Alexander Hamilton 250th Anniversary Commemorated In Christiansted

ST. CROIX — Fort Christiansvaern came alive on Sunday afternoon in commemoration of the 250th anniversary of Alexander Hamilton’s arrival to Christiansted.

The event as organized by the Alexander Hamilton Appreciation Society (AHAS) in collaboration with the National Park Service (NPS), and saw locals gathering near the bandstand to listen to proclamations and the lasting effects that Hamilton had on St. Croix, the Virgin Islands and the world.

Born in Nevis, Hamilton came to St. Croix in Spring 1765 at the age of 10, and worked as an adolescent for Mr. Cruger, a King Street merchant. David Goldstein, chief of interpretation and education at NPS, said during Hamilton’s time, Christiansted was a commerce mecca that connected the world.

Before the proclamations were read aloud, however, Rand Scholet of AHAS walked attendees of the short event over to the waterfront just west of the bandstand, where a ship was situated replicating Hamilton’s arrival to the island. A U.S. Coast Guard vessel was also parked in the area, demonstrating a show of force that Hamilton helped solidify.

“What’s fascinating is that this is the 225th anniversary of the founding of the coast guard, which was eight years before the U.S. Army, the U.S. Navy and before the U.S. Marines were founded,” Scholet said. He said the Coast Guard was the nation’s first line of defense and in order to be successful, the Guard needed funding, and for funding they needed commerce; a trait that Hamilton possessed, Scholet said.

“He learned all this stuff here, because his father owned businesses in Nevis.”

Then, for the first time in 250 years, AHAS connected Nevis, St. Croix and Hamilton’s final home in Hamilton Grange National Memorial in New York via telephone for a brief conversation in which Hamilton’s achievements were highlighted.

A brief walking tour of sites associated with Hamilton was held shortly after the event.

For more on Hamilton, visit his wiki page.