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National Park Service Cultural Landscape Inventory December 2021 Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Page ii Table of Contents Cultural Landscape Summary 1 Inventory Unit Summary and Site Plan Inventory Unit Description 3 Site Plan 5 Property Level, CLI Number, Park Information 9 Concurrence Status Inventory Status 10 Concurrence Status 11 Geographic Information and Location Map Inventory Unit Boundary Description 11 State and County 12 Size 12 Boundary UTMs 12 Location Maps 17 Regional Landscape Context 19 Management Information General Management Information 22 Adjacent Lands Information 23 National Register Information Existing National Register Status 25 National Register Eligibility 27 Period of Significance 27 Area of Significance 27 NRIS Information 27 Statement of Significance 28 National Historic Landmark Information 28 World Heritage Site Information 28 Chronology and Physical History Cultural Landscape Type and Use 29 Current and Historic Names 29 Chronology 29 Physical History 29 Analysis and Evaluation of Integrity Analysis and Evaluation of Integrity Narrative Summary 30 Integrity Assessment 30 Analysis 30 Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Page iii Natural Systems and Features 30 Vegetation 35 Land Use 45 Spatial Organization 48 Circulation 52 Buildings and Structures 67 Views and Vistas 91 Small-Scale Features 94 Archeology 114 Stabilization Measures 118 Condition Condition Assessment and Impacts 119 Condition Assessment 119 Impacts 120 Treatment Approved Treatment 123 Bibliography and Supplemental Information Bibliography 124 Supplemental Information 126 Archival Images 129 Cover Image: Façade and west end of the Public Library, Christiansted, St Croix. Photo by Jack Boucher, Historic Structure Report, Library Building, 1961, 105. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Cultural Landscape Summary Cultural Landscapes in the Cultural Resources Inventory System: The Cultural Resources Information System The Cultural Resources Information System (CRIS) is the National Park Service (NPS) database of cultural resources that are owned or managed by the agency, consisting of archeological sites, historic structures, ethnographic resources, and cultural landscapes. The legislative, regulatory, and policy directions for conducting and maintaining the CRIS are Section 110 of the National Historic Preservation Act, NPS Management Policies (2006), Director’s Order 28 (Cultural Resources), and Director’s Order 28a (Archeology). The Cultural Landscapes Inventory The Cultural Landscapes Inventory (CLI) is the data structure within CRIS used to document and evaluate all potentially significant cultural landscapes in which NPS has, or plans to acquire, any enforceable legal interest. Upon completion of the CLI, a landscape will be identified with one of the following management categories:  Landscape individually meets the National Register of Historic Places criteria for evaluation;  Landscape is a contributing element of a property that is eligible for the National Register;  Landscape does not meet the National Register criteria, but is managed as a cultural resource because of law, policy, or decisions reached through the park planning process; or  Landscape does not meet the National Register criteria and is not managed as a cultural resource because of law, policy, or decisions reached through the park planning process. Cultural landscapes vary from historic sites, historic designed landscapes, and historic vernacular landscapes to historic ethnographic landscapes, but may also fit within more than one type. Those eligible for the National Register have significance in the nation’s history on a national, state, or local level, as well as integrity or authenticity. The legislative, regulatory, and policy directions for conducting and maintaining the CLI within CRIS are as follows: National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (16 USC 470h-2(a)(1)). Each Federal agency shall establish . . . a preservation program for the identification, evaluation, and nomination to the National Register of Historic Places . . . of historic properties . . . . Executive Order 13287: Preserve America, 2003. Sec. 3(a). . . . Each agency with real property management responsibilities shall prepare an assessment of the current status of its inventory of historic properties required by section 110(a)(2) of the NHPA . . . . No later than September 30, 2004, each covered agency shall complete a report of the assessment and make it available to the Chairman of the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation and the Secretary of the Interior . . . . Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Executive Order 13287: Preserve America, 2003. Sec. 3(c). Each agency with real property management responsibilities shall, by September 30, 2005, and every third year thereafter, prepare a report on its progress in identifying . . . historic properties in its ownership and make the report available to the Council and the Secretary . . . . The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards and Guidelines for Federal Agency Historic Preservation, Programs Pursuant to the National Historic Preservation Act, 1998. Standard 2: An agency provides for the timely identification and evaluation of historic properties under agency jurisdiction or control and/or subject to effect by agency actions (Sec. 110 (a)(2)(A) Management Policies 2006. 5.1.3.1 Inventories: The National Park Service (NPS) will (1) maintain and expand the following inventories . . . about cultural resources in units of the national park system . . . Cultural Landscapes Inventory of historic designed landscapes, historic vernacular landscapes . . . and historic sites . . . . Cultural Resource Management Guideline, 1997, Release No. 5, page 22 issued pursuant to Director’s Order #28. As cultural resources are identified and evaluated, they should also be listed in the appropriate Service-wide inventories of cultural resources. Scope A CLI record is prepared using data gathered from existing secondary sources found in park libraries, archives, and at NPS regional offices and centers, as well as through onsite reconnaissance and fieldwork. A completed, accurate, and reliable CLI record addresses all the required data fields. These include a chronology of the physical history of the landscape and a statement of significance, an analysis and evaluation of the landscape characteristics and features that contribute to significance, and an assessment of condition. It also includes a site plan indicating the cultural landscape boundary and the contributing features. A site plan and associated spatial data for the Cultural Resources Geographic Information System (CRGIS) enterprise geodatabase is required. In addition, a CLI identifies stabilization needs to prevent further deterioration of the landscapes and provides asset data for the Facility Management Software System (FMSS). Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Inventory Unit Summary and Site Plan Inventory Unit Description: Christiansted National Historic Site was established in 1952 as the first unit of the National Park System in the United States Virgin Islands. Covering over 7 acres on the island of St. Croix within the town of Christiansted, the park interprets the history of the site, telling stories of the Danish economy and ways of life, and the interaction and interdependence of people from Europe, Africa, the West Indies, and North America during the Danish era of occupation between 1734 and 1917. The park features five historic buildings, constructed between 1740 and 1856. These buildings are constructed of a variety of materials ranging from yellow bricks made in Denmark and brought to the Caribbean as ship ballast, to local stone rubble and large blocks of coral cut from the reefs surrounding Christiansted’s harbor. Christiansted National Historic Site was administratively listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1966 upon passage of the National Historic Preservation Act (NR#66000077). A nomination was written for the park and accepted in 1976 and additional documentation accepted in 1999. A nomination for the town of Christiansted was written and accepted in 1976 (NR#76002266). Overall, there are six buildings listed as contributing to the Christiansted National Historic Site National Register historic district—the Government House, Steeple Building, Fort Christiansvaern, Westindia Company Warehouse (indicated herein as the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse), Scale House, and the Library Building (indicated herein as the Danish Customs House). The Government House building is not within the scope of work for this CLI. However, the Government House is a contributing resource within the historic district. The National Register nomination also mentions the old wharf area in the center of Christiansted as important to the property. Christiansted National Historic Site is of interest for its collection of built features and their relationship to key environmental conditions associated with the harbor at Christiansted that were important to the development, accomplishments, and way of 1ife of a society based on a sugar-producing plantation economy. The architecture of the preserved buildings continues to convey the wealth amassed through Danish colonial development of the Lesser Antilles. The park features a dramatic fortification built to protect this wealth from the sea to the north, as well as from potential uprising over land on the part of those either engaged or enslaved to work on the sugar plantations. Interpretive programs in process for the fort interior will explore the slave trade conducted on the island as well as the lifeways of those forced to work on the plantations. St. Croix has experienced a long history of colonial occupation and settlement. Santa Cruz, as Christopher Columbus referred to the island, was first visited by Columbus during his second voyage to the New World in 1493. A longboat sent to the island to look for water encountered Kalinagos in a canoe and engaged in armed conflict, resulting in a death on each side. The site of the fight became known as the Cape of the Arrows. It is considered the first example of armed resistance to European encroachment in the Americas. Over the course of the next century, the Spanish would extirpate the local Kalinago population. Later, during the sixteenth century, the island became the focus of several colonial powers vying to control the New World and its Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory resources. Several European nations battled over St. Croix, which was occupied in turn by the British (1641, 1645–1650), Dutch (1642–1645), French (1650–1651, 1665–1733), and the French chapter of the Knights of Malta (1651–1655). Although the French left the island in 1695, they retained their ownership until 1733, when the Danish West India and Guinea Company purchased St. Croix to complement its holdings on the islands of St. Thomas and St. John. The Danish established a thriving system of sugar plantations as well as a hub of the West African slave trade tied to both Europe and America by commercial, social, and cultural ties. By 1755, when the three islands originally acquired by the Danish West India and Guinea Company became a Danish crown colony with Christiansted as the capital, the island housed a population of more than 10,000 people. The Lower Antilles became known as the “Fabulous Sugar Islands,” generating up to 25 percent of the Crown’s income during the second half of the eighteenth century. This prosperity contributed to the construction of St. Croix’s many substantial buildings and supported a luxurious lifestyle for its planters and merchants, and other residents who included a young Alexander Hamilton until 1772. The town of Christiansted was European in character, designed as a gridiron of streets that nestled into the topography of the shoreline. However, during the first quarter of the nineteenth century, when the price of sugar dropped due to several factors, the single crop economy began to suffer. The slave trade was abolished by the Danish government in 1798, and enslaved people were emancipated in 1848. By this time, however, the prosperity of the sugar plantation economy had already collapsed. St. Croix remained under Danish control until 1917, when the Danish West Indies were sold to the United States for $25 million in gold. The historic buildings that comprise Christiansted National Historic Site today are located within a three-block area along the waterfront. They reflect the influence and interests of Danish colonial government in maintaining the sugar economy and protecting its financial interests. The military emplacement—Fort Christiansvaern—was originally the residence of the governor as well as a military installation. The building later housed the offices and functions of the municipal government. The Danish Customs House (which also later served as a Library and Post Office) and the Scale House were associated with commercial activities related to the sugar trade that was the island’s economic base. The West India and Guinea Company Warehouse reflects the operation of a licensed private, commercial venture under diplomatic and military protection of the home government that served as the heart of the settlement during the mid-eighteenth century. The final building located within the park is the Steeple Building, which represents a facet of Danish culture—its acceptance of religious tolerance. Built as a Lutheran house of worship, the building was later sold to the government and used for a variety of purposes, including a military bakery and warehouse, community hall, hospital, and elementary school. Construction of the Steeple Building occurred between 1750 and 1753; the steeple was added in 1794. As noted, Christiansted National Historic Site was administratively listed in the National Register of Historic Places in 1966 upon passage of the National Historic Preservation Act (NR#66000077). A nomination was written and accepted in 1976 and additional documentation Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory accepted in 1999.The nomination indicates the property to be significant under Criteria A and C in the areas of Architecture, Commerce, Military History, Politics, Religion/Philosophy, and Urban Planning during a period of significance that extends from circa 1734 to 1931. As noted in the 1999 Additional Documentation for the Christiansted Historic District and the National Historic Site, a historic stable located north of Fort Christiansvaern should be considered contributing to the significance of the property: Like the majority of the historic resources, this structure is significant for its association with the development of Christiansted under Danish Colonial rule. After the United States purchased the Danish West Indies in 1917, the US Navy administration greatly improved social services in the Virgin Islands until the islands were transferred to the Department of the Interior in 1931. This amendment also identifies one additional contributing structure within the National Historic Site, the bandstand, which is significant for its association with the US Navy's stewardship of the Virgin Islands between 1917 and 1931. In addition to listing these two structures, this amendment also identifies one noncontributing structure within the National Historic Site, the D. Hamilton Jackson Monument (NRN, Additional Documentation, 1999, 7–2). The CLI also discusses the potential for additional landscape resources to contribute to the National Register-listed property, including those related to such landscape characteristics as natural features and systems, land uses, vegetation, views and viewsheds, circulation, and small- scale features. As listed, the property contains six contributing buildings and one non- contributing object. Site Plan Sources used to prepare site plans include the following:  Delineation of the Christiansted National Historic Site is produced by NPS Region 2 South Atlantic-Gulf Geospatial Resources data provided by USGS Digital Globe  Background imagery for the Christiansted National Historic Site is derived from aerial images associated with NPS GIS data. Bandstand Fort Christiansvaern (see Fort area detail map) Stable Building (see Fort area detail map) Site of Historic Fish Market NPS Parking Area (see Fort area detail map) Steeple Building Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse Scale House Danish Customs House Hospital St King St Kings Wharf St Company St Church St Christiansted Harbor Christiansted Harbor Concrete walkway Queen St Wall NPS Identity sign Bench Low retaining curb Cannon bollard Gate Gate Drainage ditch 4 PD Wharf bulkhead David Hamilton Jackson Monument 1 SM 1 TI Wharf bulkhead 1 PD Waysides Bench Wooden bollards Cannon bollard Cast iron lamp structure Information/orientation sign Concrete apron (walkway) Brick paving Waysides Ramp Kiosk exhibit Brick crypts Fence with columns Well Wall Well 10 SM 2 SM NPS Identity sign Maintenance Yard Wing wall Retaining wall Wing wall X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Ornamental shrubs Hibiscus Wooden bollards Cannon bollard Legend Bench Wayside exhibit Ornamental light standard Cannon bollard Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) West Indies mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni) 1 PD 1 SM Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) 1 TI Small-scale features Vegetation NPS boundary Concrete bollard Wooden bollard Sentry box Grass turf Picnic table Picnic table Shrubs Street edge Sidewalk Wall Building Steps X X Fence Temporary fence Brick paving SCALE 1" = 80' 0' 20' 40' 80' Site Plan, Existing Conditions December 2021 Cultural Landscape Inventory for Christiansted National Historical Site Notes: 1. Dimensions and locations are approximate, based on field observations and NPS-provided GIS data. 2. Locations of non-NPS small-scale features not recorded. Stable Building Wing wall Steps and cheekwalls Site of Historic Fish Market concrete surface 1 PD Wing wall Picnic tables Retaining wall Wharf bulkhead Concrete apron (walkway) Flagpole Maintenance Yard Christiansted Harbor Cannon balls Cannon balls Fence Cannon emplacements Cannon Cannon Wood framed pit Sentry box Concrete walkway Cannon barrels mounted on wood braces NPS sign Entrance to visitor contact station 1 PD Hospital Street NPS Identity sign Gate Low concrete wall Swing gate Low concrete wall Culvert Well Gate Concrete paving Access road for parking area (asphalt paving) NPS regulatory sign Boundary fence Culvert Drainage ditch Entrance to adjoining property Retaining wall NPS Parking Area · 36 standard spaces · 2 accessible spaces Concrete wheel stops Fort Christiansvaern Wall columns and ornamental iron gate Concrete curb sections Low concrete wall Storage building X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X X Temporary construction fencing Scrub vegetation Parking signs Legend Bench Wayside exhibit Ornamental light standard Cannon bollard Date palm (Phoenix dactylifera) West Indies mahogany (Swietenia mahagoni) 1 PD 1 SM Tamarind (Tamarindus indica) 1 TI Small-scale features Vegetation NPS boundary Concrete bollard Wooden bollard Sentry box Grass turf Picnic table Picnic table Shrubs Street edge Sidewalk Wall Building Steps X X Fence Temporary fence Brick paving SCALE 1" = 40' 0' 10' 20' 40' Site Plan, Existing Conditions, Fort Area December 2021 Cultural Landscape Inventory for Christiansted National Historical Site Notes: 1. Dimensions and locations are approximate, based on field observations and NPS-provided GIS data. 2. Locations of non-NPS small-scale features not recorded. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Site Plan: Circulation Diagram for Christiansted National Historic Site Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Property Level and CLI Numbers Inventory Unit Name: Christiansted National Historic Site Property Level: District CLI Identification Number: 550171 Parent Cultural Landscape Inventory Name: Parent Cultural Landscape Inventory Number: Park Information Park Name and Alpha Code: Christiansted National Historic Site (CHRI) Park Organization Code: 5380 CLI Hierarchy Description Christiansted National Historic Site is an approximately 7.8-acre unit of the National Park System administered by the National Park Service (NPS) in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. The property is roughly diamond shaped, and it is edged to the north by Christiansted Harbor, to the southeast by an extension of Queen Street, and to the southwest by Church Street and its extension westward to a public boardwalk along the harbor edge. Christiansted National Historic site is covered by one park-wide cultural landscape. No component landscapes exist. Fort Christiansvaern overlooks the mouth of the harbor in the northeastern part of the park. A gazebo is located to the west of the fortification, while the Danish Customs House is to the southwest. The Scale House faces the intersection of King Street and Hospital Street in the northwestern part of the park. The Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse and Steeple Building are located across Hospital Street from the fort and are also edged to the south by Church Street. A visitor parking area occupies the eastern edge of the park along the extension of Queen Street. The stable and the foundation of a former fish market are located at the north end of the parking area. The NPS operates a visitor contact station within Fort Christiansvaern. At the time this CLI was prepared, the other buildings were generally closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic but are interpreted through wayside exhibits and other materials. NPS offices and meeting spaces are also located in the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Concurrence Status Inventory Status: Incomplete Completion Status Explanatory Narrative: The Christiansted National Historic Site CLI, prepared in 2021, was developed by a consultant team in collaboration with NPS personnel stationed at the park, in the NPS Interior Region 2 Office in Atlanta, and at the Southeast Archeological Center (SEAC) in Tallahassee, Florida. The consultant team responsible for preparing the CLI was led by Panamerican Consultants, Inc., holder of an Indefinite Delivery Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract with Mark Steinback of Panamerican serving as contract manager. Several individuals from firms included on the IDIQ contract provided professional expertise in developing the CLI, including Deborah Slaton, Mike Ford, and Tim Penich of Wiss, Janney, Elstner Associates, Inc., and historical landscape architects Liz Sargent and Jane Jacobs and cultural landscape specialist Christina Osborn of Liz Sargent HLA. Members of the Christiansted National Historic Site staff were instrumental in ensuring the successful completion of the CLI. Reginald Tiller, Acting Superintendent, and Gina Belknap, Acting Facility Manager, as well as Steven Tidwell, Contracting Officer’s Representative and member of the NPS Storm Recovery Team, participated in team calls, collected information on behalf of the team, and supported field investigations and research efforts at the park. Regional NPS personnel, including David Hasty, Senior Historical Landscape Architect, Simone Monteleone, Chief, Cultural Resources, Science and Partnerships, and Meredith Hardy, NPS SEAC Section 106 Coordinator for Archeology, also supported preparation of the document through provision of materials, and review and technical guidance. Ms. Hardy also facilitated site work by the project team and accompanied team members during field documentation efforts. The 2021 CLI built on available documentation for the park that includes the Christiansted National Historic Site and Historic District National Register nominations and additional documentation, a draft Cultural Landscape Report (1985), park foundation document, and reports related to archeological investigations conducted on the property. The consultant team initiated work on the project by collecting background materials available from the NPS electronic Technical Information Center (eTIC); the Integrated Resource Management Applications (IRMA) portal; SEAC; and the park website. Additional documents were collected from park repositories during a site visit conducted in spring 2021. Meredith Hardy of SEAC provided Geographic Information System (GIS) data used to develop base mapping used to guide field investigations, along with resource information related to the CRIS. Gina Belknap provided the FMSS list for the park. Project team members Jane Jacobs, Liz Sargent, and Mike Ford visited the park in April 2021 to conduct research and field investigations with the assistance of Meredith Hardy. Research Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory centered around the collection of NPS reports, historic ground and aerial photographs, historic maps, and survey and property records from the park archives. Field investigations entailed a walking survey of accessible areas of the park to photographically document resources and annotate draft base maps with information to be included in the CLI site plan. Where necessary, the team collected Global Positioning System (GPS) data to supplement available GIS information. Concurrence Status: Park Superintendent Concurrence: [to be added] Park Superintendent Date of Concurrence: [to be added] National Register Concurrence: [to be added] Date of Concurrence Determination: [to be added] Geographic Information and Location Map Inventory Unit Boundary Description: The boundary of Christiansted National Historic Site. which has been determined by the CLI team, encompasses all features affiliated with the primary historic context or association of the property. Information about the boundary is noted below:  Christiansted National Historic Site is an approximately 7.8-acre unit of the National Park System administered by the NPS in St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. The property is roughly diamond shaped, and it is edged to the north by Christiansted Harbor, to the southeast by an extension of Queen Street, and to the southwest by Church Street and its extension westward to a public boardwalk along the harbor edge.  