Virgin Islands National Park on the island of St. John in the U.S. Virgin Islands protects approximately 7,259 acres of tropical landscapes and 5,650 acres of submerged marine areas, covering about 60 percent of the island. The park was established in 1956, largely through land donations by Laurance S. Rockefeller, who purchased large tracts of the island to prevent commercial development. The park encompasses white sand beaches, tropical forest, coral reefs, and significant cultural sites including the ruins of colonial-era sugar plantations that were built and operated by enslaved Africans. The 1733 slave revolt on St. John — one of the first and longest slave revolts in the Americas — is an important part of the island's history. Trunk Bay's underwater snorkeling trail is one of the most popular attractions in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
📚 Learn More at NPSHistory.com →In 1980, Congress established Virgin Islands National Park to protect tropical coral reefs, beaches, and ecosystems unique to the Caribbean.
The park protects 7,500 acres on the islands of Saint Croix and Saint John, covering both land and underwater marine ecosystems. The islands were home to Taíno and Arawak peoples for centuries before European colonization. Modern conservation efforts protect endangered sea turtles and coral reefs threatened by climate change and human activities.
From the internal review records: “The attached PDF is a mock up of a plaque that was errected at the top of the Ram Head Trail in December of 2023 in accordance with the following bill passed in the US Congress: https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/volume-168/issue-192/house-section/article/H9682-1.”
Why this matters: Virgin Islands protects tropical marine ecosystems—coral reefs and beaches that sustain biodiversity and human communities. Over 600,000 people visit this site each year.
The attached PDF is a mock up of a plaque that was errected at the top of the Ram Head Trail in December of 2023 in accordance with the following bill passed in the US Congress: https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/volume-168/issue-192/house-section/article/H9682-1.
The US Virgin Islands Delegate Stacy Plasket's office was instrumental in approving the design, text, and placement of the plaque. The text specifically addresses topics stated in HR-7496
In 1980, Congress established Virgin Islands National Park to protect tropical coral reefs, beaches, and ecosystems unique to the Caribbean.
The park protects 7,500 acres on the islands of Saint Croix and Saint John, covering both land and underwater marine ecosystems. The islands were home to Taíno and Arawak peoples for centuries before European colonization. Modern conservation efforts protect endangered sea turtles and coral reefs threatened by climate change and human activities.
From the internal review records: “NOTE: Virgin Islands National Park already ment to refresh the waysides at Annaberg with a more wholistic explanation of the history. This history is in relation to events that took place in the Danish West Indies, before the US Virgin Islands or Virgin Islands National Park were established. The historical content of the waysides needed to be expanded to enhance the visitor experience at Annaberg...”
Why this matters: Virgin Islands protects tropical marine ecosystems—coral reefs and beaches that sustain biodiversity and human communities. Over 600,000 people visit this site each year.
Refreshed wayside exhibits where installed at the Annaberg Sugar Plantation in Augustof 2023. The attached PDF has all of the waysides and text. An outside company was contracted to fabricate the waysides and ship them to the park. They consulted with local community members and historians for the historical and textual content, and also contracted artwork from a local artist for 3 of the waysides.
Ultimately 2 of the waysides were flagged by the community as inaccurate due to textual errors in context, and a request was also made to have some of the artwork by the local artist done in color. A grant was secured in FY23 for the correction and fabrication of 3 of these waysides.
I will submit a second report for he corrections that were made, although the colorized waysides are still in fabrication, and the one that just required a textual change is in storage at the park but has not been installed yet.
NOTE: Virgin Islands National Park already ment to refresh the waysides at Annaberg with a more wholistic explanation of the history. This history is in relation to events that took place in the Danish West Indies, before the US Virgin Islands or Virgin Islands National Park were...
In 1980, Congress established Virgin Islands National Park to protect tropical coral reefs, beaches, and ecosystems unique to the Caribbean.
The park protects 7,500 acres on the islands of Saint Croix and Saint John, covering both land and underwater marine ecosystems. The islands were home to Taíno and Arawak peoples for centuries before European colonization. Modern conservation efforts protect endangered sea turtles and coral reefs threatened by climate change and human activities.
Why this matters: Virgin Islands protects tropical marine ecosystems—coral reefs and beaches that sustain biodiversity and human communities. Over 600,000 people visit this site each year.
In 1980, Congress established Virgin Islands National Park to protect tropical coral reefs, beaches, and ecosystems unique to the Caribbean.
The park protects 7,500 acres on the islands of Saint Croix and Saint John, covering both land and underwater marine ecosystems. The islands were home to Taíno and Arawak peoples for centuries before European colonization. Modern conservation efforts protect endangered sea turtles and coral reefs threatened by climate change and human activities.
From the internal review records: “Three of the waysides from the original Annaberg wayside project were sent for editing; funding was secured from an end of year grant in FY23 I believe. Shortly after the original project was installed, several community members complained about inaccuracies and requested that some text edits be made and also that some of the artwork be in color.”
Why this matters: Virgin Islands protects tropical marine ecosystems—coral reefs and beaches that sustain biodiversity and human communities. Over 600,000 people visit this site each year.
Three of the waysides from the original Annaberg wayside project were sent for editing; funding was secured from an end of year grant in FY23 I believe. Shortly after the original project was installed, several community members complained about inaccuracies and requested that some text edits be made and also that some of the artwork be in color.
Find attached a PDF of the proposed text edits, as well as mock ups of the two colorized waysides that are currently shipping to VIIS and just completed fabrication. As of now no replacements fo the corrected waysides have been made.
In 1980, Congress established Virgin Islands National Park to protect tropical coral reefs, beaches, and ecosystems unique to the Caribbean.
The park protects 7,500 acres on the islands of Saint Croix and Saint John, covering both land and underwater marine ecosystems. The islands were home to Taíno and Arawak peoples for centuries before European colonization. Modern conservation efforts protect endangered sea turtles and coral reefs threatened by climate change and human activities.
Why this matters: Virgin Islands protects tropical marine ecosystems—coral reefs and beaches that sustain biodiversity and human communities. Over 600,000 people visit this site each year.
Here is a list of all the publications for sale in the park bookstore that is operated by our partner, Friends of Virgin Islands National Park.
Virgin Islands National Park in VI preserves a piece of American history that the public has trusted the National Park Service to protect and interpret. The visitor publications at this site have been developed over years by historians, subject-matter experts, and park staff — and are now being reviewed under Secretary's Order 3431.
Why this matters: Virgin Islands National Park is part of a network of over 400 national parks that serve as America's classrooms. The interpretive materials here were developed by subject-matter experts to help visitors understand the full story of this place. When historically accurate content is removed, the public loses access to its own history.
This is the park's new unigrid brochure that has been updated in 2023 and began distribution in 2024; this project was a regular update of the material.
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