Fort Frederik

Fort Frederik is an historical site on St. Croix, located on the waterfront in the historical district of Frederiksted. Getting there from Frederiksted is very easy. It’s literally just a six-minute walk north from downtown or a two-minute drive up King Street. You’ll know you’ve arrived when you see the vibrant red-painted walls lining the fort, street-side.

Fort Frederick is a must-see attraction on St. Croix. Whether or not you’re currently a history aficionado, a visit to this fort will excite your sense of history. It was originally built to defend the island against pirates and protect the port of Frederiksted. Now, it’s an ideal place to bring the entire family or a date, for a day out.

After touring Fort Frederick, bring the kids to the play park across the street, called Midre Cummings Recreational & Youth Facility. Named after a famous baseball player, the park has room to run, playground equipment and shaded areas.

Next door to Fort Frederik is Emancipation Park, where you and the family can stroll down paved pathways, sit on benches and meander around the bandstand.

History

Fort Frederik, sometimes called Fort Frederiksted or Frederiksport, was built in the mid-1700’s to protect Danish economic interests. Cannons are strategically placed to lay waste to ships in the deep waters of Frederiksted port that tried to escape without paying duties, prevent smuggling and to secure the settlement of Frederiksted against invasion by pirates.

Prior to the weaponization of Fort Frederik with cannons, Frederiksted colonists had identified the port as a vulnerable spot on the shores of St. Croix and set up a modest fortification. When the Danish bought St. Croix from the French in 1733, they added the cannons and more buildings. Notably, the town of Frederiksted is named after the Danish King, Frederik V.

The Danish completed construction of Fort Frederiksted in 1760, and that date is emblazoned on the front of the main building. Over the years, Fort Frederik has been utilized as a series of municipal centers, including a jail, fire department, police station, court, library and even a telephone exchange. It was vacated in 1973, subsequently restored, and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1996 and named an Historic Landmark in 1997.

Now the buildings and grounds of Fort Frederik serve as an important center of the Frederiksted Historical District, and as a learning and historical awareness center for residents and tourists.

Self-Guided Tours

Self-guided tours of Fort Frederik are available from Monday through Friday between the hours of 8:30 AM and 4 PM and on Saturdays between 1 PM and 4 PM. Be prepared to spend about an hour here. Comfortable, closed-toe walking shoes are recommended for this tour, as there are a number of stairs to climb, and the brick pavement outside the buildings is uneven in places. There is also considerable walking on the expansive grass-covered grounds as you tour the cannon area.

During your tour, you’ll learn in-depth information about two important events that Fort Frederik played a part in, with the final outcome of ending slavery and the contract labor system. You’ll also learn about the construction of the fort, as well as the history of the island under Danish ownership. Fort Frederik is also home to a rotating exhibition of art, which makes this a fine attraction for those who are interested in admiring the talents of the many local artists on the island.

On the Property

If arriving by car, there’s a large, free parking lot across the road from the fort, on the other side of the kids’ recreational park.

You’ll enter the property past the outer walls and onto a large, enclosed brick-paved courtyard. The main building is two-stories, with stairs leading up from both sides. Make sure you climb up because the views from there are stunning.

On the side is another building where the soldiers were quartered. On the opposite side is a building where horses were kept.

Outside, you can walk along the water and see how imposing the fort looks from the front. The bright red facade would have been impossible to miss from the far reaches of the port.

Exhibits

Most of the exhibits at Fort Frederik are accompanied by plaques with brief histories and explanations of what you’re viewing. There’s a very cool bedroom where, presumably, the general of the fort would have stayed. You can actually go right inside and touch the exhibits, but it’s not recommended to do so.

There’s a reproduction of a check for $25 million in gold that was exchanged when the U.S. took ownership of St. Croix. A museum housing portraits of generals and other important figures of the times is fully accessible to visitors, as are the rest of the grounds.

What's Nearby

Downtown Frederiksted is full of some of St. Croix's top restaurants and activities. Many snorkelers even believe that Frederiksted Pier is the best place to see wildlife in the water - we got to see seahorses and get up close and personal with a few turtles!

If you visit in the morning, we highly recommend stopping for breakfast at Polly's on the Pier, just down the street from this historic site.