Fort Christiansvaern overlooks the mouth of the harbor in the northeastern part of the park.  A Bandstand is located to the west of the fortification.  The Danish Customs House is located southwest of the fortification.  The Scale House faces the intersection of King Street and Hospital Street in the northwestern part of the park.  The Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse and Steeple Building are located across Hospital Street from the fort and are also edged to the south by Church Street.  A visitor parking area occupies the eastern edge of the park along the extension of Queen Street. The stable and the foundation of a former fish market are located at the north end of the parking area. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory State and County: State: US Virgin Islands County: St. Croix Size (Acres): 7.8 acres The northing and easting coordinates that mark the boundary of the Christiansted National Historic Site. The boundary points are also provided in latitude and longitude for reference. Boundary UTMs: Source Type Datum Zone Easting Northing Boundary Point GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319390 1963059 1 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319395 1963060 2 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319438 1963037 3 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319461 1963041 4 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319477 1963032 5 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319480 1963034 6 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319475 1963049 7 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319505 1963062 8 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319561 1963056 9 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319575 1963054 10 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319590 1963046 11 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319601 1963041 12 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319609 1963035 13 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319614 1963029 14 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319632 1963017 15 Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319634 1963001 16 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319645 1962991 17 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319655 1962988 18 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319545 1962901 19 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319525 1962920 20 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319495 1962893 21 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319430 1962968 22 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319424 1962991 23 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319422 1963000 24 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319419 1963008 25 GIS Area Other; NAD83 20 319408 1963023 26 Boundary Points in Latitude and Longitude Degrees/minutes/seconds (Datum: North American Datum of 1983) 1 17° 44' 50.68"N 64° 42' 12.46"W 2 17° 44' 50.71"N 64° 42' 12.31"W 3 17° 44' 49.99"N 64° 42' 10.84"W 4 17° 44' 50.10"N 64° 42' 10.04"W 5 17° 44' 49.81"N 64° 42' 9.50"W 6 17° 44' 49.88"N 64° 42' 9.40"W 7 17° 44' 50.39"N 64° 42' 9.58"W 8 17° 44' 50.82"N 64° 42' 8.57"W Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory 9 17° 44' 50.64"N 64° 42' 6.66"W 10 17° 44' 50.57"N 64° 42' 6.19"W 11 17° 44' 50.32"N 64° 42' 5.69"W 12 17° 44' 50.17"N 64° 42' 5.29"W 13 17° 44' 49.96"N 64° 42' 5.04"W 14 17° 44' 49.78"N 64° 42' 25.38"W 15 17° 44' 49.38"N 64° 42' 4.25"W 16 17° 44' 48.88"N 64° 42' 4.18"W 17 17° 44' 48.55"N 64° 42' 3.78"W 18 17° 44' 48.44"N 64° 42' 3.46"W 19 17° 44' 45.60"N 64° 42' 7.16"W 20 17° 44' 46.21"N 64° 42' 7.85"W 21 17° 44' 45.31"N 64° 42' 8.86"W 22 17° 44' 47.72"N 64° 42' 11.09"W 23 17° 44' 48.48"N 64° 42' 11.30"W 24 17° 44' 48.77"N 64° 42' 11.38"W 25 17° 44' 49.02"N 64° 42' 11.48"W 26 17° 44' 49.52"N 64° 42' 11.84"W Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Decimal degrees (Datum: North American Datum of 1983) 1 17.74741 N -64.70346 W 2 17.74742 N -64.70342 W 3 17.74722 N -64.70301 W 4 17.74725 N -64.70279 W 5 17.74717 N -64.70264 W 6 17.74719 N -64.70261 W 7 17.74733 N -64.70266 W 8 17.74745 N -64.70238 W 9 17.74740 N -64.70185 W 10 17.74738 N -64.70172 W 11 17.74731 N -64.70158 W 12 17.74727 N -64.70147 W 13 17.74721 N -64.70140 W 14 17.74716 N -64.70135 W 15 17.74705 N -64.70118 W 16 17.74691 N -64.70116 W 17 17.74682 N -64.70105 W 18 17.74679 N -64.70096 W Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory 19 17.74600 N -64.70199 W 20 17.74617 N -64.70218 W 21 17.74592 N -64.70246 W 22 17.74659 N -64.70308 W 23 17.74680 N -64.70314 W 24 17.74688 N -64.70316 W 25 17.74695 N -64.70319 W 26 17.74709 N -64.70329 W Land Tract Numbers Tract Numbers: 01-101, 01-105, 01-106 Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Location Maps Location Map of Christiansted National Historic Site within St. Croix. (Source: National Park Service) Location Map of Christiansted National Historic Site showing its proximity to Salt River Bay National Historic Park and Ecological Preserve. (Source: National Park Service) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Location Map of Christiansted National Historic Site. (Source: National Park Service) Location Map of Christiansted National Historic Site within the town of Christiansted. (Source: Virgin Islands Online, http://www.virgin-islands-on-line.com/sc/csmap.shtml) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Regional Landscape Context Type of Context: Cultural The town of Christiansted was established in the second quarter of the eighteenth century by the Danish West India and Guinea Company on the site of the earlier French settlement of Basin. As the main port of St. Croix, Christiansted developed rapidly, and in the second half of the eighteenth century it became extremely prosperous as a result of the sugar economy of the islands. In 1755, Christiansted became the capital of the Danish West Indies and remained as such until 1871 when the seat of the colonial government returned to Charlottes Amalie on St. Thomas (NRHP 1976). Christiansted has preserved the eighteenth-century Danish-style buildings constructed by enslaved Africans. Solid stone buildings in pastel colors with red tile roofs line the cobblestone sidewalks, adding a touch of eighteenth-century European architectural style. Because the town was constructed by enslaved Africans, there are many African influences in Christiansted's design as well, making it one of the few "African-Danish" towns in the world. The town’s symmetrical plan, with streets running at right angles to the waterfront, creates viewsheds and a clear spatial relationship of the urban area to the harbor and to Fort Christiansvaern and its surrounding landscape. The commercial area centers on King and Company Streets. The residential area, including portions that were originally settlements for free black people, extends inland and uphill from the commercial area. The botanist Julius von Rohr started a botanic garden in the eighteenth century and produced several landscapes on the island. The development of Christiansted as an urban center reflects trends in eighteenth-century urban planning and architectural design that grew out of the Italian Renaissance and Baroque traditions of the late fifteenth through seventeenth centuries. Christiansted has retained the Baroque and Neoclassical elements of the earliest days of Danish rule through the island’s Golden Age. The lower floors of the urban buildings originally housed merchant shops, warehouses, and businesses, while the upper floors served as residences. Several cultures have influenced local architecture. Wattle and daub construction, the use of cisterns to collect water, the "Big Yard" or common area, and verandas and porches can be traced to Africa. Danish culture is reflected in the design of towns, especially the “step streets”; street names; ovens and cookhouses; and red roofs. Yellow ballast brick, carried in ships from Europe, was used in construction along with locally quarried stone and coral. Christiansted National Historic Site was established in 1952 to preserve the center of Christiansted as an outstanding example of Danish colonial development in the Lesser Antilles. It includes the old wharf area in the center of Christiansted and six buildings of high architectural order representing different functions of the government of the islands when they were at the height of their prosperity (National Register of Historic Places documentation, 1976). Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory The landscape and historic structures of the Christiansted National Historic Site are one of the most complete and well-preserved assemblages of eighteenth- and nineteenth-century Danish colonial administrative buildings and military fortifications found in the New World. Christiansted National Historic Site preserves and interprets the site where tens of thousands of enslaved Africans were transported to the Caribbean, disembarked, and sold at auction, serving as a tangible link and witness to the history of the Transatlantic Slave Trade (Christiansted Foundation Document, 2015). Type of Context: Physiographic Christiansted National Historic Site falls within the urban center of Christiansted, St Croix, an island in the Caribbean Sea. St. Croix is the largest of the three US Virgin Islands. It is 21 miles long and 6 miles across at its widest point. The total land area is 84 square miles. Mountain ranges run from east to west mainly along the northern portion of the island and contain the highest point on the island, Mount Eagle, 1,165 feet above mean seal level (AMSL). To the south, the land slopes to flatlands near the coast. The island’s only cities, Christiansted and Frederiksted, are located on the flat coastal landscape. St. Croix is the southernmost of the US Virgin Islands, separated from St. Thomas and St. John by a deep ocean trench. A narrow shelf surrounds the island including the Christiansted Harbor and wharf bulkhead, providing ideal habitat for long, fringing coral reef, patch reefs, and other coral communities. St. Croix was formed by a sedimentary uplift that is derived from older volcanic rocks. The sedimentary rocks underlying the mountain ranges on the island were formed from the debris of eroding volcanic rocks and volcanic ash during the late Cretaceous period and are approximately 80 million years old. Limestone exposed on the surface of the fertile central valley of the island is considerably younger (during the Miocene epoch, 20 million years ago) and is likely the remains of a coral reef that formed as the island was being uplifted (Whetten 1974; Nagle and Hubbard 1989). The island is relatively low in elevation and has an average rainfall of about 55 inches, which can vary across the island landscape depending on elevation, slope, and rainfall patterns. The average temperature in St. Croix is 79 degrees Fahrenheit. Type of Context: Political The transfer of the islands of the Danish West Indies to the United States of America had political and economic consequences both internationally as well as locally, reflecting the colonial past of St. Croix and Christiansted and what it means to be a US territory today. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Congress established the government of the US Virgin Islands through the Revised Organic Act of 1954. The Office of Insular Affairs of the US Department of the Interior administers the islands. The governor and lieutenant governor are elected by popular vote for four-year terms. Albert Bryan Jr was elected the ninth governor of the Virgin Islands in 2018. There is a fifteen- seat Senate whose members are elected for two-year terms. The islands elect one representative to the US House of Representatives who may vote in committees and subcommittees. The judicial branch is composed of the US District Court, with judges appointed by the president, and the Territorial Court, with judges appointed by the governor. Jurisdiction is exercised by the US Department of the Interior. Limited legislative powers are held by a unicameral legislature consisting of fifteen senators. The governor and lieutenant governor are also elected by universal adult suffrage. There are twelve executive departments, of which eleven are headed by commissioners; the twelfth, the Department of Law, is headed by the attorney general. Attempts to redraft the constitution to provide greater autonomy have been rejected, most recently in 1981. Residents of the Virgin Islands do not vote in US presidential elections. Christiansted National Historic Site is administered as part of the US National Park System by the NPS. In addition to the historical site, the NPS administers Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve on St. Croix as well as Buck Island Reef National Monument to the north of the island, Virgin Islands National Park on the island of St. John, and Virgin Islands Coral Reef National Monument south of St. John’s shoreline. Other publicly owned properties include Green Cay National Wildlife Refuge and Sandy Point National Wildlife Refuge, both administered by the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Management Information General Management Information Management Category: Must be Preserved and Maintained Management Category Date: June 10, 1976 Management Category Explanatory Narrative: The cultural landscape of Christiansted National Historic Site is listed in the National Register of Historic Places. It is assigned to the Management Category: Must Be Preserved and Maintained. Established by Secretarial Order as Virgin Island National Historic Site on March 4, 1952, the park was the result of civic-minded citizens who petitioned the federal government to protect the fort and its associated buildings. The park was redesignated as Christiansted National Historic site on December 24, 1960, through a memorandum of agreement between the United States government and what was then the Municipality of St. Croix, Virgin Islands. The establishment order and associated memoranda of agreement identified important historic structures for protection within Christiansted and recognized this location for its “National historical significance as an excellent example of the Danish economy and way of life in the Virgin Islands.” The National Park Service, within the Department of Interior, was named as the federal agency tasked with management, interpretation, and stewardship responsibilities for this national historic site, which is the first NPS unit in the US Virgin Islands. Over the years a series of additional memoranda of agreement have further outlined and broadened the role and responsibilities of the NPS in the management of Christiansted National Historic Site. Christiansted National Historic Site is the anchor for the larger national register historic district of the same name that commemorates eighteenth-century Danish urban colonial development of the island and is managed by the St. Croix Historic Preservation Committee. NPS Legal Interest Type of Interest: Fee Simple Public Access Type of Access: Unrestricted Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Public Access Explanatory Narrative: The NPS operates a visitor contact station within Fort Christiansvaern. At the time this CLI was prepared, the other buildings were generally closed to the public due to the COVID-19 pandemic but are interpreted through wayside exhibits and other materials. NPS offices and meeting spaces are also located in the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. Much of the park is located within the Christiansted urban area and can be accessed at any time without restriction. The buildings are open to the public during published hours or by appointment. Adjacent Lands Information Do Adjacent Lands Contribute? Yes Surrounding urban areas and the wharf and harbor all have historical associations with Christiansted National Historic Site. Also associated with the property is the Government House located to the southwest along King Street. FMSS Asset FMSS Asset Location Code: 1329008 Brick Columns/Fence posts 1452394 Turfgrass/Pasture Crop, Field Grass, Ornamental 1680568 Base & Subbase, Soil, 6823 SF 467343 Wall, Free Standing, Wood, 2057 ft, 5 ft, .25 ft, Steeple Building 467347 Wall, Free Standing, Wood, 329 ft, 4.5 ft, .25 ft, Steeple Landscape 467352 Fence/Gate, Gate, Wood, 6 ft, 4 ft, Steeple Landscape 467354 Exterior Furnishing, Other, 12.0 in, 4.0 in. LED Light 467359 Traffic Surface (Concrete walkway, rear of building 6 ft x 37.5 ft (18.75 SF) 467361 Traffic Surface (Concrete pavers, Hospital & Company 27 ft x 3.5 ft, 6 ft x 5 ft (124.5) 467364 Traffic Surface (Concrete pavers, Church & Company 10 ft x 24 ft (240 SF) 467369 Plant or Vegetation, Tree, 35 ft, 40 ft, 60 in, Mahogany 467371 Plant or Vegetation, Tree, 17 ft, 15 ft, 24 in, Genip 467373 Plant or Vegetation, Tree, 25 ft, 15 ft, 18 in, Palm 467374 Sign, Entrance Sign, CHRI Landscape 1059327 Exterior Furnishing 1329007 Land Surface, Recreational, Grass, Esplanade Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory 1681015 Base & Subbase, Soil 1681016 Wall, Free Standing, Concrete, 2.8 ft, 6.5 ft, 1.0 ft (identity sign’s wall) 471346 Exterior Furnishing 471349 Exterior Furnishing, Picnic Table, 32 in, 72 in, 36 in, CHRI Landscape 471352 Sign, Visitor Info, CHRI Landscape 471353 Generic Exhibit 471354 Sign, Entrance Sign, CHRI Landscape 471355 Plant or Vegetation, Tree, Multiple Types 471356 Generic Structure, CHRI Landscape 471357 Generic Structure, CHRI Landscape 471358 Generic Structure, Fort Lighting 471361 Land Surface, Tread, Concrete, 296 ft, 10 ft, CHRI Landscape 471362 Land Surface, Tread, Concrete, 380 ft, 20 ft, Company St. Extension Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory National Register Information Existing National Register Status National Register Landscape Documentation: Entered – Inadequately Documented National Register Explanatory Narrative: Christiansted National Historic Site was administratively listed in the National Register of Historic Places with the passage of the National Historic Preservation Act on October 15, 1966. 1) National Register nomination for Christiansted National Historic Site, prepared by Frederik C. Gjessing, Architect, Virgin Islands National Park, entered in the National Register on June 20, 1976 (NRIS 66000077). The nomination specifically addressed the following six buildings: Government House (H-1), Steeple Building (H-2), Fort Christiansvaern (H-3), Westindia (sic) and Guinea Company Warehouse (Post Office, H-4), Scale House (H-5), Library Building (formerly Danish Customs House and Post Office, H-6). The nomination identifies areas of significance including Architecture, Commerce, Military, Political, Religion/Philosophy, and Urban Planning. It cites the periods of significance as eighteenth century and nineteenth century. The statement of significance notes: “Christiansted National Historic Site provides an excellent example of the development, accomplishments, and way of life of a society based on a sugar producing plantation economy. It also preserves a representative sample of the architectural qualities that sprang from the wealth and accomplishments of Danish colonial development in the Lesser Antilles.” 2) National Register nomination for Christiansted Historic District, prepared by Russell Wright and Thomas Richards, Virgin Island (sic) Historic Survey, Virgin Island (sic) Planning Board, entered in the National Register on July 30, 1976 (NRIS 76002266). The historic district includes 135.9 acres of the historic town of Christiansted, including all of the central historic architectural district and portions of Christiansted National Historic Site. The initial documentation addresses six historic structures within the Christiansted National Historic Site that are significant for their architecture as well as their association with the development of the Danish West Indies (Virgin Islands) as a colonial possession of Denmark. The nomination cites the following areas of significance: Architecture, Commerce, Community Planning, Exploration/Settlement, Military, Politics/Government, and Religion. It also cites a period of significance Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory of 1700–1799 and 1800–1899. The statement of significance notes that Christiansted is of special significance for its well-preserved architecture and fortifications, and that it “retains the scale and feeling of a 19th century West Indian port and market.” 