Effort made to designate two USVI towns as 'Preserve America' communities
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| Published on Monday, September 8, 2008 |
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By Susan Mann
Caribbean Net News US Virgin Islands Correspondent
Email: susan@caribbeannetnews.com
ST CROIX, USVI: In cooperation with the US Virgin Islands State Historic Preservation Office and the St. Croix Historic Preservation Committee, Governor John deJongh has made application to the Washington DC-based, Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, requesting that the towns of Christiansted and Frederiksted receive official status as Preserve America communities in the Virgin Islands.
The request highlighted efforts of the St Croix community to preserve and protect the historic resources of these towns.
“The rich and abundant cultural and historic monuments in Christiansted and Frederiksted should not only be protected but further highlighted as landmark areas. These towns are centers of attraction that US Virgin Islanders will be able to embrace as historic assets for economic development and community revitalization efforts in the future,” deJongh said.
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USVI Governor John
deJongh, Jr. Photo:
Susan Mann |
A community qualifies for designation for the Preserve America project if in the last three years it has supported a historic or cultural preservation initiative that has promoted and/or is promoting heritage tourism or otherwise fostering economic vitality.
The project must have also involved a public/private partnership between government entities and at least one civic organization, non-profit organization, or business enterprise.
“This effort is one more example of the importance and strength of public/private partnerships and all that we can collectively achieve when we work together for the benefit of the community. With this initiative, both locals and visitors alike will be able to experience and appreciate our historic resources through education and heritage tourism programs,” deJongh said.
This effort supports Delegate to Congress Donna Christian Christiansen’s initiative to designate St Croix as a National Heritage Area with the National Parks Service and brings national recognition to the many significant sites of historic and cultural value throughout the Territory.
The application process compliments the collective work of our Territorial community partners, including St Thomas Historical Trust, the French Heritage Museum, Our Town Frederiksted, St Croix Foundation, as well as the VI Historic Preservation Commission, which comprises the St Thomas/St. John Historic Preservation Committee and the St Croix Historic Preservation Committee.
As one of the community partners of the historic heritage of the US Virgin Islands, Rupert Pell, Chairman of the VI Historic Preservation Commission expressed pride in the project, congratulating the efforts of members in both the public and private sectors, “Our collective objective is to enhance the prestige and attractiveness of the US Virgin Islands, to preserve cultural properties for generations to come, to increase resident responsibility and tourist interest, and to maintain the charm and high quality of appearance which makes the Territory unique in the Caribbean. We whole-heartedly endorse and support the application for the Preserve America community designation for the towns of Christiansted and Frederiksted, St Croix, US Virgin Islands.”
On St Croix, there are currently two areas that are recognized as national historic sites. Both Christiansted and Frederiksted are already designated as National Register Districts. The Christiansted National Historic Site includes Fort Christianvaern, Christiansted Custom House, Christiansted Scale House, the Old Post Office, the Steeple Building, and Government House. On the west end, the Frederiksted National Register District includes the entire downtown area and the Fort Frederick National Historic Landmark.
The designation of Christiansted and Frederiksted as Preserve America communities would further enable community partners to pursue additional preservation and protection efforts of these towns for the benefit of residents and the global community at large.
Lorna Thomas, Director and Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer, also notes the importance of the Preserve America project, “This is a significant designation that highlights the preservation activities of the Territory as a whole and supports the ongoing and continued efforts of our many community partners in working together to preserve and protect these cultural and historic areas. With this designation, the historic resources of the community are further secured, which in itself is a tool towards future economic development efforts, and other initiatives to grant funding for documentation, research, and other promotional efforts.”
Tourism Commissioner Beverly Nicholson-Doty expressed encouragement for the work of the project and said, “In seeking to designate our towns in both island districts as Preserve America communities, we highlight the historic and cultural significance of these areas locally, but also distinguish the Virgin Islands nationally, as well. With these recognitions, the Territory can present yet one more reason for tourists and residents alike to visit and appreciate these landmark locations as areas of unique status and historic relevance. We look forward to being able to officially market our historic towns as recognized Preserve America communities."
The US Department of the Interior partners with the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation to administer the Preserve America Community program on behalf of the Office of the First Lady. The St Thomas town of Charlotte Amalie was designated as a Preserve America community in 2006. | | | | Reads : 324 | | | |
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