island; the ferry ride is about 10 minutes.
At 491.5 acres (2 km²) in size, Water Island is the smallest of the main U.S. Virgin Islands. It is administratively a part (subdistrict) of the St. Thomas District
. Water Island is a residential island, with a population of 182 (2010 census) and no significant commercial establishments. A number of homes on Water Island are available to accommodate visitors. The main attractions are beaches, including Honeymoon Beach, plantation ruins, and Fort Segarra, an underground fort partially constructed by the U.S. during World War II
. The northern end of the island is a gated community, Sprat Bay Estates, which includes Sprat Bay Beach. All of the beaches in the USVI are public.
Indians in the 15th century.
Water Island was named by Europeans for its natural ponds of fresh water. Many islands in the Lesser Antilles
lack portable water, so Water Island was a frequent stop for pirates seeking to replenish their ships' stores of fresh water.
Danish
claims to the island date to at least 1769. During the 18th century and early 19th century, the island was owned by several free blacks and mulattos who had cotton
plantations and raised livestock. In 1905 the island was sold to the Danish East Asiatic Company
.
While the rest of the Danish West Indies
were purchased by the United States
in 1917, Water Island was not purchased by the U.S. until June 19, 1944, when it was purchased for $10,000 to protect the submarine base on Saint Thomas during World War II.
From 1944 to 1950 the island was under the operation of the Department of Defense
. The United States Army
's Chemical Warfare Division used sections of Water Island to test chemical warfare agents, including Agent Orange
, until 1950. It was then turned over to the Department of the Interior
and leased out, primarily to residential tenants.
Control of Water Island was transferred from the federal government to the territorial government on December 12, 1996, for the sum of $25,000,000.00 the same exact amount the US paid for the entire Virgin Islands in 1917. making Water Island the "Last Virgin". In the late 1990s the Department of the Interior
began transferring Water Island land to the long-time residential leaseholders. In 2005 the Virgin Islands government announced plans to further develop Water Island, and to increase the amount of residential housing to deal with chronic shortages on Saint Thomas.
The Water Island Civic Association (WICA) was formed in the mid 1960s to help improve the quality of life on Water Island. Today, the association has over 100 members and it interacts and cooperates with the U.S. Virgin Islands government to help protect the environment on Water Island. Water Island residents pay to have the beach maintained and provide volunteers for clean-up efforts around the island.
One of the principal attractions of Water Island is Honeymoon beach. Initially Honeymoon Beach could hardly be called a beach. It was an area about 50 feet long strewn with vegetation and rocks and only extended about 10 feet from the water line. The trees and brush were removed, 200 truck loads of rock and gravel were hauled off, and the beach stone was broken up with a bulldozer. The sand was sifted to remove any remaining debris and a dredge was used to remove the seaweed and to deposit sand on the shore. Rows of palm trees were planted back from the shoreline. This was all accomplished under the direction of Walter Phillips, the Master Leaseholder in the early 1950s.
Gun emplacements, tunnels and underground rooms which were created during the Second World War building efforts are still visible. The site is now open for viewing, and tunnels and underground chambers are open for tours. The area is monitored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and soil samples are monitored from the former chemical test sites to ensure "that no residual contamination remains from previous Department of Defense activities."
Caribbean Sea
The Caribbean Sea is a sea of the Atlantic Ocean located in the tropics of the Western hemisphere. It is bounded by Mexico and Central America to the west and southwest, to the north by the Greater Antilles, and to the east by the Lesser Antilles....
. The island is of volcanic origin
Volcano
2. Bedrock3. Conduit 4. Base5. Sill6. Dike7. Layers of ash emitted by the volcano8. Flank| 9. Layers of lava emitted by the volcano10. Throat11. Parasitic cone12. Lava flow13. Vent14. Crater15...
and lies to the south of Saint Thomas in the Charlotte Amalie harbor. Ferry service runs regularly from Crown Bay, Saint Thomas to Phillips Landing, Water Island; the ferry ride is about 10 minutes.
At 491.5 acres (2 km²) in size, Water Island is the smallest of the main U.S. Virgin Islands. It is administratively a part (subdistrict) of the St. Thomas District
Districts and sub-districts of the United States Virgin Islands
The United States Virgin Islands are administratively divided into 3 districts, which are subdivided into 20 subdistricts.The districts are:# Saint Croix# Saint Thomas# Saint John...
. Water Island is a residential island, with a population of 182 (2010 census) and no significant commercial establishments. A number of homes on Water Island are available to accommodate visitors. The main attractions are beaches, including Honeymoon Beach, plantation ruins, and Fort Segarra, an underground fort partially constructed by the U.S. during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The northern end of the island is a gated community, Sprat Bay Estates, which includes Sprat Bay Beach. All of the beaches in the USVI are public.