3) Christiansted National Historic Site (Additional Documentation), prepared by Christine Trebellas, Architectural Historian, National Park Service, Southeast Regional Office, accepted by the National Register on March 5, 1999 (66000077). The National Historic Site documentation notes that Christiansted National Historic Site is significant under National Register Criteria A and C. No NHL criteria considerations are indicated. Areas of Significance include Politics/Government and Architecture. The period of significance is identified as circa 1734–1931, with significant dates of 1734, 1754, 1917, and 1931 also cited. The Additional Documentation identifies one additional contributing structure within the National Historic Site—the Fort Christiansvaern Stable Building— that was addressed, but not individually identified as a contributing resource, in the previous nomination. Like the majority of the historic resources, this structure is significant for its association with the development of Christiansted under Danish colonial rule. After the United States purchased the Danish West Indies in 1917, `US Navy administration greatly improved social services in the Virgin Islands until the islands were transferred to the Department of the Interior in 1931. This Additional Documentation also identifies one additional contributing structure within the National Historic site, the bandstand, which is significant for its association with the US Navy’s stewardship of the Virgin Islands between 1917 and 1931. In addition to listing these two structures, this amendment also identifies one non-contributing structure within the National Historic Site, the D. Hamilton Jackson Monument. A Memorandum of Agreement between the Department of the Interior and the Municipality of St. Croix, relating to the Virgin Islands National Historic Site at Christiansted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, was signed by Oscar L. Chapman, Secretary of the Interior, and Morris F. De Castro, Governor of the Virgin Islands. The Agreement was made and entered into on February 11, 1952, by and between the United States of America. The Advisory Board on National Parks, Historic Sites, Buildings and Monuments declared that the wharf area and the park area known as the D. Hamilton Jackson Park and the Government House and Ground in Christiansted, St. Croix, are of national historical significance as an excellent example of the Danish economy and way of life in the Virgin Islands. A second Memorandum of Agreement stated, “When this agreement becomes effective, it is agreed that the parties hereto will submit to the Secretary of the Interior, for Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory issuance and publication in the Federal Register, a new Order of designation (to supersede the Order of March 4, 1952, changing the name of the National Historic Site from Virgin Islands National Historic Site to Christiansted National Historic Site.” This agreement was approved December 24, 1960, and signed by Fred A. Seaton, Secretary of the Interior, Conrad L. Wirth, National Park Service, and Anthony T. Lausi, Office of the Territories. The Christiansted National Historic Site was established to preserve the center of Christiansted as an outstanding example of Danish colonial development in the Lesser Antilles. It includes the old wharf area in the center of Christiansted and six buildings of high architectural order representing different functions of the government of the islands when they were at the height of their prosperity. National Register Eligibility National Register Concurrence: [Not in scope] Contributing/Individual: [Not in scope] National Register Classification: [Not in scope] Significance Level: [Not in scope] Criteria Considerations: [Not in scope] Period of Significance: [Not in scope] Historic Context Theme: [Not in scope] Subtheme: [Not in scope] Facet: [Not in scope] Area of Significance: Area of Significance Category: [Not in scope] NRIS Information: Alpha Code/NRIS Name (Number): CHRI / NRIS 76002266 Other National Register Name: Christiansted Historic District Primary Certification Date: July 30, 1976 Alpha Code/NRIS Name (Number): CHRI / NRIS 66000077 Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Other National Register Name: Christiansted National Historic Site Primary Certification Date: October 15, 1966 Statement of Significance [Not in scope] National Historic Landmark Information National Historic Landmark Status: [Not in scope] World Heritage Site Information World Heritage Site Status: [Not in scope] Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Chronology and Physical History Cultural Landscape Type and Use Cultural Landscape Type: [Not in scope] Current and Historic Use/Function Primary Historic Function-Major Category: [Not in scope] Primary Historic Function-Category: [Not in scope] Primary Historic Function: [Not in scope] Primary Current Function-Major Category: [Not in scope] Primary Current Function-Category: [Not in scope] Primary Current Function: [Not in scope] Other Current and Historic Uses/Functions: Other Historic Function-Major Category: [Not in scope] Other Historic Function-Category: [Not in scope] Other Historic Function: [Not in scope] Other Current Function-Major Category: [Not in scope] Other Current Function-Category: [Not in scope] Other Current Function: [Not in scope] Current and Historic Names Current and Historic Name [Not in scope] Type of Name [Not in scope] Chronology [Not in scope] Physical History [Not in scope] Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Analysis and Evaluation of Integrity Analysis and Evaluation of Integrity Narrative Summary: For the purposes of the Cultural Landscapes Inventory, landscapes are analyzed according to criteria known as landscape characteristics. These characteristics include natural systems and features, land use, spatial organization, vegetation, circulation, buildings and structures, views and vistas, small-scale features, and archeological sites. Each of these landscape characteristics is addressed for the Christiansted National Historic Site CLI study area. The Analysis section below traces the evolution of the cultural landscape based on known cultural activities since before the Danish occupation through documentation of change over time by landscape characteristic. The Analysis section below includes description of the landscape features as they exist as of 2021. While the Analysis section typically traces change over time within the cultural landscape, the current CLI has been prepared with an emphasis on documenting existing conditions as per the project statement of work. Further information is anticipated to be added to complete the Analysis section as part of a future project or contract. The information presented below includes an overview of the known features associated with each landscape characteristic, followed by a brief description of each tangible resource in terms of its location, relationship to other landscape features, size, and composition in terms of materials. A list of the inventoried features follows the narrative. Representative photographs of primary landscape features are also included for each landscape characteristic section. Issues related to feature conditions are documented in the Condition Assessment section that follows the Analysis. The analysis for the landscape characteristics of vegetation, buildings and structures, and small-scale features separate descriptions and listings into two areas: Northeast of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street and Southwest of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street. The circulation section divides the features into vehicular and pedestrian. The Analysis section is typically preceded by an integrity assessment that considers the degree to which the cultural landscape continues to convey its historic associations in accordance with the seven aspects of integrity defined by the NRHP. An integrity assessment is not included in the current project scope but is anticipated to be added as part of a future project or contract. Integrity Assessment [Not in scope] Analysis Natural Systems and Features Natural systems and features are the environmental resources and qualities that have influenced the development and physical form of a landscape. They include underlying geology, soils, and water resources, and are influenced by climate. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory St. Croix is in the Caribbean Sea, approximately 1,100 miles from Miami. The Caribbean Sea was fundamental to the beginning of St. Croix’s heritage by providing the migration routes necessary to bring native Central and South Americans to the island more than 4,000 years ago. The island lies at a geographic crossroads connecting the Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean currents with the prevailing trade winds. This ideal location, along with the fertility of the island and the productivity of its surrounding waters, sustained people of the island over a long history of occupation (NPS 2007). Climate St. Croix has a dry subtropical climate. Average rainfalls on the island are extremely variable, ranging from 40 inches in the western portion to 30 inches in the east, 50 inches in the north- west, and 25 to 35 inches in the southwest. The relative humidity averages around 70 percent, and average high daily temperatures are 88 degrees Fahrenheit in August and 80 degrees Fahrenheit in December. The mean temperature on the island is 80 degrees Fahrenheit. The climate of St. Croix and the Christiansted National Historic Site is dominated by trade winds that vary seasonally in magnitude and direction. During the winter season, which extends from December through February, the trade winds, arising from the east-northeast, reach their maximum intensity of 10 to 20 knots. The velocity of the trade winds decreases during the spring months of March through May as well as during the fall months of September through November. However, during the summer months of June through August, the winds arise from east or east-southeast and increase to a moderate intensity (NPS 2008). There are two primary seasons, wet and dry. These are further divided into short and long wet and dry periods. The long dry season is typically between January and March or April; a second, shorter dry season is in June and July. Throughout the Greater Antilles, the northern half (windward) of the island is typically much wetter than the southern (leeward) half (Hardy 2011). St. Croix is subject to tropical storms and hurricanes, with hurricane season running from June to November. In recent history, substantial damage was caused by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Maria in 2017. Landform and Topography St. Croix is the southernmost of the US Virgin Islands, separated from St. Thomas and St. John by a 13,500-foot-deep ocean trench. Before dropping off into deep water, a narrow shelf surrounds the island, providing ideal habitat for long, fringing coral reefs, patch reefs, and other coral communities. St. Croix is 21 miles long and 6 miles across at its widest point. Mountain ranges stretch from east to west, primarily along the northern portion of the island, sloping to a broad and rolling expanse of coastal plains to the south. These mountains are characterized by numerous steep-sided valleys that have been eroded by intermittent streams. The tallest point is Mt. Eagle at approximately 1,165 feet. Point Udall, the eastern tip of the island, is also the Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory easternmost point of the United States (NPS 2007). The existing landform slopes toward the shoreline and is relatively flat in the area of the Christiansted National Historic Site. The natural systems provided the ideal location for a harbor and for settlement within the landscape. The historic site is level at the wharf and slopes up gently from the harbor area to the fort. The fort is on a distinct promontory, dominating the surrounding landscape within the historic site from the high elevation. Historically, fill was used to build up the promontory of the fort area. From images seen in historical photographs, it is evident that the slopes around the fort were generally irregular. Today, the landscape topography is smooth, with a gently sloping rise in elevation from all directions to the fort. Water Resources The waters of the Caribbean Sea adjacent to the existing wharf that borders the historic site are considered a subtidal deep-water marine system, consisting of the open ocean overlying the nearshore marine bottomlands and the associated shoreline. The substrate in the immediate vicinity is continuously covered with tidal waters with nearshore soft marine bottomlands comprised of unconsolidated substrate, such as sand, mud, dead coral rubble with algae, pieces of concrete, and extensive manmade debris (National Park Service and EA Engineering Science, and Technology, Inc. 2019). St. Croix is separated from St. Thomas and St. John by a 13,500-foot-deep ocean trench. Before dropping off into deep water, a narrow shelf surrounds the island, providing ideal habitat for long, fringing coral reefs, patch reefs, and other coral communities. St Croix has an extensive coral reef system that rings much of the island. These reefs support extraordinary biodiversity while maintaining complex interrelationships with other marine ecosystems, such as adjacent seagrass beds. More than forty species of corals have been recorded on the reefs of St. Croix. The reef can be further divided into the following communities: fringing, bank, barrier, linear, and patch reefs: colonized hard pavement; gorgonian (soft coral) dominated pavement; and colonized bedrock and beach rock. Fringing reefs are the most common type found, located near the island’s shoreline. Elkhorn coral is the primary reef-building coral of the entire Caribbean. Two-thirds of Buck Island is surrounded by this type, which reaches heights of more than 30 feet. St. Croix’s coral reefs support a variety of marine animals, including more than 400 species of reef fish. The extreme clarity of seawater surrounding this island provides exceptional snorkeling opportunities to see these complex marine ecosystems (NPS 2007). Landscape Features  Caribbean Sea o Contribution Status:  Topography of Christiansted o Contributing Status Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory  Long Reef o Contribution Status:  Scotch Banks o Contributing Status:  White Horse Reef o Contributing Status:  Protestant Cay o Contribution Status:  Gallows Bay o Contribution Status:  Altoona Lagoon o Contribution Status:  Buck Island o Contribution Status:  Buck Island Channel o Contribution Status: Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Caribbean Sea surrounding the island of St. Croix. Island landform and natural location for the Harbor. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Vegetation Vegetation is the collection of trees, shrubs, grass, and perennials, and the communities comprising forest, savanna, meadow, and marsh within a landscape. Existing vegetation present at Christiansted National Historic Site is concentrated in the area northeast of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street within the open landscape of Fort Christiansvaern, the Customs House, and the Bandstand. Existing vegetation southwest of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street is associated with the Steeple Building landscape, the north entrance area to the historic site, adjacent to the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse and the Scale House landscape and Kings Wharf loop road. Extensive damage occurred to all the vegetation within the historic site due to Hurricanes Irma and Maria. All surviving vegetation within the historic site will benefit from continued monitoring, maintenance, and management efforts put in place by the NPS since the storms in 2017. The analysis for this landscape characteristic separates features descriptions and listings for vegetation into two areas: northeast of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street and southwest of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street. Vegetation Northeast of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street Photographs from the 1880s through 1916 reveal much of the history of plantings on the historic site within that period. The site was relatively open, especially in the waterfront area between the fort and the Scale House. Some flamboyant trees were located near the fort walls as early as 1835. Palms are in the area immediately around the present Customs House as early as 1843– 1844. Flamboyant trees were planted on either side of the Customs House and are evident as early as 1880 or 1881. Also at this time, grass was growing in the area around the fort. Later Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS) photographs (1959) depict extensive ornamental plantings around the Customs House, none of which remain. In 2015, a mahogany tree was removed from the south side of the Customs House, adjacent to Hospital Street. The roots had infiltrated a storm drain, the roadway, and the sidewalk, forcing water into the foundation of the Customs House. Turf Grass The landscape of the historic site is characterized by the large open expanse of turf grass that covers most of the landscape northeast of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street. Mown turf is maintained throughout the open site, within the island of the NPS parking lot, within exterior retaining wall terraces associated with the fort, within the interior of the fort, and within a small area northeast of the Stable Building. The turf grass is maintained in fair to good condition and is the most pervasive vegetative feature within the historic site. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Trees Mature mahogany trees (Swietenia mahogany) line the edge of the entrance walkway from Hospital Street to the fort. There are eleven large trees providing shade for the walkway and associated site furnishings used by visitors to the historic site. The trees are in fair to good condition, with some die out within the upper limbs. Two new planted mahogany trees (Swietenia mahogany) are located in the open grass turf north of the NPS parking lot. They appear to be in fair to good condition. The open landscape west of the fort contains a mature tamarind (Tamarindus indica) tree in close proximity to the Bandstand. The large shade tree is in fair condition with some die out in the upper limbs. A single date palm tree (Phoenix dactylifera) is located in this vicinity of the open landscape, north of the Bandstand. Due to the amount of open space around the tree and its proximity to the harbor it is susceptible to major wind and water damage during storms. It is currently in good condition. There are two date palm trees (Phoenix dactylifera) located on either side of the grand staircase of the Danish Customs House. The large palms provide some shade for the benches located adjacent to each tree. The two trees are in fair to good condition, with some visible stress to the foliage. One date palm is located north of the NPS parking lot and is in good condition. Another single date palm is located across the walkway in one of the mown grass terraces associated with the fort. This palm is small and leans precariously within the terrace. It is in fair condition with some visible damage within the lower foliage. There are two trees (species to be determined) located at the harborside adjacent to the Stable Building. The trees appear to be in good condition. A single large tree (species to be determined) is located east of the Historic Fish Market site and was obscured by construction fencing at the time of field investigations. The tree appears from a distance to be in good condition. Shrubs Shrubs in this area of the historic site consist mainly of scrub species combined with weeds north of the fort on the shoreline bank. The shrub massing is weather beaten due to its location, but the plants survive in fair condition. Erosion of the bank is undermining the stability of the roots of some of the plants. Landscape Features  Turf grass (Fort, Customs House, Bandstand Landscape) o Contribution Status:  Turf grass terraces (Fort Christiansvaern) o Contribution Status: Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory  Turf grass panel (Fort Christiansvaern interior) o Contribution Status:  Turf grass (between Stable Building and fort retaining wall) o Contribution Status:  Turf grass (NPS parking lot) o Contribution Status:  Tamarind Tree 1 (Bandstand) o Contribution Status:  Date Palm Tree 2 (Customs House) o Contribution Status:  Date Palm Tree 1 (north of the Bandstand) o Contribution Status:  Date Palm Tree 1 (north of NPS parking lot) o Contribution Status:  Date Palm Tree 1 (grass turf terrace adjacent to the fort) o Contribution Status:  Tree 2 (Harborside at Stable Building) o Contribution Status:  Mahogany Tree 11 (Mature trees along fort entry walkway) o Contribution Status:  Mahogany Tree 2 (Newly planted northwest of NPS parking lot) o Contribution Status:  Tree 1 (east of the Fish Market site) o Contribution Status:  Shrubs/Weeds (embankment from fort to the sea) o Contribution Status: Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Mature mahogany trees are scattered through the expansive turf grass lawn of the historic site. Large tamarind tree and date palm tree near the Bandstand and the Wharf. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Palm trees on either side of the grand staircase of the Danish Customs House. Scrub vegetation along the eroding bank below the fort at the shoreline. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Vegetation Southwest of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street Historically, there were significant trees associated with the Steeple Building landscape. Some large trees remained on the site until 2015. At that time, the NPS removed the mahogany tree behind the historic building at the eastern corner. The tree’s root system had infiltrated under the building causing significant damage to the south wall. The tree also posed a storm threat to the building and power lines on Hospital Street. In 2017, after Hurricanes Irma and Maria, a mahogany tree and a palm tree were removed from the Steeple Building site and a palm tree was removed from inside the sidewalk along Company Street, northwest of the building. Turf Grass Turf grass covers the enclosed yard southeast of the Steeple Building and a small area within the entrance space at the northeast corner of the building. The enclosed grass turf yard is in poor to fair condition with large areas of bare ground and some erosion. The turf grass growing within the small entrance area to the northeast of the building is slightly overgrown and in fair condition. Turf grass covers much of the north entrance area to the historic site within the block surrounded by King Street, Church Street, and Hospital Street. The turf grass provides the setting for the NPS park identity sign, benches, trees, and lighting. The turf grass is in good condition with some browning. Turf grass is present northwest of the Scale House plaza, inside the island of the Loop Road of Kings Wharf Street, and adjacent to the wharf bulkhead concrete walkway. The turf grass is in good condition, with some browning. The small grass turf area near the concrete apron of the Wharf Bulkhead should be restored after the rehabilitation of the bulkhead is complete. Trees A line of four large royal palm trees (Roystonea regia) mark a boundary between the north entrance turf grass area and the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. The tall palms enclose the entrance space and provide a backdrop for the plaza and associated visitor amenities. The trees are in fair to good condition. Ornamental Shrubs One small ornamental shrub is located in the enclosed turf grass southeast of the Steeple Building and appears to be in good condition. A large hibiscus shrub (Hibiscus rosa-sinensis) and a large palm shrub (Coccothrinax alta) are located at the southwest corner of the Steeple Building. The shrubs are growing over each other and also contain some unknown vine vegetation that is in need of clearing in order for the shrubs to flourish. One large hibiscus shrub is located northeast of the building within the fenced enclosure. This shrub is in good condition. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Overall shrub vegetation associated with the Steeple Building is in fair to good condition with some need for maintenance to ensure the health of the individual plants. There are two ornamental shrubs within the north entrance area, adjacent to the concrete drainage structure between the palm trees and the northwest wall of the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. Also within this area, a variety of groundcover and weeds fill the space between the shrubs and overrun the area and the drainage structure. The shrubs are in good condition, but continued control of growth is necessary for the shrubs, weeds, and grass associated with the concrete drainage structure. Tree wells that no longer contain trees have been overrun by weedy ground cover. This condition occurs at the tree well in the northwest entry area of the Steeple Building and at two tree wells within the Scale House plaza. Continued control of growth or a new use or management strategy is necessary for the empty tree wells. Landscape Features  Turf grass (Steeple Building Landscape) o Contribution Status:  Turf grass (north entrance area) o Contribution Status:  Turf grass (Scale House and Loop Road island) o Contribution Status:  Turf grass (between Loop Road and Wharf Bulkhead walkway) o Contribution Status:  Low Palm Tree 1 (South of Steeple Building) o Contribution Status:  Hibiscus Shrub 1 (South of Steeple Building) o Contribution Status:  Hibiscus Shrub 1 (northeast corner of Steeple Building) o Contribution Status:  Palm Tree (4) (north entrance area) o Contribution Status:  Ornamental shrub 1 (Steeple Building yard) o Contribution Status:  Ornamental shrub (2) (north entrance area) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory o Contribution Status:  Groundcover (Steeple Building northwest entrance) o Contribution Status:  Groundcover (Scale House plaza) o Contribution Status: Four large palm trees within the turf grass in the north entrance area of the historic site. