St. John 

St. John is the second smallest of the four Virgin Islands with a population of 4,197 residents.  It retains a tranquil unspoiled beauty uncommon in the Caribbean or anywhere else in the world.  Settled in the early 1700’s by Danish immigrants attracted to the island’s potential as sugar cane-producing colony, St. John soon blossomed into a thriving society.  The ruins of the Annaberg Sugar Plantation and other smaller plantations on the island attest to the island’s agricultural history.

St. John’s unspoiled forest and stunning beaches attracted the attention of wealthy families such as the Rockefellers, who sought privacy and tranquility on the island.  In 1956, Laurence Rockefeller was so moved by the island that he bought and donated broad expanses of land to the National Park Service to keep St. John “A Thing of Joy Forever”.

Today two-thirds of St. John is part of the Virgin Islands National Park featuring nature trails, secluded coves, and white sandy beaches.   The 5,000 acres became the nation’s twenty-ninth National Park.  Since then other donations have been made and presently the Virgin Islands National Park includes 7,200 acres of land and 5,600 acres of underwater land. 

Water Island | St. John | St. Thomas | St. Croix