History
The earliest known Water Island settlers were TaínoTaíno people
The Taínos were pre-Columbian inhabitants of the Bahamas, Greater Antilles, and the northern Lesser Antilles. It is thought that the seafaring Taínos are relatives of the Arawak people of South America...
Indians in the 15th century.
Water Island was named by Europeans for its natural ponds of fresh water. Many islands in the Lesser Antilles
Lesser Antilles
The Lesser Antilles are a long, partly volcanic island arc in the Western Hemisphere. Most of its islands form the eastern boundary of the Caribbean Sea with the Atlantic Ocean, with the remainder located in the southern Caribbean just north of South America...
lack portable water, so Water Island was a frequent stop for pirates seeking to replenish their ships' stores of fresh water.
Danish
Danish West Indies
The Danish West Indies or "Danish Antilles", were a colony of Denmark-Norway and later Denmark in the Caribbean. They were sold to the United States in 1916 in the Treaty of the Danish West Indies and became the United States Virgin Islands in 1917...
claims to the island date to at least 1769. During the 18th century and early 19th century, the island was owned by several free blacks and mulattos who had cotton
Cotton
Cotton is a soft, fluffy staple fiber that grows in a boll, or protective capsule, around the seeds of cotton plants of the genus Gossypium. The fiber is almost pure cellulose. The botanical purpose of cotton fiber is to aid in seed dispersal....
plantations and raised livestock. In 1905 the island was sold to the Danish East Asiatic Company
East Asiatic Company
The East Asiatic Company was founded by Hans Niels Andersen in Copenhagen in 1897. Service which would eventually include both passenger and freight lines between the Danish capital, Bangkok and the far east was the initial objective. Routes to include the Baltic and Black Seas were...
.
While the rest of the Danish West Indies
Danish West Indies
The Danish West Indies or "Danish Antilles", were a colony of Denmark-Norway and later Denmark in the Caribbean. They were sold to the United States in 1916 in the Treaty of the Danish West Indies and became the United States Virgin Islands in 1917...
were purchased by the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
in 1917, Water Island was not purchased by the U.S. until June 19, 1944, when it was purchased for $10,000 to protect the submarine base on Saint Thomas during World War II.
From 1944 to 1950 the island was under the operation of the Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
. The United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
's Chemical Warfare Division used sections of Water Island to test chemical warfare agents, including Agent Orange
Agent Orange
Agent Orange is the code name for one of the herbicides and defoliants used by the U.S. military as part of its herbicidal warfare program, Operation Ranch Hand, during the Vietnam War from 1961 to 1971. Vietnam estimates 400,000 people were killed or maimed, and 500,000 children born with birth...
, until 1950. It was then turned over to the Department of the Interior
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
and leased out, primarily to residential tenants.
Control of Water Island was transferred from the federal government to the territorial government on December 12, 1996, for the sum of $25,000,000.00 the same exact amount the US paid for the entire Virgin Islands in 1917. making Water Island the "Last Virgin". In the late 1990s the Department of the Interior
United States Department of the Interior
The United States Department of the Interior is the United States federal executive department of the U.S. government responsible for the management and conservation of most federal land and natural resources, and the administration of programs relating to Native Americans, Alaska Natives, Native...
began transferring Water Island land to the long-time residential leaseholders. In 2005 the Virgin Islands government announced plans to further develop Water Island, and to increase the amount of residential housing to deal with chronic shortages on Saint Thomas.
The Water Island Civic Association (WICA) was formed in the mid 1960s to help improve the quality of life on Water Island. Today, the association has over 100 members and it interacts and cooperates with the U.S. Virgin Islands government to help protect the environment on Water Island. Water Island residents pay to have the beach maintained and provide volunteers for clean-up efforts around the island.
Honeymoon Beach
Fort Segarra
Fort Segarra was built as part of the United States' defense strategies during World War II on Water Island in the US Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. World War II seacoast batteries here were Battery 314 at Flamingo Point (1944, never completed) and an Anti Motor Torpedo Boat Batteries. In addition some barracks, watch towers, ammunition bunkers were also created near Carolina Point as well as an infrastructure of docks, roads, water, sewage and power systems. It was to be an underground fort and its purpose was to protect the submarine base on St. Thomas. The war ended before its completion and the project was subsequently abandoned. The uncompleted post was transferred to the Army's Chemical Warfare Division in 1948 for testing poison gas and chemical agents on goats and pigeons for several years. Following the conclusion of these tests, the Army transferred control of this area to the Interior Department in 1952.Gun emplacements, tunnels and underground rooms which were created during the Second World War building efforts are still visible. The site is now open for viewing, and tunnels and underground chambers are open for tours. The area is monitored by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and soil samples are monitored from the former chemical test sites to ensure "that no residual contamination remains from previous Department of Defense activities."