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Low palm and Hibiscus shrub within the Steeple Building fence. Large hibiscus shrub within the fence at the Steeple Building Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Two ornamental shrubs and a variety of groundcover and weeds between the north entrance area and the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Land Use Early residential, religious, and commercial (maritime trade) land uses were established in the area of Christiansted associated with the small Dutch community of St. Jean, settled between 1642 and 1650. Commercial land use was associated with the port area and associated trade and import/export shipping including the slave trade until 1792. Commercial land use associated with the port continued with the buying and selling of goods until the decline of the economy which made the colony unprofitable for the Danish government. Features associated with commercial land use include the wharf, the Scale House, the Customs House, the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse, and the open space of the site that allowed movement of goods and supplies and easy access to the wharf area. Military land use has been associated with the historic site since 1733, when the Danish West India and Guinea Company bought St. Croix from France, and in 1734 when the company constructed a redoubt on the ruins of Fort Louise Augusta earthwork. In 1738, a new permanent masonry fortification, Fort Christiansvaern, was constructed. During the “Golden Age” of prosperity from 1766–1800 and beyond, the military land use continued. In addition, during the early 1800s, colonial government institutional land use was associated with the fort when it functioned as a prison/dungeon, with mostly enslaved plantation workers as prisoners. The fort remained the military headquarters of the island up until 1878 when it became the police headquarters. The United States purchased the islands in 1917 and transformed Fort Christiansvaern into a strategic military base. Features related to the military land use include the fort, defensive outworks, the open space of the fort green, and the bandstand. Land use associated with religion was associated with the Steeple Building or the Church of Our Lord of Zebaoth, built between 1750 and 1753. It was a religious center for the community of Christiansted from 1751–1834. New land uses appeared from 1917 through 1925, when the US Navy Department administered the island and provided new improvements throughout Christiansted. Additional land uses included public health and education associated with the Steeple Building’s function as a hospital and school. During the 1940s, Hamilton Jackson Park was completed in the park-like landscape surrounding the fort, adding to the recreational opportunities within the historic site. The park is no longer extant and has been replaced by open grass turf retaining the park-like character of the landscape. Commemorative land use was introduced to the park landscape with the installation of the Hamilton Jackson Monument in 1979. Features associated with recreational land use were introduced into the landscape by the NPS and include open grass turf area, walkways, benches, picnic tables and interpretive waysides. Today, land use for the Christiansted historic site consists of commemoration, interpretation, commercial, recreation, administration, visitor services, and maintenance. The grounds of the site are open to the public and are enjoyed by residents and visitors. The visitor contact fee booth is Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory at Fort Christiansvaern, and the bookstore is located in the Scale House. The landscape of the historic site is used as a public park by the community. Preservation has been a large part of the land use during the NPS period, as it has largely maintained the character of the site from previous periods. The NPS continues to rehabilitate the interior of Fort Christiansvaern for interpretation and performs preservation maintenance and interpretation for many of the historic landscape features. Rehabilitation and preservation management also continue at the Steeple Building and associated fencing, walls, paving, and interpretive wayside exhibits. The NPS Park Administrative Headquarters is located within the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse and park maintenance is located within the Stable Building. Landscape Features  Commemorative o Contribution Status:  Commercial o Contribution Status:  Recreational o Contribution Status:  Interpretive / Educational o Contribution Status:  Visitor Services o Contribution Status:  Maintenance o Contribution Status: Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Passive recreation is available within the open landscape, with benches, views to the water, shade trees, and views to surrounding buildings. Wayside exhibits are placed around the historic site offering interpretation of buildings, activities, historic events, and people. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Spatial Organization The landscape of Christiansted National Historic Site reflects the town’s colonial past, its role in the transatlantic slave trade, and its once prosperous international commerce. The location of the historic buildings within the landscape and orientation to the harbor illustrates their historic function as well as the role these structures once played within the urban context of Christiansted. In 1734, Governor Frederick Moth arrived in Christiansted with a group of settlers and began work on the settlement of Christiansted. He developed a plan for construction of the fort and for the growth and development of the town. He guided construction, located buildings and residences, and specified the layout of the future streets, resulting in a uniform pattern of growth for over 200 years. Christiansted grew as a planned community with a clearly delineated spatial organization and pattern. This spatial pattern remains today as the major organizing feature of the urban setting of Christiansted and the National Historic Site. The NPS has largely preserved and restored features of the landscape's spatial organization, present after the original construction of the fort and the buildings surrounding the historic site. This basic spatial organization remains intact today and has been maintained and restored at various times. Hamilton Jackson Park was an intrusion on the historic spatial organization but was removed and the landscape restored to open grass turf. Former city parking areas intruded into the spatial organization but were also removed and the open landscape restored. Primary intrusion on the spatial organization today is the NPS parking lot constructed south of the fort along the southeast boundary of the site. It does allow the general openness of the landscape to remain, but the vehicles parked in the area are visually intrusive. Several buildings within the historic district have distinct patterns and organization due to open spaces within the interiors and/or enclosed open space immediately adjacent to the building. The fort complex centers around a large open space, surrounded by walkways and high walls. The ground plane of the interior space is covered with grass turf. There is also a large open space southwest of the fort defined by the fort walls, the landscape retaining wall, and the Stable Building. The Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse also contains an interior open space created by the building layout and associated concrete wall adjacent to Hospital Street. The Steeple Building layout within the city block includes an open yard southeast of the building, enclosed by a substantial fence constructed with columns, arches, and pickets. The distinct spatial pattern is apparent in relationship to the urban buildings and street layout patterns. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Landscape Features  Urban Street Pattern o Contribution Status:  Urban Building Scale and Setbacks o Contribution Status:  Fort Christiansvaern and Stable Building layout o Contribution Status:  Steeple Building layout o Contribution Status:  Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse layout o Contribution Status:  Open Landscape o Contribution Status:  Orientation of Development to Christiansted Harbor o Contribution Status: Building scale and setbacks characterize the streetscape spatial pattern and reveal the contrasting spatial relationship to the open landscape. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory The fort dominates the historic site from the promontory within the open space of the landscape. The fort as seen along the enclosed axis of the entrance walkway. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Spatial organization of the site as seen from the top of the fort across the site landscape to the city of Christiansted and the mountains beyond. The churchyard landscape defines the space around the Steeple Building and visually links one landscape to another within the boundary of the historic site. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Circulation Circulation is the patterns, features, and applied material finishes that constitute the systems of movement in the landscape. The town of Christiansted was laid out according to a grid system and benefited from an early building code (1747) that specified street widths, setbacks, easements, building materials, and certain types of commercial and residential zoning. Christiansted grew as a planned community with a street pattern designed to fit the topographic features of the site. The harbor and the open space created by the buildings were the site of human activity and circulation due to the hustle and bustle of a thriving port. The open urban space supported trade activity, horse and carriages, horseback riders, and mixtures of pedestrians walking or strolling throughout the site. Today, the streets of Christiansted retain the historic character of the grid system and continue to define the boundaries of Christiansted National Historic Site. The analysis for this landscape characteristic separates vehicular and pedestrian circulation. Vehicular Streets, Sidewalks and Parking Church Street and Sidewalk Church Street defines much of the historic site boundary adjacent to the Steeple Building and the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. The street width remains fairly consistent. One-way circulation and diagonal parking extend along the southwest edge of the street from King Street to Queen Street, and curbing and sidewalk extend along the northeast edge of the street from King Street to Queen Street. The sidewalk segment adjacent to the NPS entrance area is in good condition. There is a break in the continuity of the sidewalk due to the concrete drainage swale northwest of the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. After the interruption, the sidewalk and curb are once again present, edging the remainder of the block. This portion of the sidewalk is in poor condition with cracking, uneven surfaces, and some infiltration of plant growth. The sidewalk continues into the next block adjacent to the Steeple Building. The concrete sidewalk associated with the Steeple Building is in fair to poor condition due to inconsistent width and undefined edging, specifically in the area adjacent to the churchyard fencing. The asphalt-paved street is in fair condition due to patches of road repair and uneven surfaces. King Street and Kings Wharf Street and Sidewalks King Street intersects Church Street within the grid pattern and continues northeast past the site of the Scale House. The sidewalk and plaza at the north entrance to the park are associated with the south edge of King Street. The street name at the juncture of Hospital Street and King Street is Kings Wharf Street, which extends around the Scale House and becomes a closed one-way loop running northwest of the building. The loop edges the Wharf Bulkhead concrete apron at the harbor. There is a sidewalk along the western edge of Kings Wharf Street but it extends only Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory to the north corner of the Scale House plaza. King Street within the grid and the Kings Wharf Street loop are paved with asphalt and are in good condition. Sidewalks associated with these two streets are in good condition. Company Street and Sidewalks Company Street intersects Church Street within the grid pattern and continues northeast where it intersects with Hospital Street. This segment of Company Street between Church Street and Hospital Street extends between the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse and the Steeple Building and is contained within the historic site. It provides one-way circulation southwest from Hospital Street. A vista is created from Company Street across Hospital Street to the entrance walkway to the fort. The prescribed minimal building setbacks create a dramatic axial view into the open park landscape and the fort on the promontory. Within the boundary of the historic site, Company Street is in good condition, with curbing and sidewalks on both sides. The street is paved with asphalt. The sidewalks at the intersection of Company Street and Church Street are in fair condition due to cracking pavement and loss of paving material. Hospital Street and Sidewalk Hospital Street forms the southwest edge of the open landscape and associated buildings and parking. While the streets in the grid pattern retain a consistent width, Hospital Street expands in width as it extends from Queen Street to King Street and the Kings Wharf Street loop. The street allows two-way traffic from Queen Street to Company Street, and parallel street parking is provided adjacent to the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. The street is restricted to one-way travel from Company Street to King Street. The expanded portion of the street and the amount of vehicular traffic in the area diminishes the clarity of the grid pattern and spatial organization within the historic site. The asphalt paving of the street is in fair condition due to paving patches and uneven surfaces. Layers of asphalt paving have raised the street level and the adjacent sidewalk. The northeast side of Hospital Street from Queen Street to King Street is edged with curbing and a sidewalk. The sidewalk is in good condition. A sidewalk southwest of Hospital Street extends from Company Street to the north entrance plaza at King Street. The sidewalk is in fair to good condition with some cracking and uneven elevations. The southwest edge of Hospital Street adjacent to the Steeple Building block is a grass shoulder with no sidewalk. Park Access Road and Parking Lot The access road to the parking lot extends along the southeast edge of the historic site boundary. The road is 18 feet 6 inches in width. Its edges are defined by a low wall on the northeast edge Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory and a large concrete drainage ditch along the southeast edge. The drainage ditch is defined by stone retaining walls, one adjacent to the access road. The road leads to the NPS parking lot south of the fort. The access road is paved with asphalt and is in good condition. A low wall defines the edges of the parking lot. There are nineteen regular and two accessible spaces in the north bay of the lot and seventeen spaces in the south bay. Wheel stops are provided within each space throughout the parking area. The asphalt-paved parking lot is in good condition. Vehicular Parking and Refueling within the walls of the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse NPS vehicular parking and an electric refueling station for staff are located with the interior courtyard of the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. The courtyard parking area is paved with asphalt and is in good condition. Landscape Features  Hospital Street o Contributing Status:  Sidewalk (both sides of Hospital Street) o Contributing Status:  Church Street o Contributing Status:  Sidewalk (northwest edge of Church Street) o Contributing Status:  Company Street o Contributing Status:  Sidewalk (both sides of Company Street between Warehouse and Steeple buildings) o Contributing Status:  King Street o Contributing Status:  Sidewalk (south edge of King Street at north entrance plaza) o Contributing Status:  Kings Wharf Loop Street o Contributing Status:  Sidewalk (from King Street to northeast edge of the Scale House Plaza) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory o Contributing Status:  Access Road to NPS Parking Lot o Contributing Status:  NPS Parking Lot o Contributing Status:  NPS Parking and Refueling (Warehouse Building cluster) o Contributing Status: Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Hospital Street with sidewalks on both sides in the vicinity of the Danish Customs House and the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse Church Street with sidewalk and diagonal street parking. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory NPS access road to the parking lot and entrance walkway to the fort. NPS Parking Lot with low walls and wheel stops. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Pedestrian Circulation Walkways Wharf Bulkhead. The Wharf Bulkhead and concrete walkway within the historic site extends from the northeast wing wall of Fort Christiansvaern to the northwest edge of the historic site boundary and Kings Wharf loop road northwest of the Scale House. The width of the concrete apron varies from 10-feet-wide adjacent to the Loop Road, to 25-feet wide where the wharf extends landward into the landscape of the historic site. The wharf bulkhead and concrete apron are in the process of rehabilitation to provide stabilization for the historic waterfront and protection of the historic site structures. The concrete apron will be thoroughly cleaned, visible concrete damage (cracks, chips, spall, etc.) will be repaired and an overall surface treatment will be applied during the concrete apron rehabilitation. Once new construction is complete, the concrete apron (walkway) will be fully opened for pedestrian circulation and unobstructed views to the harbor and Protestant Cay. Entrance to Site and Fort. The main pedestrian walkway to the open landscape of the historic site is accessed from the sidewalk on Hospital Street. The walkway is on axis with Company Street and extends up the gentle sloping landscape to the fort. The entrance walkway is 10 feet wide. It connects to the walkway leading southeast toward the parking lot entrance to the fort site. The two large walkways associated with entrance to the fort and the Stable Building are constructed with concrete and are in good condition. The concrete paving on the main walkway to the fort changes to brick for the final 20 feet to the ravelin, a triangular fortification located in front of the inner works of the fort. This same brick paving extends into several beautiful and diverse paving patterns within the ravelin. The brick paved areas are in fair to good condition. Vegetative growth within the ravelin interior threatens the condition of the brick paving material. There also appears to be some upheaval of the bricks resulting in an uneven surface pavement. This condition is evident in the area of the visitor contact space within the fort. Danish Customs House. A yellow brick walkway adjacent to the building extends around the Customs House inside the white picket fence on three sides of the building and the columned arcade north of the building. The brick walkway inside the fence provides access to the metal staircase attached to the south façade of the building. The walkway under the arcade on the north façade provides entrance to ground level doorways with one brick step at each door. Entrances to Steeple Building. A 5-foot-wide concrete walkway connects the churchyard gate to the southwest entrance to the Steeple Building and is in good condition. Within the northeast entrance space created between the fence and the church building, there is a 3-foot-wide walkway to the entrance stairs. The walkway is paved with 18-inch-square concrete pavers, edged with stone. The condition of the walkway is fair due to grass and weeds overtaking the Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory edges of the paving and some cracking and raised joints. An interpretive wayside is associated with the walkway. This walkway and steps to the building do not meet accessibility codes. Entrances to Scale House. There are three concrete walkways, each 10 feet wide, leading from King Street to the doors of the Scale House. The walkways end in metal catwalks that form culverts for the drainage structures adjacent to the building. Turf grass panels separate the walkways from each other, and wooden bollards mark the intersection of King Street with the walkways. Plazas Steeple Building Entrance Plaza. The northwest entrance to the Steeple Building contains a paved plaza between the building and the fence. This area is also paved with 18-inch-square concrete pavers in fair to good condition. The small plaza area contains a tree well, edged with brick that at one time contained a tree. The tree well is overrun with plant material that is extending out into the plaza. The size of the tree well limits the amount of paving available for walking and access to the stairs and church entrance. The entrance plaza and steps do not meet accessibility codes. Scale House Plaza. The Scale House plaza is adjacent to the north façade of the building and wraps around to the west side of the building where it intersects with the large staircase leading to King Street. The plaza is accessed from the concrete sidewalk and accessibility ramp northeast of the building and from the large staircase southwest of the building. It is paved with yellow mortared brick. Concrete walls with yellow caps enclose the plaza and wayside exhibits are installed to interpret the Kings Wharf, the Danish Slave Trade, and Work and No Rest. The plaza is 18 feet 9 inches in width from the building to the face of the wall that encloses the plaza. There are two sets of yellow brick steps that puncture the wall and lead to the grass turf and the loop road area. Upright cannons buried in the ground mark the intersection of the low walls. The practice of burying cannon in an upright position on street corners in Christiansted dates as far back as 1843–1844. There are three empty tree wells or planting beds located within the plaza, currently filled with groundcover vegetation that is extending over the brick into the available walking space of the plaza. Overall, the plaza is in good condition. Drainage issues have caused soil build-up against the low walls and the vegetation in the planting bed, threatening the stability and condition of the bricks surrounding it. North Entrance Plaza. The north entrance to the park contains a small concrete plaza containing an NPS park identity sign, interpretive waysides, and benches. Visitors access this area by crossing King Street, Hospital Street, or Church Street. The small plaza is paved with concrete and connects to the sidewalks along the streets. The plaza area is in good condition. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Stairs The historic site contains a variety of large stairs with cheek walls constructed of masonry with a thin cementitious parging. The stairs include steps with stone paver treads and vertical cheek walls and step risers. The walls and risers are painted yellow, and the tops of the walls are painted white or yellow. The stairs associated with the fort are discussed in the descriptions of the retaining walls in landscape characteristic section of Buildings and Structures. A single free-standing staircase is located west of the Stable Building providing access from the shoreline embankment to the water. It is constructed of brick masonry with thin cementitious parging. The vertical cheek walls are painted yellow, and the top is painted white. The tread surface consists of stone pavers and the risers are painted yellow. At the top of the stairs, the cheek walls are approximately 36 inches high and as the stairs descend the embankment, mounds of soil are retained on either side and the visible wall height is irregular. A large staircase west of the Scale House, provides access from King Street to the Scale House plaza. The staircase cheek walls are 12 inches wide and 24 inches in height. They are constructed of brick masonry with thin cementitious parging. The vertical walls are painted yellow, and the top of the cheek walls is painted white. There are four steps with stone treads and risers. Within the interior courtyard of the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse, a large staircase provides access from one level to another in the northwest section of the building adjacent to the north entrance area of the historic site. The cheek walls are constructed of brick masonry with thin cementitious parging. The vertical cheek walls and the top of the walls are painted yellow. They are approximately 3 feet in height and 12 inches wide. There are eleven steps, with stone treads and yellow risers. Landscape Features  Wharf Bulkhead Walkway o Contributing Status:  North Entry Plaza (northwest of Warehouse Building) o Contributing Status:  Walkway (Hospital Street to Fort Christiansvaern) o Contributing Status:  Walkway (to NPS parking lot) o Contributing Status:  Walkway (southwest corner of Steeple Building in turf grass) o Contributing Status: Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory  Walkway (northeast of Steeple Building within the fence) o Contributing Status:  Plaza (northwest of Steeple Building within the fence) o Contributing Status:  Concrete walkway 3 (Scale House) o Contributing Status:  Brick plaza and steps (Scale House) o Contributing Status:  Accessibility ramp (Scale House Plaza) o Contributing Status:  Staircase (King Street to Scale House Plaza) o Contributing Status:  Staircase (interior of the Warehouse Building) o Contributing Status:  Brick walkway (Customs House) o Contributing Status  Brick walkway (Fort Christiansvaern) o Contributing Status:  Brick ravelin interior (Fort Christiansvaern) o Contributing Status:  Staircase (north of the maintenance yard) o Contributing Status:  Staircase (within the retaining wall east of the Fort) o Contributing Status: Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Entrance walkway to the fort from Hospital Street. Walkway intersection with brick paving and with walkway from the NPS parking lot. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Yellow brick paving patterns within the fort ravelin. Entrance plaza at the Steeple Building inside the fence. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Entrance walkway to the Steeple Building inside the fence. Sidewalk, accessibility ramp, and the wall enclosed brick plaza at the Scale House. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory North entrance plaza at the intersection of King Street and Hospital Street. Walkway adjacent to north façade of the Danish Customs House. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Staircase within the interior courtyard of the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. Staircase along the shoreline embankment west of the Stable Building. