Fort Frederik Facts for Kids

Quick facts for kids Significant dates

Fort Frederik
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
U.S. National Historic Landmark
U.S. Historic district Contributing property

Fort Frederik
Location in Saint Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands Location in the U.S. Virgin Islands Show map of the U.S. Virgin Islands
Location	North of junction of Lagoon Road and King Street, Frederiksted, United States Virgin Islands
Area	2 acres (8,100 m²)
Built	1752
Architectural style	Colonial
Part of	Frederiksted Historic District (ID76001853)
NRHP reference No.	96001073 (NRHP) 97001269 (NHL)
Added to NRHP	October 8, 1996
Designated NHL	September 25, 1997
Designated CP	August 9, 1976

Fort Frederik, also known as Frederiksfort, is a very important historical site in Frederiksted, United States Virgin Islands. It's recognized as a National Historic Landmark in the U.S. This old fort was built a long time ago, between 1752 and 1760, by the country of Denmark-Norway.

The main reason for building Fort Frederik was to protect the busy port of Frederiksted. This port had deep water, which was great for ships. The fort also helped to keep pirates away and made sure that ships paid their taxes before leaving. You can easily spot it because its walls are painted red and white, which is different from Fort Christiansværn on the other side of the island, which is yellow and white. Fort Frederik is located at the northern end of Frederiksted, in St. Croix.

Why Fort Frederik Was Built
A Special Salute to America
Freedom for Enslaved People
Visiting Fort Frederik Today
Fort Frederik's Historical Recognition
Emancipation Park and Clock Tower
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Why Fort Frederik Was Built

Back in the 1700s, it was very important for towns to have a way to collect taxes from ships. If there wasn't a strong defense, ships might just leave without paying what they owed. So, cannons were needed to guard the harbor. Fort Frederik was built with these cannons to make sure ships followed the rules and paid their dues.

A Special Salute to America

Something really cool happened at Fort Frederik in 1776. The fort fired the very first salute from a foreign land to the newly formed United States of America! An American ship had raised the American flag in the port of Frederiksted. Even though Denmark-Norway was supposed to be neutral, the islands had been friendly with the British colonists in America. So, the salute was a sign of friendship and respect for the new nation.

Freedom for Enslaved People

Fort Frederik played a huge role in a very important moment in history. On July 3, 1848, the Danish Governor-General, Peter von Scholten, declared that all enslaved people in the Danish islands were free. This happened right from this fort!

Before this, a brave leader named John Gottliff (also known as Moses Gotlieb or General Buddhoe) led about 8,000 enslaved people on a march to Frederiksted. At that time, there were 17,000 enslaved people and 5,000 free black people living on St. Croix. Governor von Scholten's announcement from Fort Frederik changed their lives forever.

Visiting Fort Frederik Today

Today, Fort Frederik is a museum and an art gallery. It's a great place to learn about the history of the Virgin Islands. You can visit the fort on weekdays from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM, and on Saturdays from 1:00 PM to 4:00 PM. The admission fee was $3 in 2015.

Fort Frederik's Historical Recognition

Fort Frederik is part of the Frederiksted Historic District, which was recognized in 1976. Later, in 1996, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places all by itself. Then, in 1997, it was given the even higher honor of being named a National Historic Landmark. These titles show how important the fort is to the history of the United States.

Emancipation Park and Clock Tower

Right in front of Fort Frederik, near the waterfront, you'll find the Eliza James-McBean Clock Tower and Emancipation Park. This park is a special place that honors the history of the island. It has statues of important people from the Virgin Islands.

The park's paths wind through many large mahogany trees and sweet-smelling flowers. It remembers General Buddhoe, the leader of the slave revolt, and Governor Peter von Scholten's 1848 declaration that freed the enslaved people. The park has benches and a small gazebo, and in 2014, it hosted "Jazz in the Park" on the third Friday of every month.