Emancipation Garden

The gazebo in the Emancipation Garden on St Thomas is the site for concerts and government ceremonies.

Emancipation Garden is a park in Saint Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

The park was built to commemorate the freeing of the slaves which took place on July 3, 1848.[1] A commemorative plaque, a bronze bust of a freed slave blowing a conch shell, and a replica of the Liberty Bell are featured.[2] The park was also ringed with a fence of old ships' anchor chain and cannons recovered from the harbor.

The park is surrounded by historical buildings, including the Emancipation Garden Post Office[3] and Government House.[4] Official government ceremonies are frequently held here.[5][6]

Emancipation Garden, a bronze bust of a freed slave blowing a conch shell
A view of Emancipation Garden

The trees shading the park are lignum vitae, one of the hardest and slowest growing trees on earth, and commonly used in colonial times as foundation posts for island buildings.

The gazebo hosts concerts and other activities throughout the year, including a free concert by Jimmy Cliff in 1980.

References

  • JOY BLACKBURN and GENEVIEVE RYAN, Daily News Staff. "Events mark Emancipation Day in Virgin Islands". Archived from the original on 2014-04-23.
  • Administrator. "Lt. Governor Gregory R. Francis Participates in Launch of Virgin Islands Quarter - United States Virgin Islands :: Office of the Lieutenant Governor :: Osbert E. Potter".
  • Lonely Planet (7 December 2015). "Emancipation Garden". Lonely Planet.
  1. ^ WM Cobb (September 1988). "Two eventful years in history: 1543 and 1948". Journal of the National Medical Association. 80 (9): 1031–1032. PMC 2625852. PMID 3071611. On July 3, 1948, the Centennial of the Emancipation of Slaves in the Virgin Islands* was celebrated by President Harry S. Truman with Governor William H. Hastie in Emancipation Garden.
  2. ^ "Fun Facts".
  3. ^ "St. Thomas Parks, Reserves and Historic Places". Virgin Islands Now.
  4. ^ Guides, Fodor's Travel (20 August 2013). Fodor's U.S. & British Virgin Islands. ISBN 9780770432447.
  5. ^ "15 Senators Sworn In during public ceremony in USVI".
  6. ^ Morris, Molly. "Christmas Comes to Emancipation Garden". St. John Source. 17 December 2011.

18°20′28″N 64°55′49″W / 18.3412°N 64.9303°W / 18.3412; -64.9303