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Buildings and Structures The analysis for this landscape characteristic separates features descriptions and listings for buildings and structures into two areas: Northeast of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street and Southwest of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street. Buildings and Structures Northeast of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street Four buildings within the Christiansted National Historic Site are located northeast of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street. These buildings are Fort Christiansvaern, the Stable Building, the Danish Customs House, and the Bandstand. This defined area also contains numerous structures including the most of the 700 feet of the wharf bulkhead that forms the northeast boundary of the historic site, the Sentry Box at the entrance gate to the fort, wing and retaining walls associated with the fort and Stable Building, low walls associated with the NPS parking lot, walls on the northeast edge of Hospital Street, a free-standing wall northeast of Kings Wharf Street, a well located at the southeast corner boundary of the historic site, a well south of the Danish Customs House and adjacent to Hospital Street, and one constructed drainage structure extending parallel with the south boundary of the historic site. Fort Christiansvaern (between 1738 and 1749; CRIS HS #00188; UTM: Zone 20Q, mE 0319577, mN 1963016; Latitude/Longitude: 17.747037/-64.701697) Fort Christiansvaern overlooks the Christiansted Harbor and harbor entrance (0211). It consists of a two-story structure with a central courtyard that is surrounded by a fortification wall. The two-story fortification is mostly square in plan and features bastions at the corners and a ravelin that extends to the south. A fortification wall encloses buffer areas around the fortification and is polygonal in plan. The fortification measures roughly 132 feet by 144 feet and is oriented on a north-south axis. The fortification and wall are constructed of brick masonry clad with stucco, painted yellow. The main entrance is located through a wrought-iron gate in the fortification wall at a ravelin. Within the ravelin is a small brick-paved courtyard and a small enclosure, presently used as a gift shop. The fortification has a central courtyard from which magazines and chambers at the first floor of the fortification are accessed by brick stoops. A portico with wood-framed shed roof and corrugated sheet-metal roofing covers the entrances along the east side of the courtyard. A grand stair with brick treads and stucco-clad cheek walls is located at the south side of the courtyard and provides access to a portion of the second floor that is enclosed. The second-floor enclosure has a projecting cornice that wraps the building below the parapet, clay tile flooring, arched wood-framed window openings with fanlights, and a ceiling consisting of exposed beams, girders, and wood decking that supports the low-slope roof. There is also an enclosed bastion at the Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory northeast corner of the fortification that features a projecting cornice, rectangular window openings, and a low-slope roof with parapet. The remainder of the upper level is open air and consists of brick-paved deck and parapet walls with embrasures. There is a water battery the north (harbor) side of the fortification that projects form the otherwise square plan of the fortification. Window openings throughout the fortification typically consist of slatted wood louvers and have wood shutters with metal strap hinges. Doors are constructed of tongue and groove wood planks and have metal strap hinges. The fort is generally in good condition. Most of the decorative windows at the second-floor enclosure were severely damaged, reportedly during recent hurricane events, and the glass is no longer present. Some of the first-floor rooms below the northwest bastion had peeling paint and moisture staining, indicative of water infiltration. Stable Building (1835–1840; CRIS HS #91554; UTM: Zone 20Q, mE 0319612, mN 1962999; Latitude/Longitude: 17.7468888/-64.7013611) The Stable Building is a one-story building with a rectangular plan measuring approximately 121 feet by 17 feet and is 15 feet tall (0217). The building is oriented on a north-south axis and faces onto a yard that separates the stable building from the Fort Christiansvaern fortification. A wall with a gate connects the stable and yard to the fort. The structure is built on natural stone outcroppings, is constructed of brick masonry clad with stucco, and has a low-slope roof. The west elevation consists of ten large arched openings, each measuring approximately 9 feet wide. Each opening is enclosed with a wood-framed screen wall consisting of vertical boards. Two of the openings have been altered: one has been partially infilled with brick and the other infilled and modified to have two pedestrian doors. The east elevation of the building has sixteen small wood-framed rectangular vent openings near the top of the wall. Each opening has either a mesh screen or horizontal bars that span the opening. A wood-framed shutter is mounted above each vent openings. The interior of the stable has brick flooring, stucco-clad walls, exposed wood ceiling framing, and an open plan. In general, the building was in fair condition. Danish Customs House (Circa 1840-1842; CRIS HS #00190; UTM: Zone 20Q, mE 0319485, mN 1962993; Latitude/Longitude: 17.746822/-64.702563) The Customs House is a symmetrical two-story brick and limestone masonry building clad with stucco and painted yellow. It has a rectangular plan measuring approximately 59 feet wide by 30 feet deep and oriented on a north-south axis. The main (west) elevation faces the Christiansted Wharf and features a two-story pavilion, measuring approximately 26 feet 6 inches wide, that projects approximately 10 feet beyond the face of the wall and is centered on the elevation. The second floor of the pavilion is accessed from a grand sweeping stair that extends 23 feet 6 inches Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory beyond the pavilion. The stair has brick treads and stucco-clad cheek walls that fan out in plan at the base of the stair. The building has a projecting water table that wraps above the first floor of the building, a projecting cornice that wraps above the portico roof, and a parapet wall with coping. There is a stucco keystone centered above each window and door opening on the west elevation. Typical windows at the first-floor level are wood-framed single-light four-light casement windows. Windows openings at the second-floor level have two stacked casement window system; an upper and lower. The upper window is a two-light casement and the lower window has three lights. Doors are wood-framed multi-panel double doors. All window and door openings have wood-framed shutters mounted with strap hinges on either side of the opening. A cast-iron stair is located at the southwest elevation of the building. There are two one-story arcades: one that extends under the pavilion and an adjacent parallel arcade that extends under the west elevation of the building. The arcades consist of brick-paved flooring, stucco-clad columns, and exposed wood plank decking and beams at the ceiling. A two-story portico wraps around the north, east, and south elevations. The portico consists of a brick-paved landing, raised approximately 18 inches above grade. Wood posts, spaced approximately 9 feet apart, support a wood-framed roof with decorative scalloped-edged wood fascia and standing seam metal roof. A wood picket fence wraps around the portico. Significant distress was observed at the stucco on the lower portion of the building and at the parapet. At some locations on the base of the building, the stucco has come loose or is friable and the underlying brick structure is exposed to view. Staining and evidence of water infiltration was observed at the parapet wall. Bandstand (circa 1917-1918; CRIS HS #91555; UTM: Zone 20Q, mE 0319498, mN 1963029; Latitude/Longitude: 17.747149/-64.702443) The bandstand is an eight-sided structure measuring approximately 23 feet 6 inches in diameter and consisting of a brick and concrete base, wood-framed structure, conical roof with a shed roof apron, and a spire (0076). The base measures 4 feet 8 inches tall and has brick corner piers that are clad with stucco. The area between piers is infilled with concrete scored to look like stone. The wood framing consists of an inner ring of 4-1/2-inch octagonal posts that support the conical roof and an outer ring of 4-inch-by-4-inch posts that support the shed roof apron. A wood baluster wraps the outer framing ring. The roof is constructed of wood beams and has wood plank decking and wood shingle roofing. There is decorative bargeboard trim at the edge of the conical roof and lower apron roof. A wood spire extends from the center of the conical roof. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory In general, the building is in fair condition and exhibits localized distress including small spalls at the entrance stair, cracking at the concrete slab at the bandstand, and slight distress to some wood framing members. Concrete finials at the balustrade for the stair appear to be missing. Wharf Bulkhead Existing Bulkhead. The existing wharf bulkhead along the Christiansted National Historic Site waterfront was constructed with an expected life cycle of 25 years and was last refurbished in 1985. The existing wharf bulkhead structure has deteriorated considerably and local failures in the bulkhead rendered it ineffective, unsound, and unsafe for vehicular or marine vessel use. These issues, in conjunction with projected sea-level rise, continue to exacerbate the deterioration of the existing bulkhead and further threaten the park’s historic landscape and cultural resources. The existing wharf bulkhead consists of approximately 500 linear feet of steel sheet piles that are in an advanced state of degradation and corrosion and approximately 200 linear feet of cast-in- place concrete that is generally in sound condition. The existing cast-in-place section of the wharf bulkhead is located adjacent to the northeast wing wall of Fort Christiansvaern and 200 feet farther west from the fort. The concrete apron (sidewalk at the bulkhead for pedestrian circulation) is unable to support heavy vehicles and is closed to vehicular traffic, including vehicles for maintenance, law enforcement, and emergency response. Bulkhead Under Construction. Construction was underway to replace the existing wharf bulkhead along the historic site waterfront during field investigations and feature assessments associated with the development of the Cultural Landscape Inventory. The design under construction incorporates climate resiliency, including a proposed life cycle of 40 years, to ensure the resulting structure is adaptable to anticipated future storm events with potentially greater storm intensities. The design replaces approximately 500 linear feet of existing steel sheet pile bulkhead with new steel sheet piles driven immediately (24 inches) seaward of the face of the existing bulkhead, and approximately 200 linear feet of cast-in-place concrete bulkhead is being repaired by pouring a new cast-in-place reinforced concrete gravity wall on top and seaward of the existing concrete bulkhead (32 inches seaward). The new gravity wall would be self-supported and would not require internal tiebacks. The new steel sheet pile bulkhead is a cantilever structural design and has a reinforced concrete fascia and cap. The bulkhead maintains the existing bulkhead height of +5.26 feet, allowing the new structure to handle wash over during future storm events. The existing bulkhead will be encapsulated and enclosed by the new bulkhead instead of removed. This reduces the amount of construction debris generated that would require disposal at an upland site. The concrete sidewalk was determined to be structurally sound and, therefore, the design includes rehabilitation of the existing concrete apron to improve the condition of and increase the design life of the concrete sidewalk. Rehabilitation includes locating any potential voids beneath Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory the existing concrete and creating a detailed plan to fill and repair the voids. The concrete apron will be thoroughly cleaned, visible concrete damage (cracks, chips, spall, etc.) will be repaired, and an overall surface treatment will be applied during the concrete apron rehabilitation. The new design and construction ensure that the integrity of the historic resources is protected and allows for safe and appropriate visitor opportunities in the historic landscape and along the waterfront. The bulkhead itself is not historic. Sentry Box (at Fort Christiansvaern) The sentry box is located south of the entrance walkway to the inner court of the ravelin at Fort Christiansvaern. The small shelter is constructed with an open front in which a sentry or person on guard duty could stand, sheltered from the weather. The six-sided enclosure is constructed of wood, painted bright red with the Danish royal symbol painted in gold on a conical roof. It is supported by a white wooden base, mounted on a circle of yellow bricks similar to those used for the adjacent walkway and the interior of the ravelin. Walls At the southeast corner of Fort Christiansvaern, outside of the main fortress walls and ravelin, is a mown-turf terrace that is defined by a series of low masonry walls. The main wall extends on a mostly northeast direction from the southeast corner of the ravelin to the south wall that encloses the stable yard. It measures approximately 106 feet in length, 27 inches in height, and is 12 inches deep. The wall is constructed of stone masonry and has thin cementitious parging. The irregular texture of the masonry is still visually apparent through the parging. The vertical face of the wall is painted yellow, and the top of the wall is painted white. A small stair, measuring approximately 32 inches wide, is located approximately 26 feet from the south end of the wall. A larger stair is located at the north end of the wall. It measures 7 feet 8 inches wide, with five steps, oriented perpendicular to the wall of the stable yard. The tread surface consists of stone pavers and the risers are painted yellow. There are two upper walls on the terrace that each define a mown-turf landing; one on the south end of the terrace and one on the north end of the terrace. Both walls are constructed of brick masonry with parging on the vertical face of the wall that is painted yellow. At the top of the wall, the brick masonry is exposed to view. The south terrace wall measures approximately 14 inches tall and defines an area measuring approximately 24 feet by 4 feet. At the north end of the landing is a brick splash pad, measuring approximately 8 feet wide, which directs water from a scupper in the fortress wall to the mown turf of the terrace. The wall at the north side of the terrace measures approximately 30 inches in height and is curved in plan. It encloses an area measuring approximately 34 feet long and 11 feet wide. There is a brick splash pad in the west side of the landing that directs water from a scupper in the fortress wall to the mown turf at the landing. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory A wall, measuring approximately 120 feet long, extends north from the north elevation of a storage building in the stable yard. The wall is approximately 10 feet tall and 9 inches deep and is constructed of brick masonry with stucco. The vertical face of the wall is painted yellow, and the top of the wall is painted white. At the center of the wall is a stair measuring approximately 44 inches wide. The stair has twelve stair treads, each constructed of brick masonry, and metal handrail mounted to the south cheek wall. At the base of the stair, the masonry cheek walls fan out from the wall and terminate at round stucco-clad balusters. At the north end of the wall are small pockets, each measuring approximately 6 inches square, that appear to assist in drainage of the soil behind the wall. A stone masonry wall with cementitious parging is located at the southeast elevation of the stable and extends approximately 40 feet beyond the building enclosure, perpendicular to the shoreline. The lower portion of the wall is submerged in water during high tide. The wall is painted yellow. The wall varies in height from approximately 25 feet at the Stable Building to 15 feet as it extends to the shoreline. There are low masonry walls with cementitious parging associated with the NPS parking lot. These walls vary in height from 8 to 12 inches. The low wall facing is painted yellow, and the top is painted white. The wall defines the mown-grass turf island that separates the access road and the parking area. The wall along northeast edge of Hospital Street begins at the well structure in the southwest corner of the site boundary, adjacent to the NPS access road. The wall is essentially 6 to 8 inches high until it reaches the entrance walkway to the fort where it descends to grade providing an accessible entrance to the walkway and fort. This section of the low wall is constructed of brick masonry with thin cementitious parging and painted yellow. The wall begins again past the walkway entrance. From the entrance to the second well structure, the wall is constructed of brick masonry with cementitious parging as a base and the upper section of the wall is constructed of concrete block with concrete capping. This section of the wall ranges from 6 inches to 36 inches where it intersects with the second well structure. As the wall continues from the well, it decreases in height to 18 to 24 inches as it passes the Danish Customs House. It then decreases to 6 to 8 inches and ends at Kings Wharf Street. The wall is in fair to good condition. Drainage Structures and Wells A drainage structure extends parallel along the NPS access road and south boundary fence of the historic site. It is located between the site boundary fence and the edge of the access road. The structure has a concrete gutter and retaining walls constructed of brick masonry with thin cementitious parging lining either side. The drainage channel extends the entire length of the historic site boundary. It is in fair condition, with visible cracking in the concrete gutter and damaged parging and loss of brick masonry associated with the walls. A boundary fence is Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory mounted on the retaining wall. Vegetative growth has taken over in some areas but not to the extent that it blocks the flow of stormwater. A yellow brick and mortar drainage swale system edges the Danish Customs House on the east, south, and south façades. The swale is 18 inches wide and in place to receive roof drainage from the gutter and drainpipes. The drainpipes are attached to the wooden posts supporting the wood- framed roof. A stucco-clad masonry well structure is located at the southwest corner of the historic site, adjacent to the NPS access road. A second well is located southwest of the Danish Customs House and is integrated into the adjacent Hospital Street sidewalk. Both structures are circular in shape and constructed of brick masonry with thin cementitious parging, painted yellow. The large circular structure at the NPS access road ranges in height from 12 to 18 inches with a diameter of approximately 8 feet. There is a square-shaped cap mounted on top of the circular structure. It is 12 inches high and 3 feet square. This well is in fair to good condition, but there is moderate cracking in the circular base. The circular well structure located near the Danish Customs House is mounted on a concrete apron which extends out 2 to 3 feet from the well. The circular structure is 3 feet high and 5 feet in diameter. The entire structure is painted yellow except for the top which is painted white. The well is in fair condition with loss of cementitious parging and moderate to severe cracking within the base. Landscape Features  Fort Christiansvaern (between 1738 and 1749; CRIS HS #00188) o Contribution Status:  Stable Building (1835-1840; CRIS HS #91554) o Contribution Status:  Danish Customs House (Circa 1840-1842; CRIS HS #00190) o Contribution Status:  Bandstand (circa 1917–1918; CRIS HS #91555) o Contribution Status:  Wharf Bulkhead (700 feet west of fort wing wall) o Contribution Status:  Sentry Box (at Fort Christiansvaern) o Contribution Status:  Retaining Walls (Fort Christiansvaern) o Contribution Status: Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory  Wing Wall (Stable Building) o Contribution Status:  Wall (associated with NPS parking area) o Contributing Status:  Wall (northeast edge of Hospital Street) o Contributing Status:  Wall (northeast of Kings Wharf Street) o Contributing Status:  Well (adjacent to NPS entrance road) o Contributing Status:  Well (south of the Scale House) o Contributing Status:  Drainage Structure (parallel to NPS entrance road) o Contributing Status:  Drainage Swale Structure (Danish Customs House) o Contributing Status: Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Fort Christiansvaern. Entrance Gate at the ravelin wall. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Interior of Fort Christiansvaern. The Stable Building. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory The Danish Customs House. The Bandstand. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Retaining walls with mown grass terraces around Fort Christiansvaern. Retaining walls with mown grass. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory End of large retaining wall east of the fort with pocket structure to stabilize the terrace and embankment. Wall extending from the Stable Building into the water is seen in the background. Sentry box at the fort entrance. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Low wall edges the NPS access road and entrance to the parking lot. Wall and Well structures near the Scale House. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Drainage structure extends parallel with the NPS access road along the southeast boundary of the historic site. Mortared brick drainage swale southwest of the Danish Customs House. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Buildings and Structures Southwest of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street Three buildings within the Christiansted National Historic Site are located southwest of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street. These buildings are the Scale House, the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse, and the Steeple Building. This defined area also contains numerous structures including a wall edging the turf grass island of the loop road northwest of the Scale House, a brick wall sections edging the northwest plaza of the Scale House, a low retaining wall in the northeast entrance area to the historic site, northwest of the row of palm trees, a constructed drainage ditch adjacent to the northwest façade of the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse, and brick crypts northeast of the Steeple Building between the building and the surrounding fence. There is also a wall currently under repair that separates the church yard from the remainder of the block that extends to Queen Street. Scale House (circa 1855–1856; CRIS HS #00191; UTM: Zone 20Q, mE 0319438, mN 1963006; Latitude/Longitude: 17.746936/-64.7030071) The Scale House is a two-story structure with a rectangular plan measuring 60 feet 7 inches by 25 feet 6 inches and oriented on a northeast-southwest axis with the main (southeast) elevation overlooking King Street (9844). At the first floor, the building has brick construction that is clad with stucco and painted yellow. The walls feature corner quoins of alternating sizes and large arched openings with voussoirs of alternating size and wood gates. Centered on the southeast elevation is a wood-framed double door set within a rectangular door opening. There is a wood- framed shed roof canopy with wood shingle and supported on wood posts over the entrance. A brick staircase with ornate wrought-iron railing that provides access to an upper level entrance door on the northwest elevation. Rectangular window openings with expressed stucco keystones are located on the southwest and northeast elevations. The second floor of the building is wood framed and clad with wood shingles, painted beige. The second-floor framing overhangs the first floor by approximately 2 inches. Rectangular window openings have projecting wood sills and wood window hoods with an integral drip edge. All window openings have wood shutters mounted with metal strap hinges and metal stays for the shutters. At the second floor, the entrance door at the top of the stair consists of a wood-framed double door set within a rectangular door opening. The building has a wood-framed hip roof with copper gutters and conductor boxes, round downspouts, and wood shingle roofing. There is a drainage channel measuring approximately 20 inches wide that extends along the southeast elevation of the building. Metal grates span across the drainage channel and provide access to the arched and main entrances. In general, the building is in good condition. Localized erosion of a mortar joint was observed at one location. