NR: Frederiksted Historic District
- St Paul’s Anglican Church
- Customs House
- The Old Hospital
- The Old Cargo Crane
- Athalie McFarlane Petersen Library
The Frederiksted Historic District was initially planned in 1751 by Jens M. Beck as a gridiron layout with two similar sections divided by a lagoon and a proposed fort. However, only the southern part was developed initially. In 1767, an additional double tier of blocks was added, and in 1875, a single block wide, five-block long tier was included on the eastern boundary. The town’s layout and boundaries have mostly remained unchanged, except for the addition of two blocks to the southeast corner in 1875.
The grid layout runs on a north-south axis parallel to the harbor, with the fort and customs house located in the northeast section. The town’s architectural style was influenced by a building code from 1747 that mandated all construction to be at the sidewalk line, regulated building materials, and controlled side yards. This resulted in low hipped roof structures, predominantly made of masonry, facing the sidewalks, with many featuring arcaded walkways at ground level. The government’s ownership of the seaward side of Strandgade adds to Frederiksted’s distinctive character.
Development of the town was slow initially, with only two additional houses constructed by 1755 besides Frederiksfort. However, by 1780, the upper section of the town had flourished, with new buildings mainly on King and Queen Streets, followed by development along the Strand. Churches were built in the northeast quadrant in the early 19th century, while the southern area remained largely undeveloped until after Emancipation in 1848.
Frederiksted has faced periodic damage from hurricanes, with significant water damage to the Strand area from a tidal wave in 1867. The Labor Riots of 1878 led to the burning of the four-block business area in the northeast, which was promptly rebuilt with ornate Victorian details. The Historic District can be categorized into three functional zones: commercial in the northeast, institutional along the eastern edge, and residential south of Hill Street. Commercial structures are mostly retail and office spaces, while institutional buildings include churches and schools. Residential buildings vary in condition, with few arcades and galleries in the institutional zone.
The residential area spans five blocks from Hill Street to Fisher Street, with two additional blocks in the southeast corner. It comprises low-density residential buildings with scattered convenience stores. The structures are made of rubble masonry, frame, or a combination of both, featuring hip roofs as the predominant form. Building heights are evenly split between one and two-story structures, with many of the latter having projecting galleries. Some buildings are dilapidated, while others are well-maintained. The Frederiksted Historic District is bordered by recreation fields and open space to the north, undeveloped space and a cemetery to the east, and new low-density residential construction and public areas to the south.