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse (circa 1749; CRIS HS #01029; UTM: Zone 20Q, mE 0319472, mN 1962948; Latitude/Longitude: 17.746415/-64.702682) The Company Warehouse building consists of four stucco-clad structures that share a common walled enclosure. The site is trapezoidal in plan and is bounded by King Street to the northwest, Hospital Street to the northeast, Church Street to the southwest, and Company Street to the southeast. The complex is defined by a perimeter wall measuring approximately 8 feet tall and 25 inches thick. The top of the wall has a ridge and is steeply pitched to either side. There are wrought-iron entrance gates with pediments entrance columns centered of the northeast and southwest elevations. At the center of the complex is an asphalt-paved surface lot. Four buildings occupy the site; each abutting the perimeter wall on at least one side. Each building has brick construction that is clad with stucco and painted yellow. A two-story building with corrugated sheet-metal hip roof is located at the southeast side of the site. A second two- story building with a corrugated metal gambrel roof and gabled dormers is oriented perpendicular to the hip roof building and situated along the southwest side of the site. At the corner between the two buildings is an L-shaped stair with concrete stairs and landings and a stucco-clad brick balustrade. Both buildings have corner quoins and projecting watertables that wrap the buildings below the second-floor windows. Typical windows include wood-framed six- over-six double-hung units set in rectangular window openings. A few of the window openings have raised stucco surrounds. Observed doors are metal framed with metal hinged doors. There is evidence of numerous alterations to door openings. A one-story building with L-shaped plan and flat roof extends along the southwest and northwest side of the complex. There is a small portion of the building at the far southeast end of the structure with a corrugated sheet-metal roof and brick chimney stack, clad with stucco. A concrete stair extends from the asphalt-paved surface lot to the roof of the storage building. At the north end of the northeast side of the complex is a one-story structure that includes a historic kitchen and public bathrooms that are accessed from the sidewalk along Hospital Street. The building has a corrugated sheet-metal gable roof with skylights. There are wood-framed doors and louvered vent openings. Door and window openings throughout the building have wood shutters with metal strap hinges. The warehouse wall that runs parallel to Hospital Street is considered part of the building complex and listed as such in the CRIS-HS entry. In general, the building is in fair condition. There was localized cracking, spalling, and peeling paint near downspout and gutters and at watertables which may be associated with water infiltration. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Steeple Building (circa 1750; CRIS HS #00187; UTM: Zone 20Q, mE 0319479, mN 1962924; Latitude/Longitude: 17.746198/-64.702614) The Steeple Building has a rectangular plan oriented on a northeast-southwest axis (1140). There is an attached four-story bell tower centered on the main (northwest) elevation. The building measures approximately 80 feet by 31 feet, and the bell tower measures approximately 17 feet 6 inches by 11 feet 4 inches and approximately 75 feet tall. To the southeast of the building is a mown-turf courtyard. The site, including the courtyard, has a perimeter fence consisting of brick piers clad with stucco and a wood-framed picket fence. The piers measure approximately 7 feet tall and have a pyramidal cap. The Steeple Building is constructed of brick masonry clad with stucco and painted white. There is a projecting cornice that wraps the top of the walls. Window openings consist of twelve-light wood-framed casement windows and have projecting wood sills. At the head of the window is a wood window hood with integral drip edge. Doors are wood-framed paneled double doors with arched louvered transoms. Wood shutters are secured with iron strap hinges. The building has a wood-framed hip roof with copper gutters and wood shingles. Brick stairs with stucco-clad brick balustrades provide access from the building to the courtyard. The bell tower also serves as the primary entrance to the building. The tower is divided into four tiers, each with distinct architectural detailing. The first tier has corner quoins and wood-framed multi-panel doors with fanlights; the second tier has accoupled pilasters at the corners with wood louvered double doors and fanlights; the third tier has an octagonal drum clad with wood shingles and clock faces on alternating sides; and the fourth tier contains a cupola with a wood- shingled onion dome roof surmounted by a wrought iron spire and weathervane. In general, the Steeple building is in fair condition. At the time of the survey, the ceiling above the main entrance at the bell tower was being shored due to concerns regarding the structural framing. Portions of the wood shingle siding at the bell tower was missing, and the wood framing exposed to view. Crypts There are three brick rectangular structures within the northeast yard of the Steeple Building, inside the surrounding fence. The structures appear to be above-ground crypts. They are constructed of brick and are generally 2 feet 6 inches wide and 2 feet 6 inches in height. The length of the structures meant for adults is approximately 8 feet. There is one single adult crypt, one double adult crypt, and a single small child’s crypt. The brick structures appear to be in fair condition but may have some damage from Hurricane Maria and more recently from mowing techniques within the surrounding turf grass. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Walls A low sectioned wall surrounds the turf grass island inside the loop road northwest of the Scale House. The wall sections are 7 inches high and constructed of brick masonry with thin cementitious parging. The faces of the walls are painted yellow, and the tops are painted white. Two sections of low walls define the north and northeast edges of the Scale House plaza. The walls are constructed of brick masonry with cementitious parging on the vertical facings. The facings are painted yellow. The wall caps are constructed of mortared brick. The walls range in height from 4 inches to 22 inches. The lowest portion of the wall is adjacent to the accessibility ramp leading into the plaza. Two upright cannons mark the corners of the north wall. Two breaks in the wall contain a single brick step, providing access from the plaza to the turf grass between the wall and the loop road. In the north entrance area to the historic site, there is a single, low concrete retaining wall that separates the plaza and turf grass area from the palm trees and sloping turf drainage leading to the drainage structure adjacent to the northwest façade of the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. The concrete low wall is 6 inches high and 6 inches wide and extends the length of the site between the sidewalks associated with Church Street and Hospital Street. Drainage Structures Due to the susceptibility of St. Croix to intense rainfalls, tropical storms, and hurricanes, measures to control stormwater run-off are an integral part of the functioning of the site. There is a concrete drainage ditch adjacent to the northwest façade of the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. This drainage feature is a V-shaped concrete channel extending from Church Street to Hospital Street. The drainage structure is in poor to fair condition. There are cracks and missing pieces of the concrete, and invasive overgrown vegetation impedes the water flow and damages the concrete structure. A mortared brick drainage gutter with concrete curb edging is located adjacent to the south façade of the Scale House. The gutter is 2 feet 10 inches wide, and the concrete curb is 4 inches wide. There are segments of the gutter that abut the concrete quoins of the building instead of a curb. Metal catwalks provide entrance to the building over the gutter, forming a culvert for the flow of water at the edge of the building. The structure is in good condition. Landscape Features  Scale House (circa 1855–1856; CRIS HS #00191) o Contribution Status:  Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse (circa 1749; CRIS HS #01029) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory o Contribution Status:  Steeple Building (circa 1750; CRIS HS #00187) o Contribution Status:  Crypts 3 (Steeple Building yard) o Contribution Status:  Wall (surrounding the turf grass island north of the Scale House) o Contribution Status:  Wall (Plaza north of the Scale House) o Contribution Status:  Low Retaining Wall (north entrance to historic site) o Contribution Status:  Drainage Structure (north entrance to historic site) o Contribution Status:  Drainage Structure (adjacent to Scale House) o Contribution Status: Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory The Scale House. The Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory The Steeple Building. Brick Crypt in the Steeple Building yard. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Wall within the Scale House plaza. Low wall around the turf grass panel north of the Scale House. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Drainage Structure adjacent to the Scale House. Drainage Structure adjacent to the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Views and Vistas From the time of the construction of the original fort in 1734, views from the earthworks and the later constructed fort were military assets, helping to alert soldiers of an enemy attack. Important views from the fort included those towards the Caribbean Sea and across open ground around the fort, which would be likely routes of an assault. Views have historically been an integral part of the layout, design, and arrangement of military defense features associated with Fort Christiansvaern. The most significant views at the site today are those from the elevated areas of the fort. These views are intact and provide the opportunity to understand the existing spatial relationships of buildings, structures, and the open landscape and the historic relationship of the fort to the harbor, shoreline, and surrounding water of the Caribbean Sea. There are also clear views to Protestant Cay, a four-acre triangular islet in the Christiansted Harbor, 200 yards north of Christiansted. Vistas are created from the streets of Christiansted into the interior of the National Historic Site. The vistas provide strong visual connections from the urban streetscape to the open park-like setting of the historic site. The vista created from Company Street between the Steeple Building and the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse visually links the historic site on both sides of Hospital Street. A similar visual connection is provided by a view from the Steeple Building churchyard landscape to the open landscape surrounding the fort. Landscape Features  View from the fort and harbor to Protestant Cay o Contribution Status:  View from the fort to the open space landscape o Contribution Status:  View from the wharf to the open space landscape and surrounding buildings o Contribution Status:  View from the Scale House to the Christiansted Harbor, Protestant Cay, and the Caribbean Sea o Contribution Status:  View from the open space landscape to the harbor, Protestant Cay, and the Caribbean Sea o Contribution Status:  Vista looking east from Company Street to the National Historic Site o Contribution Status: Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory View across the fort to Protestant Cay and the Caribbean Sea. View across the open landscape to the Danish Customs House, the Scale Housef and the Harbor. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory View from Hospital Street to the fort. View from the open landscape to Company Street, the Steeple Building, and the Danish West India Guinea Company Warehouse. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Small-Scale Features Many of the small-scale features of the site dating to the Danish colonial period are not present on the site. There are existing small-scale features within the National Historic Site associated with the period from 1917–1932 when the US Navy turned the governing of the island over to the US Department of the Interior, including cannons associated with the fort. There are also small-scale features associated with NPS administration and interpretation, visitor use and safety, and boundary designations and utilities. The analysis for this landscape characteristic separates descriptions and listings for small-scale features into two areas: Northeast of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street and Southwest of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street. Small-scale Features Northeast of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street Monuments The David Hamilton Jackson Monument is a commemorative feature installed in 1979 in the landscape east of the Danish Customs House. The monument commemorating the famous local judge, editor, and labor leader was completed between 1978 and 1979 and is maintained as a cultural resource because of its commemorative purpose and its association with Jackson, who played an important role in the development of the Virgin Islands in the early twentieth century. The monument is designed by Jose Buscaglia with the sculpture resting on a marble veneer and concrete plinth consisting of a square base, square shaft, and a capital. The text on the monument reads: “DAVID/HAMILTON JACKSON/1884–1946/JUDGE/EDITOR/LABOR LEADER/BLACK MOSES.” The monument is in fair to good condition. Numerous chips, spalls, and open joints were observed at the marble cladding panels, particularly at the base of the pedestal. Fish Market Concrete Platform A concrete platform marks the site of the historic fish market, which was in use from the early 1800s through approximately 1980. It is a vestige of the long fishing heritage of the Christiansted community. “Gallows Bay” was a fishing community that helped sustain the Christiansted fish market for more than 100 years. The concrete is in poor to fair condition and exhibits large cracks and indistinguishable edges. Its size is approximately 30 feet x 30 feet. Fences and Gates A two-story portico wraps around the north, east, and south elevations of the Danish Customs House. The portico consists of a brick-paved landing, raised approximately 18 inches above grade. Wood posts, spaced approximately 9 feet apart, support a wood-framed roof with decorative scalloped-edged wood fascia and standing seam metal roof. A wood picket fence wraps around the portico on the east, west, and south sides of the building. The sections of fencing contain 17 to 19 pickets with 1-inch-by-4-inch bracing along the top and bottom. The Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory pickets are constructed with 1-inch-by-4-inch boards with a decorative finials carved at the top. The pickets vary in height to create a U-shaped pattern in the section with the tallest pickets at each post and the shortest pickets in the middle of the section. Three wooden picket gates painted white are located at three corners of the building to provide entrance to the brick walkway adjacent to the building. There are nine pickets within each gate. There are two additional sections of pickets located between the massive supports for the grand staircase north of the building. The fence sections prevent pedestrian circulation underneath the staircase. A boxwire fence with metal posts marks the southeast boundary of the historic site. The fence is mounted on the south retaining wall. There are nine strands of boxwire between the metal posts. The posts are set 6 feet apart and are 4 feet tall. The boxwire is 3 feet in height between the posts. There are also two strands of barbed wire stretching from post to post above the boxwire. The wall is 2 feet high and constructed of what appears to be brick masonry with cementitious parging. The fence and wall are in poor to fair condition. The barbed wire is rusted and falling down as well as missing in some locations. The boxwire is generally in fair condition but is sagging and broken in some areas due to overgrown vegetation from the adjacent lot. The wall is in fair condition with numerous cracks and loss of parging and brick masonry. There are three sets of gates are associated with the NPS access road and access to the entrance walkway to the fort. All sets of gates are anchored by concrete bollards with connected swing gates, all painted yellow. The entrance gate to the access road consists of two swing arms measuring 8 feet 6 inches in length. The gates are anchored to large bollards, 3 feet 4 inches in height and when open, the arms are attached to a smaller bollard 3 feet 2 inches in height. The second set of swing gates is associated with access to the area between the southeast of the Stable Building and the area of the Historic Fish Market. This set of gates is identical to the access road gates. The third set of gates controls access to the entrance walkway to the fort. It consists of a single swing gate anchored to a large bollard, 8 inches in diameter and 3 feet 6 inches in height on the west side of the entrance. The swing gate is 14 feet 7 inches in length. The swing gate attaches to a small bollard when the gate is open. When closed, the swing arm is attached to a small bollard east of the entrance. There is a large cast-iron ornamental gate between the Stable Building and a storage building within the maintenance area. It is mounted between two massive columns associated with the fort wall. Site Furnishings Benches. Benches throughout the historic site are similar in design, construction, and materials. The benches are constructed with concrete bases and wood plank backing and seating. Wood arm rests divide the seating into three separate spaces. The wood is painted green. There are nine benches associated with the entrance walkway from Hospital Street to the fort and the large trees, Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory two benches north of the Danish Customs House, and three benches in the landscape near the Bandstand and Harbor. The benches are in good condition. Picnic Tables. Picnic tables are located in the landscape adjacent to the walkway to the fort from Hospital Street. Four tables feature a hexagonal design with connecting seats and base. They are constructed with a plastic composite material and are dark green in color. Two tables are rectangular in shape with attached composite plastic table and seats on a metal tubing base. A single picnic table is constructed with a composite plastic base, benches, and table. The picnic tables in this area are in good condition. Two additional picnic tables are located west of the Stable Building. They are rectangular in shape with attached composite plastic table and seats on a metal tubing base and both are in good condition. The plastic composite is dark green on all of the rectangular picnic tables. Ornamental Lighting. Ornamental lighting within this area consists of individual post and lamp luminaires scattered over the site. The individual decorative cast-iron light post shafts are mounted on a rectangular concrete base and are approximately 15 feet in height. The luminaire is additional 18 inches in height with four open panels and a decorative cap. There are nine of these ornamental lights within the area northeast of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street, including those in the turf grass associated with the edge of the Wharf Bulkhead walkway. The ornamental lighting features are in fair to good condition. A large rectangular ornamental cast-iron structure and lamp is located northeast of the grand staircase of the Danish Customs House. The four-sided ornamental structure is anchored to a concrete base that measures 2 feet square and is 1 foot 6 inches high. The decorative base extends approximately 7 feet to the lamp, contained in a highly decorative metal box. the lamp box is approximately 3 feet in height. There are clear panes of glass on all four sides of the lamp. The ornamental lighting structure is in good condition. Functional Lighting. There are a variety of functional lighting fixtures throughout this area of the historic site. The fixtures vary in design and purpose but are all low lights and for the most part in poor condition and not functioning. They are associated with the buildings but also occur in the turf grass areas. They seem to be predominately floodlights or spotlights. There are approximately nine fixtures in this area. Flagpole. There is a flagpole mounted on top of the north wall of the fort. Its base is approximately 3 feet in height and the aluminum pole is approximately 20 feet in height. The flag is visible from much of the surrounding landscape. The flagpole is in good condition. Wayside Exhibits. There are numerous interpretive waysides strategically located throughout this area of the historic site. The waysides are generally in good condition but due to moisture, mold or mildew can infiltrate the sign board, affecting legibility of the text and illustrations. The wayside sign frames are typical NPS design for wayside exhibits. The wayside consists of a Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory metal frame designed to hold a signboard at a 45-degree angle. The frame is anchored on a concrete slab. Most of the waysides within this area of the site are 36 inches high, with a sign frame that is 24 inches by 36 inches. This allows 75 to 100 words of text, some graphics, and captions. There are lower wayside exhibit frames associated with interpretation at the top level of the fort. The taller frames would impede the dramatic views and vistas from the high elevation. Signs The NPS identity sign #1 is located in the turf grass in southwest corner of the historic site adjacent to the access road to the parking lot. The base of the sign is a brick wall, 3 feet high and 6 inches wide. The base is 6 feet in length. It is constructed of brick masonry clad with thin cementitious parging and painted yellow. A wood strip is bolted to the base, and the sign is attached to the wood strip. The identity sign contains the NPS arrowhead logo and the identity lettering: WELCOME TO CHRISTIANSTED NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE. There is a regulatory sign associated with rules for the NPS parking lot located in the grass turf adjacent to the access road. The sign frame is bolted to two black metal support posts that measure 2 inches by 2 inches. The metal sign frame measures 3 feet by 5 feet and contains the NPS logo and is painted brown with white lettering. There are also six signs associated with the reservation of staff parking places located at the head of the first six spaces in the south parking bay. These small signs are painted bright yellow. All NPS signs are in good condition. Two small NPS informational signs are located within the fort ravelin. One is associated with the visitor contact station information and is a free-standing sign placed on a metal easel. The other small sign is mounted on a wooden structure low to the ground and posts regulatory information for visitation within the fort. Bollards The NPS installed wooden and concrete bollards to prevent vehicular traffic conflicts on streets and walkways and to protect grass areas from vehicular damage. The wooden bollards are typical in construction throughout the site. There are six wooden bollards located at the entrance walkway to the fort from Hospital Street. Each bollard is a 4-by-4 wooden member with an articulated finial, painted green. The bollards are 2 feet in height and in fair to good condition, with some need for stabilization and fresh paint. There is one metal bollard filled with concrete embedded within the low wall of the NPS parking lot. The bollard is 3 feet in height and 4 inches in diameter. A similar bollard is located adjacent to the well structure at the access road. Four tall concrete bollards are located within an empty parking space marking it as not available. These bollards are 4-feet in height and painted yellow. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Cannon bollards appear at various locations within this area of the historic site. There is one buried cannon bollard with only 12 to18 inches showing above ground. It is located north of the lighting structure at the Danish Customs House. Cannon Exhibits Cannon emplacement exhibits and cannonball stacks are associated with the interpretation of Fort Christiansvaern. There are fourteen cannon emplacements with eight located on top of the fort and six located within the fort ravelin. Two cannonball stacks are located within the turf grass area within the interior of the fort. Utilities There are a variety of utility features within this area of the historic site. They include fire hydrants, irrigation-control valve access port, water meter access port, FDC connection, fire main hook up, and a large double valve structure all in the vicinity of the NPS parking area. Powerlines poles and lines are present along Hospital Street and run into the historic site along the length of the turf grass island adjacent to the NPS access road and parking lot, past the site of the historic fish market and on toward the shoreline. Landscape Features  David Hamilton Jackson Monument (HS-7) (CRIS HS #91556) o Contribution Status:  Concrete platform (Fish Market Site) o Contribution Status:  Fence (Customs House) o Contribution Status:  Gates (Customs House) o Contribution Status:  Fence (southeast boundary of Historic Site) o Contribution Status:  Gate (NPS Access Road) o Contribution Status:  Gate (NPS Parking/Walkway Entrance) o Contribution Status: Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory  Gate (between the east side of Stable Building and Fish Market site) o Contribution Status:  Gate (ornamental cast-iron gate in fort wall at the Stable Building) o Contribution Status:  Bench (9) (Walkway from Hospital Street to the fort) o Contribution Status  Bench (2) (Danish Customs House) o Contribution Status:  Bench (3) (Landscape near the Bandstand and harbor) o Contribution Status:  Picnic Table (7) (Landscape south of the entrance walk to the fort) o Contribution Status:  Picnic Table (2) (west of the Stable Building) o Contribution Status:  Ornamental Light (6) (adjacent to Wharf Bulkhead walkway) o Contribution Status  Ornamental Light (3) (in the landscape both sides of entrance walkway) o Contribution Status:  Ornamental Light (1) (Danish Customs House, unique design) o Contribution Status:  Functional Light (9) (various locations) o Contribution Status:  Flagpole (northwest corner of the fort) o Contribution Status:  Wayside Exhibits (7) (in the overall landscape outside of the fort) o Contribution Status:  NPS Park Identity Sign #1 o Contribution Status:  NPS Informational Signs (2) (inside fort Gate) o Contribution Status: Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory  NPS Parking Regulatory Sign (1) (NPS access road entrance) o Contribution Status:  NPS Parking Sign (6) (associated with staff reserved parking) o Contribution Status:  Bollards (6) (entrance to walkway from Hospital Street) o Contribution Status:  Bollards (1) (within NPS parking low wall) o Contribution Status:  Bollard (1) (adjacent to the well at the NPS access road) o Contribution Status:  Bollard (4) (NPS parking lot space) o Contribution Status:  Cannon bollard (north of Danish Customs House) o Contribution Status:  Cannon Emplacement Exhibit (8) (top of Fort Christiansvaern) o Contributing Status:  Cannon Emplacement Exhibit (6) (Fort Christiansvaern ravelin) o Contributing Status:  Cannon Ball Stack Exhibit (2) (interior grass turf within Fort Christiansvaern) o Contributing Status:  Utilities o Contributing Status: Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory The David Hamilton Jackson Monument. Boxwire fence with metal posts is mounted on the drainage structure retaining wall. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Fence associated with the Danish Customs House. Bench and ornamental lighting within the landscape. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Wayside exhibit in the historic site landscape. National Park Service identity sign. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Wooden bollards at the entrance walkway to the fort. Cannon emplacement exhibits on top of Fort Christiansvaern. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Small-scale Features Southwest of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street Fences and Gates The Steeple Building is enclosed within a large fence with columns and arches marking the northeast, north, and southwest boundaries of the church site. The fence is adjacent to the sidewalks associated with Company Street, Church Street, and the grass shoulder associated with Hospital Street. The two arches mark the entrances leading through the fence to the doors of the Steeple Building. The two archways that form part of the fence structure are located along the northwest elevation of the site and are constructed of brick clad with stucco and painted white. The archways measure approximately 6 feet 8 inches wide by 9 feet tall and have a semicircular arch measuring approximately 3 feet 6 inches wide by 7 feet tall. The lower portion of the archway, approximately 24 inches, projects 2 inches beyond the face of the adjacent arch and forms a base of the arch. There is a projecting horizontal band that wraps the archway at the springline of the arch and an expressed keystone. At the top of the archway is a projecting cornice. There are a total of twenty-one columns within the fence structure, all constructed of brick clad with stucco and painted white. The column base is 1 foot 6 inches in height, 1 foot 8 inches in width, and 2 feet 1 inch in length. The column shaft is 1 foot 1-1/2 inches in width and 1 foot 7 inches in depth. From the base of the columns to the top of the decorative capitals vary in height as elevations change along the lengths of the adjacent sidewalks or grass shoulder. A low wall is required between columns along the Hospital Street grass shoulder. The brick clad with stucco walls painted white vary in height and step up as the fence progresses north along Hospital Street. The fence adjacent to Church Street has six columns spaced 12 feet on center, extending approximately 60 feet toward Queen Street. A single section of the fence turns perpendicular and stops at the wall adjacent to the remainder of the block. The fence adjacent to Hospital Street has ten columns spaced 12 feet on center, extending approximately 100 feet from the Steeple Building to the wall adjacent to the remainder of the block. Wooden pickets with two horizontal wood braces form the fence between the columns. The amount of pickets between columns varies with each fence segment. The pickets are 2 by 2 inches and vary in height to create the fence pattern. There are three gates associated with the fencing. Two occur at the arches, and one is located within the fence extending from the Steeple Building south on Hospital Street. This gate allows access to a walkway and entrance to the south façade of the building. Site Furnishings Benches. Benches throughout the historic site are similar in design, construction, and materials. The benches are constructed with concrete bases and wood plank backing and seating. Wood Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory arm rests divide the seating into three separate spaces. The wood is painted green. There are three benches located within the north entrance area and both are in good condition. Ornamental Lighting. Ornamental lighting within this area consists of individual post and lamp luminaires associated with the north entrance area and the Harbor Wharf. The individual decorative cast-iron light post shafts are mounted on a rectangular concrete base and are approximately 15 feet in height. The luminaire is additional 18 inches in height with four open panels and a decorative cap. There are two of these ornamental lights within the area northwest of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street, including one in the north entrance area and one in the turf grass north of the loop road near the Wharf Bulkhead walkway. There is one ornamental lamp post with a different design and no lamp, leaning precariously within the Church Street sidewalk adjacent to the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. The lamp post is in good condition but is in great need of stabilization and rehabilitation. Functional Lighting. There are a variety of functional lighting fixtures throughout this area of the historic site. The fixtures vary in design and purpose but are all low lights and for the most part in poor condition and not functioning. They are associated with the buildings but also occur in the turf grass areas. They seem to be predominately floodlights or spotlights. There are approximately nine fixtures in this area. Wayside Exhibits. There are numerous interpretive waysides strategically located in association with the Steeple Building, the Danish Customs House, and the plaza of the Scale House. The waysides are generally in good condition but due to moisture, mold or mildew can infiltrate the sign board, affecting legibility of the text and illustrations. The wayside sign frames are typical NPS design for wayside exhibits. The wayside consists of a metal frame designed to hold a signboard at a 45-degree angle. The frame is anchored on a concrete slab. Most of the waysides within this area of the site are 36 inches high, with a sign frame that is 24 inches by 36 inches. This allows 75 to100 words of text, some graphics, and captions. A kiosk exhibit with a four-sided conical roof is located within the plaza of the Scale House. The roof is supported by a single metal pole painted with colors matching the architecture of the immediate environment. The roof structure mimics the architecture of Christiansted and is painted red. The kiosk supports a grouping of three panels, informing visitors about the sights and activities offered in and around St. Croix. Signs NPS Identity Sign. A large NPS identity sign is located in the north entrance area, which contains a paved plaza, turf grass, wayside exhibits, and benches. The sign structure consists of a low rectangular concrete base with columns at either side. The base is 1 foot 7 inches high, 2 feet Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory 7 inches wide, and 9 feet 6 inches in length. The columns on either side of the sign are mounted into the base and measure 5 feet 4 inches from the ground to the top of the Doric column capitals. The sign frame structure is located between the columns and contains the NPS arrowhead logo and the identity lettering: CHRISTIANSTED NATIONAL HISTORIC SITE / NATIONAL PARK SERVICE / U.S. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR. The sign is constructed with brick masonry and thin cementitious parging, painted yellow. The capitals atop the columns are highlighted white paint. The sign is in good condition. There is a small NPS identity sign attached to the gate column of the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse and another attached to the fence at the northeast edge of the building. Bollards The NPS installed wooden and concrete bollards to prevent vehicular traffic conflicts on streets and walkways and to protect grass areas from vehicular damage. The wooden bollards are typical in construction throughout this area of the historic site. There are three wooden bollards marking the location of the concrete entrance walkways to the Scale House. The bollards are placed there to prevent vehicular traffic from infringing into the pedestrian circulation. These three bollards are 4 feet in height. The wooden bollards in other locations are 2 feet in height. Each bollard is a 4 by 4 wood member with an articulated finial, painted green. There are seven of the small bollards that line the Loop Road northwest of the Scale House Plaza to prevent encroachment of vehicular traffic and eighteen small bollards between the Wharf Bulkhead walkway and the loop road. The wooden bollards are in fair to good condition and appear to have some wood damage and loss of green paint. Some may need to be re-installed to prevent leaning. Two concrete bollards painted black are located at the gates to the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. These bollards are 2 feet in height. A concrete filled bollard is located in the sidewalk adjacent to the Steeple Building at the intersection of Hospital Street and Company Street. It is 2 feet in height, 6 inches in diameter, and painted yellow. Another is located in the sidewalk adjacent to the Steeple Building at the intersection of Company Street and Church Street. It is 2 feet in height, 4 inches in diameter, and painted white. A single black cannon bollard is located within the Loop Road adjacent to the row of wooden bollards. There are four large upright cannon bollards that mark the northwest corners of the Scale House Plaza and the southwest corners of the Scale House Building. These upright cannons are 4 to 5 feet in height. Single upright cannon bollards are located at the northeast and northwest edges of the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. Both are 2 feet in height and are painted black. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Utilities There are various utility features within this area of the historic site including fire hydrants and sewer and water access ports. Power poles and lines are located along Church Street, Hospital Street, Company Street, and King Street, and lines cross over Hospital Street from the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse to the Danish Customs House. Landscape Features  Fence (Steeple Building) o Contribution Status:  Gate 3 (Steeple Building fence) o Contribution Status:  Bench 3 (north entrance plaza) o Contribution Status:  Ornamental Light 1 (north entrance plaza) o Contribution Status:  Ornamental Light 1 (northwest corner of the site adjacent to Wharf Bulkhead walkway) o Contribution Status:  Functional Light 9 (various locations) o Contribution Status:  NPS Interpretive Wayside (1) (Steeple Building) o Contribution Status:  NPS Interpretive Wayside (3) (north entrance plaza) o Contribution Status:  NPS Interpretive Wayside (3) (Scale House) o Contribution Status:  NPS Informational Kiosk Exhibit (west of the Scale House) o Contribution Status:  NPS Park Identity Sign #2 (north entrance area) o Contribution Status:  NPS Building Identity Sign (1) (Steeple Building) o Contribution Status: Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory  NPS Building Identity Sign (1) (Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse) o Contribution Status:  Bollards (Scale House entrance walkways) o Contribution Status:  Bollards (south of the Loop Road) o Contribution Status:  Bollards (between the Loop Road and the Wharf Bulkhead walkway) o Contribution Status:  Bollard (2) (gate of the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse) o Contribution Status:  Bollard (2) (sidewalk of the Steeple Building) o Contribution Status:  Upright Cannon bollards (1) (turf grass of the Loop Road) o Contribution Status:  Upright Cannon bollards (4) (Scale House) o Contribution Status:  Upright Cannon bollards (2) (Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse) o Contribution Status:  Utilities o Contribution Status: Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Fence enclosing the Steeple Building and yard. Fence and arch at the entrance area to the Steeple Building. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Wayside Exhibit in the north entrance plaza. Kiosk exhibit in the Scale House Plaza. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory National Park Service identity sign in the north entrance plaza. Bollards and National Park Service building identity sign at the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Wooden bollards between the Scale House turf grass and the loop road. Upright cannon bollard marks the corner of the Scale House site. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Archeology The archeological resources associated with Christiansted National Historic Site have been the subject of several investigations, excavations, and collection since 1941, predating the establishment of the National Historic Site in 1952. The NPS has conducted a range of additional investigations. The Archaeological Overview and Assessment of the Christiansted National Historic Site (NPS 2011) provides summaries of previous archeological investigations and prioritized recommendations for future archeological research and cultural resource management issues. Research potential identified in the Archaeological Overview and Assessment included Prehistoric Archeological Site, Pre-Danish and Danish Colonial-Period Archeological Site, Prehistoric Collections at Christiansted National Historic Site, the Folmer Andersen Collection, and Submerged Cultural Resources: Shipwrecks. It is highly likely that future archeological studies within the boundaries of the historic site and its environs will locate additional resources, related to both the colonial and post-colonial occupation and uses of the fort, the landscape, and surrounding buildings. Such findings would provide information to inform future preservation and interpretation. Evidence of prehistoric occupation and use may also be revealed in future archeological excavations. Unprovenanced Surface Collection, 1941 (SEAC ACC. 80, CHRI ACC.65) Seven pottery sherds were surface collected by a Mr. H. E. Rothrock while visiting the island of St. Croix. There is no information as to where the sherds were collected, and no descriptions or photographs of the materials. Reference to the collection was found in a memorandum dated March 28, 1941, and attributed to a person named Kelly, but attempts to locate these seven sherds reportedly have been unsuccessful. No other materials are associated with his accession. Harrington, 1960 (CHRI ACC. 3) In April 1960, Jean C. Harrington, Southeast Regional Chief of Interpretation, National Park Service, supervised the excavations of five exploratory archeological trenches located in and around Fort Christiansvaern. Harrington’s detailed profile sketches and photographs facilitate interpretation of the work. The report clearly states the project objectives and interprets the findings in accordance with these objectives. The collections which are housed at CHRI, include the project field notes and 182 artifacts representative of the materials encountered. Harrington, 1956–1957 (GJESSING 1960), (CHRI ACC.4) Archeological investigations at the Church of Our Lord of Zebaoth were conducted by Jean C. Harrington in 1956 and 1957 in conjunction with the building’s restoration. During the restoration, the wooden flooring and partitions were removed, as were portions of the furred ceiling. The interior walls were stripped of plaster, and plaster was removed only in specific areas of the exterior walls (Gjessing 1964:85–86). The entire interior was excavated. Excavations Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory outside the structure were limited to the yard and the sides of the building. Detailed drawings were made of all features encountered during the excavation. These drawings were incorporated into the 1959 HABS documentation for the building. Drawings and photographs are available from HABS. The collection consists of twenty-seven artifacts of ceramic, glass, and metal. Archeological Material from the Customs House, 1976–1977 (CHRI ACC.25) Although listed in the Christiansted Accession Ledger housed at CHRI headquarters, no other documentation could be found for this project. Horvath, 1988 (SEAC ACC. 813, CHRI ACC. 68) In November 1988, SEAC archeologist Elizabeth Horvath traveled to Christiansted National Historic Site to monitor the rehabilitation and expansion of the public comfort station at the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. The project was put on hold due to construction delays so she then inspected six holes that had been excavated for new trash can holders prior to her arrival. Recovered artifacts included ceramics, glass, metal, faunal materials, and brick and mortar fragments. The brick-and-mortar fragments were left on site and the rest of the materials were brought back to SEAC where they were cleaned and analyzed. Although the trip report and fieldnotes documented the fundamental nature of these projects, no photographs, slides, or other images exist, nor is there a final report. Horvath, 1989 (SEAC ACC. 819), CHRI ACC. 69) This Section 106 compliance project, required by the installation and expansion of the public comfort station at the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse, was delayed until January and February of 1989. The project’s original scope called for monitoring the mechanical excavation of sewer and water pipes and electric lines for the eastward expansion of the comfort station (Horvath 1989a). Two trees were also to be removed. Several brick features were uncovered, including a brick drain and a possible brick oven. It was concluded that the foundations could be those of the NYE Neger Kammer (New Negro Room). It was decided that Phase II excavations would be necessary to accurately assess the site (Horvath 1989a, 1989b). The artifact analysis has been completed and the ANCS database submitted; however, a final report has not been written. Wild, 1989 and 1990 (SEAC ACC. 845, CHRI ACC.70) On September 17 and 18, 1989, Hurricane Hugo devastated the island of St. Croix. In its aftermath, the local utility and phone companies decided to bury all utility and communication cables. In Christiansted, these utility lines would be buried in trenches excavated along Hospital Street in front of the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse and the Steeple Building, near the King Street wharf area, and around the Scale House (Wild 1989b; Wild and Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Potter 1989). Additionally, Hospital Street was to be extended to intersect King Street, which necessitated the installation of a sewer and service manhole at the new intersection. In the accession summary, it was reported that plan-view and site maps were filed with the accession but only two sketch drawings showing the location of two manholes were included. No maps of trench locations, other than rough sketches in Wild’s field notebook, or any plan-view maps exist. No maps or drawings showing the locations of the examined tree falls were found. The artifact analysis was completed by SEAC in 2006 and the ANCS database has been submitted. No trip report, summary, or final report was ever written. Anderson and Cornelison, 2000 (SEAC ACC. 1504, CHRI ACC. 71) In 1999, John E. Cornelison and David G. Anderson of SEAC conducted a ground penetrating radar survey of the courtyard of the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. To date, the document associated with this project is a draft final report. The project’s documents and associated materials have been submitted for curation. The final report (Lawson et al. 2004) thoroughly documents the site’s history, survey methods, and results. Alicia D. Odewale, Thomas Foster, Joshua Torres, 2015 Phase I Archaeological Investigation of the Danish West Indies Guinea Company Warehouse, Christiansted National Historic Site: Investigating Risk Mitigation Among Enslaved Africans In January 2015, researchers from the University of Tulsa in cooperation with the NPS began a systematic Phase I archeological excavation on the grounds behind (to the south) of the Customs House at Christiansted National Historic Site. This investigation used systematic shovel testing based on the suspected location of subsurface features identified during a previous remote- sensing survey conducted by SEAC (Anderson and Cornelison 2000). The first goal of this project was to investigate the extent of the cultural resources of the park systematically in order to provide the NPS with a rough estimate of all the cultural resources potentially housed within this site, which would allow the staff to become better stewards of these grounds. The second goal of this project was to find archeological evidence for the existence of subsurface features identified on historical maps from 1780 and 1803 as Neger Huuserf, or “Negro Houses,” where enslaved Africans in service to the royal Danish government were living. Alicia D. Odewale, Thomas Foster, Joshua Torres, 2016 Phase II Archaeological Investigation of the Danish West Indies Guinea Company Warehouse, Christiansted National Historic Site In July 2015, the Phase II portion of Ms. Odewale’s earlier survey was conducted, with the purpose of excavating a minimum of two 1m-x-1m units over the approximate location of the residential spaces identified during the Phase I survey. Phase II was aimed at recovering cultural material from within the walls of the potential structures, to allow the recovered artifacts to be attributed exclusively to the enslaved community who lived in this Danish complex. The Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory researchers in collaboration with the NPS cultural resource management team excavated three 1- x-1-meter units and five shovel tests southeast of the Customs House, oriented on a line at 60 degrees off north parallel to the northeast corner of the Company Warehouse building. The reasoning behind this orientation was to remain in line with the existing Company Warehouse structure, as historic maps indicated that both the main warehouse building and the slave quarters were once part of a whole intact structure and thus would have the same orientation. Meredith D. Hardy, 2019 (SEAC ACC. 2784, CHRI ACC. 72) In 2015, Christiansted National Historic Site requested the Archeological Investigations and Compliance Division (AIC) of SEAC to conduct archeological investigations of the grounds of the Church of Our Lord of Zebaoth (also known as the Steeple Building, AMIS # CHRI 1-3). The park planned to remove a large mahogany tree located roughly 8 feet away from the northeast corner of the building that was negatively impacting the structure’s foundation. SEAC staff excavated four units around the tree to uncover any historic cultural materials tied to the history of the site, the founding of Christiansted by Danish settlers, and potentially pre-Danish occupation of the site by the Dutch and French. The excavations uncovered a port of the early twentieth-century cistern built when the building was used as a hospital (1916-1925). Landscape Features  Fort Christiansvaern Site o Contributing Status:  Church of Our Lord of Zebaoth Site o Contributing Status:  Customs House Site o Contributing Status:  Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse Sites o Contributing Status:  Hospital Street Sites o Contributing Status: Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Stabilization Measures Overall, the Christiansted National Historic Site study area is in fair to good condition, with evidence of historic resource deterioration resulting from factors such as hurricane rains, flooding and winds, erosion, infestation of invasive plant species from adjacent properties, and visitor access and use. At Fort Christiansvaern, stabilization measures should include stabilization of the shoreline embankment north of the structure and at the end of the retaining wall east of the fort at the shoreline embankment. There is wash out of the soils behind the wall resulting in decreased stability of the embankment and continued loss of soils from the turf grass terrace. Consider strategies for soil stabilization including removal of damaged plants, structural repair of the retaining wall, introduction of new plant material on the slope, and soil additives to encourage stabilization. Stabilization measures to ensure the health of the large mature trees in the landscape of the historic site should include a vegetation management plan to facilitate appropriate maintenance of the historic landscape in good condition and perpetuate its historic integrity. The vegetation management plan should specifically address the treatment of specimen trees. A first step in the immediate stabilization of vegetation should be an evaluation of all trees by a certified arborist and development of a database including maintenance and treatment records for each tree. Stabilization measures for turf grass should be considered for the area northeast of Hospital Street and Kings Wharf Street, the area south of the Steeple Building, the north entrance area, and the area northwest of the Scale House including the island within the loop road. There is loss of turf grass particularly in the yard south of the Steeple Building. Consideration should be given to the composition of species to be used throughout the entire historic site which meets the visual, physical, and environmental criteria identified by the park and is adapted to the growing conditions associated with the island landscape and the particular threats from severe weather conditions. Drainage structures within Christiansted National Historic are features in fair and sometimes poor condition. Stabilization measures should include clearing of vegetation along the south boundary fence and drainage structure, repair of the retaining wall and concrete gutter, and removal of weedy plant material that may impede the flow of water through the structure. These measures should also be considered for the drainage structure between the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse and the north entrance area. Sidewalks associated with the streets that are part of the historic site are cracked, broken, and elevated in various places as a result of the upheaval or shifting of base materials due to flooding or other environmental factors. The brick plazas and walkways associated with the fort, Danish Customs House, and the Scale House need repair and removal of intruding plant Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory material. The concrete pavers and concrete walkways associated with entrances to the Steeple Building need some repair and removal of invasive weeds and groundcovers. The park should engage in stabilization measures to stabilize and repair the circulation features and develop preservation treatments to maintain and manage the individual materials. Due to threats from hurricanes, storms, flooding, and wind and unknown threats due to climate change and rising sea levels, an immediate stabilization measure should be the preparation of a stormwater management plan. This type of plan would include an inventory and assessment of the existing stormwater-management infrastructure. The plan would also need to address the current issues and concerns associated with managing stormwater within the historic site and coordination with management strategies for the greater urban area of Christiansted. Condition Condition Assessment and Impacts Condition Assessment: Fair Assessment Date: April 28, 2021 Condition Assessment Explanatory Narrative: Overall, the Christiansted National Historic Site is in fair condition. Most features within the site are maintained in good condition by the NPS. The overall condition is assessed as fair due to several issues of concern, including improper drainage, structural deterioration, damage from hurricanes, and invasive vegetation. These issues were observed during fieldwork conducted at Christiansted National Historic Site in April 2021. The historic buildings are in fair condition overall. Deterioration and damage are present and are consistent with buildings of this age, including cracked and spalled stone and concrete, and deteriorated stucco and wood features. The streets surrounding the historic site are in fair condition due to asphalt patching and repair, uneven surfaces, and deteriorating edges. One issue that affects visitor circulation around the historic site is the increase in elevation of Hospital Street due to the layers of asphalt used for ongoing repairs. This condition required the sidewalk to be raised to meet road grades. The result was the construction of a sidewalk with curbs on both sides, creating a sharp drop in elevation from the sidewalk to the ground plane of the grass turf in the vicinity of the Customs House. Additional sidewalks associated with Church Street and Company Street are in poor to fair condition due to cracking, raised joints, and loss of materials. Concrete and brick walkways within the historic site are generally in good condition, but there are areas within the fort, and around the Steeple Building, where the paving materials have deteriorated and additional vegetative growth is overtaking the paving surface causing the Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory breakdown of the materials. The concrete drainage ditches and swale associated with the site are in similar condition. Cracked and damaged concrete and vegetative growth and debris can quickly impede the flow of water within the channels of the structures. The walkways in the open landscape associated with the fort and parking lot are in good condition. The large trees in the landscape and the expanse of turf grass are in fair to good condition. The small-scale site features associated with the visitor experience at the site are in good condition. Features include benches, picnic tables, interpretive waysides, and signage. Ongoing challenges for the historic site are associated with the susceptibility of St. Croix for strong rain events, tropical storms, and hurricanes, and the resulting damage from wind and flood waters. Impacts: Type of Impact: Improper Drainage External or Internal: Internal Impact Description: The concrete drainage structures and associated stone retaining walls are cracking and losing material, and vegetation is overgrown, threatening the flow of stormwater. Some culverts are blocked with vegetative debris. Type of Impact: Structural Deterioration External or Internal: Internal Impact Description: Concrete, brick, and stone walkways and sidewalks associated with the streets within the historic site are cracked, broken, and losing material. Park personnel engage in stabilization, repair, and other preservation treatments to maintain brick paving within the fort and around the Scale House. Repair of the wharf bulkhead is currently underway. In general, the buildings are in fair condition, with deterioration and damage consistent with buildings of this age and the impacts of Hurricane Maria. Conditions noted include cracked and spalled stone and concrete, and deteriorated stucco and wood features. Park personnel engage in Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory stabilization, repair, and other preservation treatments to maintain the buildings. Type of Impact: Deferred Maintenance External or Internal: Internal Impact Description: The walkways and tree wells associated with the Steeple Building require some repair. The buildup of soil on the plaza paving north of the Scale House needs cleaning and evaluation of drainage issues as preventive measures. The drainage ditches/swale need repair and clean-up from overgrown vegetation. Type of Impact: Inappropriate Maintenance External or Internal: External Impact Description: Maintenance of the streets surrounding the historic site has raised road elevations and sidewalks higher that the adjacent landscape ground plane, resulting in sharp drops in elevation on the landscape side of the sidewalk. Type of Impact: Vegetation / Growth External or Internal: Internal Impact Description: The large trees within the historic site are maintained in fair to good condition. Extensive damage from Hurricane Maria affected all the vegetation of the historic site, and ongoing monitoring and maintenance is essential for the vegetation to survive. Small-scale groundcovers threaten the condition of paved areas at the fort, the Scale House, and the Steeple Building. Unabated vegetation growth threatens the drainage channel that edges the southeast boundary of the site and the concrete swale north of the Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Type of Impact: Exposure to Elements External or Internal: External Impact Description: All features on the site are subject to exposure to the elements, especially exposure associated with strong storms, tropical storms, and hurricanes. Buildings, infrastructure, and stormwater-management structures suffer deterioration and material damage with each weather event and most recently the severe damage from Hurricane Maria. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Treatment Approved Treatment: [Not in scope] Approved Treatment Document: [Not in scope] Approved Landscape Treatment Document Date: [Not in scope] Approved Landscape Treatment Explanatory Narrative: [Not in scope] Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Bibliography and Supplemental Information Bibliography Bradley, Robert. “Cultural Landscape Report Christiansted National Historic Site St. Croix, Virgin Islands.” January 5, 1985. Caffrey, Maria. “Sea Level and Storm Trends for Planning at Christiansted National Historic Site and Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve.” University of Colorado Boulder, November 4, 2013. Cissel, William F. Report; The Danish West India & Guinea Company Warehouse, Christiansted National Historic Site; Proposed Restoration and Slave Trade Museum. National Park Service, Christiansted National Historic Site, January 2000 (revised). The Collaborative, Inc. Historic Structure Report for Danish West India & Guinea Company Warehouse (GCW) (CRIS HS 7029) Historic Kitchens Nos. 1 & 2; the Public Restroom; Site Features—Exterior Walls, Cisterns, and Gates; and the GCW Paint Analysis. National Park Service, Christiansted National Historic Site, February 10, 2020. _______. Historic Structure Report for US Post Office & Customhouse, Christiansted, St. Croix, USVI. National Park Service, Christiansted National Historic Site, February 1985. Figueredo, A.E. An Initial Archaeological Investigation of Plot 14B and Remainder of 14, Estate Montpelier, and 33 and 33A Estate Morningstar, Queens Quarter, Christiansted, Jurisdiction, District of St. Croix, Virgin Islands of the United States. No publisher, no date. Reference to investigations conducted in summer 1989. SEAC archives. Gjessing, Frederik C. National Register of Historic Places nomination: “Christiansted National Historic Site.” National Park Service, June 10, 1976. #66000077. ______. Historic Building Report (Architectural Data – Part II) Preliminary to the Restoration of the Steeple Building (Church of Our Lord of Zebaoth), Christiansted Waterfront, St. Croix, Virgin Islands, now part of Virgin Islands National Historic Site. National Park Service, January 1960. Hardy, Meredith D. “Saladoid Economy and Complexity on the Arawakan Frontier.” Dissertation, Florida State University College of Arts and Sciences, 2008. _______. “The St. Croix Archaeology Project and the Vescelius Collection: A Reexamination,” in Bulletin of the Peabody Museum of Natural History 50, no. 1, April 2009, 99–118. _______. Archeological Overview and Assessment for Christiansted National Historic Site, SEAC Accession 1839, Tallahassee, Florida: National Park Service, Southeast Archeological Center, 2011. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Historic American Buildings Survey. “’Steeple Building’ formerly the Lutheran Church of the Lord of Zebaoth, Christiansted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands.” February 1966. National Park Service. Historic Structures Report, Part I, Administrative Data and Historical Data, Steeple Building, Christiansted, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. By Herbert Olsen, Historian. March 1959. _______. Historic Structures Report, Part I, Fort Christiansvaern, Christiansted, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Historical Data by Herbert Olsen, Historian. October 1960. _______. Historic Structures Report, Part I, Scalehouse, Christiansted, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Historical Data by Herbert Olsen, Historian. October 1960. _______. Historic Structures Report, Part II, Architectural Data, Preliminary to the Restoration of the Steeple Building (Church of Our Lord of Zebaoth), Christiansted, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. By Frederick C. Gjessing, Architect. January 1960. _______. Historic Structures Report, Part I, Library Building (Old Danish Customs House and Post Office), Christiansted, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. Historical Data by Herbert Olsen, Historian. August 1961. _______. Master Plan for the Preservation and Use of Christiansted National Historic Site. “Chapter 5, Design Analysis, General Development.” Mission 66. 399/D-10. 1962. _______. Master Plan for the Preservation and Use of Christiansted National Historic Site. “Chapter 1, Basic Information, The Land, The Visitor.” “Chapter 2, Area Objectives.” “Chapter 3, Management Programs Narrative.” 1964. _______. “Task Directive; General Management Plan, Environmental Assessment.” December 1985. _______. General Management Plan, Environmental Assessment; Christiansted National Historic Site. With FONSI October 1986. _______, US Department of the Interior. St. Croix National Heritage Area Feasibility Study, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. 2007. _______, US Department of the Interior. Environmental Assessment for Proposed Marine Research and Education Center and Abandoned Hotel Demolition, Salt River Bay National Historical Park and Ecological Preserve, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands. 2008. _______. Feasibility Study for a St. Croix National Heritage Area, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. 2010. _______. South Florida and Caribbean Parks, Exotic Plant Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement (Abbreviated Final). August 2010. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory _______. Foundation Document Christiansted National Historic Site US Virgin Islands. January 2015. _______. “Park Visitation and Climate Change, Park Specific Brief, Christiansted National Historic Site: How might future warming alter visitation?” January 15, 2021. US Department of the Interior, National Park Service, and EA Engineering Science, and Technology, Inc. PBC. Replace the Existing Wharf Bulkhead Environmental Assessment, Christiansted National Historic Site, US Virgin Islands. May 2019. Trebellas, Christine. National Register of Historic Places nomination: “Additional Documentation Christiansted National Historic Site.” National Park Service, June 21, 1999. #66000077. Wright, Russell, Thomas Richards, Virgin Island Planning Board. National Register of Historic Places nomination: “Christiansted Historic District.” National Park Service, July 30, 1976. #76002266. Supplemental Information Collections Christiansted National Historic Site archives Steeple Building Restoration documentation, CHRI archives, 1956-1985 Maps Caribbean Surveys, Inc. “Boundary Survey Parcel No. 6, Estate Sion Farm.” 399/129,348. 1 sheet. 1994. Government of the Virgin Islands Public Works Department St. Croix. “Topographical Map of Park, Christiansted, Showing Proposed Changes.” 399/128154A. 2 sheets. 1942. _______. “Map of the Old Limits of Christiansted Town.” 399/129,214. 1 sheet. Undated. _______. “Topographical Map of Park, Christiansted Showing Proposed Changes.” 399/128,154. 1 sheet. February 24, 1942. Historic American Buildings Survey. “Fort Christiansted, Virgin Islands National Historic Site, Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S.V.I.” HABS CHRI-0048. 399/128,137. 24 sheets. 1957. National Park Service. “The Master Plan; Virgin Islands National Historic Site, Christiansted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands.” 399/2006. 2 sheets. November 12, 1953. _______. “General Development Plan, Part of the Master Plan, Christiansted National Historic Site.” NHS-CHR-3002. 1 sheet. October 10, 1962. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory _______. “Existing Conditions – General, Part of the Master Plan, Christiansted National Historic Site.” NHS-CHR-3003. 1 sheet. October 1962. _______. “Existing Conditions – Buildings – 1965, Christiansted National Historic Site.” NHS- CHR-3004. 1 sheet. November 1962. _______. “Historic Base Map, Part of the Master Plan, Christiansted National Historic Site.” 399/3007-A. 6 sheets. January 26, 1966. _______. “Christiansted Museum, Steeple Building, Christiansted National Historic Site.” 399/3104. 1 sheet. September 14, 1962. _______. “Landscape Plan, Steeple Building, Christiansted National Historic Site.” 3116. 1 sheet. Undated. _______. “Landscape Plan, Steeple Building, Christiansted National Historic Site.” 399/3116A. 1 sheet. March 11, 1965. _______. “Christiansted National Historic Site, St. Croix, Virgin Islands.” 399/7000. 1 sheet. February 26, 1952. _______. “Historic Site and Zone, Christiansted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands.” NHS-SJ 9180. 1 sheet. February 26, 1952. _______. “NPS Christiansted Museum.” As-built drawings. 399/13,001. 22 sheets. 1986. _______. “St. Croix, Virgin Islands, Christiansted National Historic Site.” 399/41002. 11 sheets. undated. _______. “West India Guinea Warehouse Area.” 399/80,004. 2 sheets. February 10, 1978. _______. “Rehabilitation-Scalehouse, Christiansted National Historic Site, Christiansted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands.” 399/80,001. 12 sheets. 1977. _______. “Reconstruction of Fort Christiansvaern Stableyard Gate, Christiansted National Historic Site, Christiansted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands.” 399/80,003. 4 sheets. 1978. _______. “Rehabilitation, Fort Christiansvaern Stable, Christiansted National Historic Site, Christiansted, St. Croix, Virgin Islands.” 399/80,005. 3 sheets. 1978. _______. “Existing Conditions, Christiansted National Historic Site.” 399/80,016. 1 sheet. June 1986. _______. “Historic Scene, Christiansted National Historic Site.” 399/80,017. 1 sheet. June 1986. _______. “General Development, Christiansted National Historic Site.” 399/80,018. 1 sheet. June 1986. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory _______. Preliminary “Property Survey and Topographic Survey, Historic Site, Christiansted National Historic Site.” 399/80,022. 2 sheets. Undated. _______. Preliminary “Property Survey and Topographic Survey, Historic Site, Christiansted National Historic Site.” 399/80,024. 2 sheets. 1986. _______. “Proposed Site Plan, Rehabilitation of Scale House, Christiansted National Historic Site.” 399/80,026. 1 sheet. December 6, 1977. _______. “Christiansted National Historic Site, Segment 01.” 399/92,000. 1 sheet. August 1973. _______. “Christiansted National Historic Site, Land Status Map 01.” 399/92,000-A. 1 sheet. August 1973. _______. “Property Survey, Property Line between Plots 59, 59A, 59B and Historic Site, Christiansted National Historic Site.” 399/128,030. 1 sheet. May 9, 1986. _______. “Proposal, Landscape Restoration, Remove Parking and Through Traffic.” 399/128,142. 1 sheet. Undated. _______. “Property Survey, Property Line between Plots 59, 59A, 59B and Historic Site, Christiansted National Historic Site.” 399/128,030. 1 sheet. May 9, 1986. _______. “Boundary Survey Plot No. 1-A & 2-A &4-B Hospital Street, Christiansted, St. Croix. P. 4002. 399/129,193. 1 sheet. January 19, 1980. _______. “Property Surveys-Adjacent, 2 Hospital Street, Christiansted, St. Croix.” P. 2609. 399/129,194. 1 sheet. 1969(?). _______. “Boundary Survey No. 1A and 2A, Hospital Street, Town of Christiansted, Company Quarter, St. Croix, United States Virgin Islands.” P. 2002. 399/129,205. November 25, 2002. _______. Draft “Landscape Rehabilitation, Christiansted National Historic Site.” 399,129,207. 1 sheet. September 1997. Presentations South, Inc. Drawings for interpretive panels and signage, Scalehouse. 399/128,025. 3 sheets. February 29, 1984. Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Archival Images 1756 Map of St. Croix and Christiansted showing Fort Christiansvaern facing the channel approach to the town, Protestant Cay, and the extent of coral reef north of the island limiting navigation. (Danish Royal Library dk00925) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory 1779 Oxholm Rigsarkivet map of Christiansted showing Fort Christiansvaern, and the other buildings associated with Christiansted National Historic Site. 1839 view toward Fort Christiansvaern and Christiansted beyond from the water. (CHRI archives, Alv-28, SERO 2016 drawer 2 – to be processed) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory 1879 sketch showing the arrival of Prince Valdemar of Denmark to Christiansted, with the Scale House to the left. Fort Christiansvaern Circa 1900 view of Danish military in the fort. (CHRI archives) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Circa 1900 view of Danish military in the fort. (Danish National Museum DNT-13033) Post-1916 hurricane view of the fort. (CHRI archives) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory 1917 transfer day of Danish military to the United States (Danish National Museum DNT-12850) Mid-twentieth-century view of the fort interior. (CHRI archives) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory NPS entrance to the fort. (CHRI archives) NPS interpretation at the fort. (CHRI archives) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Park features outside the fort. (CHRI archives) Commerce View of a Christiansted wharf scene with sugar being loaded onto a barge, undated. (CHRI archives) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory View of fishing boats in the lagoon near the fort, undated. (CHRI archives) View of the fish market east of the fort with Gallows Bay beyond, undated. (CHRI archives) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Danish West India and Guinea Company Warehouse View along Hospital Street with the warehouse to the right and customs house to the left, undated. (Danish National Museum DNT-11961) Steeple Building View of the Steeple Building being used as a school, undated. (CHRI archives) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Views to the Steeple Building, undated, prior to reconstruction in the 1960s. (CHRI archives) View of the Steeple Building reconstruction, 1960s. (CHRI archives) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Post card view of the Steeple Building, post-reconstruction. (CHRI archives) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Danish Customs House Plan of the Danish Customs House. (CHRI archives) View of troops drilling on the parade in front of the Danish Customs House, 1916. (CHRI archives) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory View toward the customs house and the warehouse beyond, undated. (Danish National Museum DNT-6364_0171) View of the grand staircase entry into the customs house with an ornate metal lantern at the base, undated. (CHRI archives) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory View of the customs house, undated. (CHRI archives) Bird’s-eye view of the fort and customs house with a former road, park, and several parking areas present, undated. (CHRI archives) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory View of the principal façade of the customs house, undated. (CHRI archives) Side views of the customs house, undated. (CHRI archives) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory Scale House View toward the Scale House, undated. (Danish National Museum DNT-25265) 1932 view of parade with the Scale House beyond, undated. (CHRI archives) Christiansted National Historic Site Cultural Landscape Inventory 1950s view toward the harbor past the Scale House. (CHRI archives) 1950s view toward the Scale House. (CHRI archives)