Territory history engine
Explore defining events and the complete recorded governance chronology in one connected timeline, then move directly into maps, historic places, and the Heritage Guide.
23
Events
115
Administrations
138
Records
500
Historical event
Date
Before 1492
Generations of Indigenous Caribbean peoples built communities, trade networks, farms, fisheries, and ceremonial landscapes across the islands long before European colonization.
1493
Historical event
Date
1493
Christopher Columbus's second voyage brought the islands into European imperial records and began centuries of competing colonial claims.
1665
Administration
Date
1665-05-06 – 1666-06-12
Governor of St. Thomas, serving 1665-05-06 to 1666-06-12.
1666
Administration
Date
1666-06-16 – 1667
Acting Governor of St. Thomas, serving 1666-06-16 to 1667.
1667
Administration
Date
1667 – 1668
Acting Governor of St. Thomas, serving 1667 to 1668.
1672
Historical event
Date
1672
The Danish West India and Guinea Company established a lasting settlement on St. Thomas, centered on Charlotte Amalie and an expanding plantation economy.
1672
Administration
Date
1672-05-25 – 1680-07-05
Governor of St. Thomas, serving 1672-05-25 to 1680-07-05.
1680
Administration
Date
1680-07-05 – 1682-11
Governor of St. Thomas, serving 1680-07-05 to 1682-11.
1682
Administration
Date
1682-11 – 1684-05-07
Governor of St. Thomas, serving 1682-11 to 1684-05-07.
1684
Administration
Date
1684-05-07 – 1686-02-27
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John, serving 1684-05-07 to 1686-02-27.
1686
Administration
Date
1686-06-29 – 1687-03
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John, serving 1686-06-29 to 1687-03.
1686
Administration
Date
1686-02-27 – 1686-06-29
Interim Governor of St. Thomas and St. John, serving 1686-02-27 to 1686-06-29.
1687
Administration
Date
1687-03 – 1688-10
Interim Governor of St. Thomas and St. John, serving 1687-03 to 1688-10.
1688
Administration
Date
1688-10 – 1689-10
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John, serving 1688-10 to 1689-10.
1689
Administration
Date
1689-10 – 1692-09-17
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John, serving 1689-10 to 1692-09-17.
1692
Administration
Date
1692-09-17 – 1693-04-07
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John, serving 1692-09-17 to 1693-04-07.
1693
Administration
Date
1693-04-07 – 1702-02-19
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John, serving 1693-04-07 to 1702-02-19.
1702
Administration
Date
1702-02-19 – 1706-02-08
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John, serving 1702-02-19 to 1706-02-08.
1706
Administration
Date
1706-02-08 – 1708-12-21
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John, serving 1706-02-08 to 1708-12-21.
1708
Administration
Date
1708-12-21 – 1710
Interim Governor of St. Thomas and St. John, serving 1708-12-21 to 1710.
1710
Administration
Date
1710 – 1716-08-08
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John, serving 1710 to 1716-08-08.
1716
Administration
Date
1716-08-08 – 1724-04
St. John was occupied during his administration in 1718.
1718
Historical event
Date
1718
Danish control extended to St. John, where plantation estates transformed the island's land, labor, and settlement patterns.
1724
Administration
Date
1724-04 – 1727-05
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John, serving 1724-04 to 1727-05.
1727
Administration
Date
1727-05 – 1733-02-21
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John, serving 1727-05 to 1733-02-21.
1733
Historical event
Date
1733
St. Croix became part of the Danish West Indies and developed into the territory's largest sugar-producing island.
1733
Historical event
Date
1733–1734
A major uprising challenged plantation rule on St. John and remains one of the most important acts of resistance in Virgin Islands history.
1733
Administration
Date
1733-02-21 – 1736-02-21
The 1733 St. John revolt occurred during his administration.
1735
Administration
Date
1735 – 1736
Governor of St. Croix, serving 1735 to 1736.
1736
Administration
Date
1736-02-21 – 1744-04-13
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John, serving 1736-02-21 to 1744-04-13.
1736
Administration
Date
1736 – 1744
Interim Governor of St. Croix, serving 1736 to 1744.
1740
Administration
Date
1740 – 1744
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John, serving 1740 to 1744.
1744
Administration
Date
1744-04-13 – 1747-04-25
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John, serving 1744-04-13 to 1747-04-25.
1744
Administration
Date
1744 – 1747
Interim Governor of St. Croix, serving 1744 to 1747.
1747
Administration
Date
1747-04-25 – 1758
Governor of St. Thomas and St. John, serving 1747-04-25 to 1758.
1747
Administration
Date
1747 – 1751
Governor of St. Croix, serving 1747 to 1751.
1751
Administration
Date
1751 – 1755
Governor of St. Croix, serving 1751 to 1755.
1755
Administration
Date
1755 – 1766
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1755 to 1766.
1755
Historical event
Date
1755
Administration passed from the chartered company to the Danish Crown, reshaping government across the Danish West Indies.
1764
Historical event
Date
1764
Free-port status strengthened Charlotte Amalie's role as a major Caribbean trading center and drew merchants from across the Atlantic world.
1766
Administration
Date
1766 – 1770
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1766 to 1770.
1770
Administration
Date
1770 – 1772
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1770 to 1772.
1772
Administration
Date
1772 – 1773
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1772 to 1773.
1773
Administration
Date
1773 – 1773
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1773 to 1773.
1773
Administration
Date
1773 – 1784
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1773 to 1784.
1784
Administration
Date
1784 – 1787
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1784 to 1787.
1787
Administration
Date
1787 – 1794
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1787 to 1794.
1794
Administration
Date
1794 – 1796
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1794 to 1796.
1796
Administration
Date
1796 – 1798
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1796 to 1798.
1798
Administration
Date
1798 – 1801
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1798 to 1801.
1801
Historical event
Date
1801–1802
Britain occupied the Danish West Indies during the Napoleonic era before returning the islands to Denmark.
1801
Administration
Date
1801 – 1802
British Governor during occupation, serving 1801 to 1802.
1802
Administration
Date
1802 – 1807
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1802 to 1807.
1802
Administration
Date
1802 – 1803
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1802 to 1803.
1807
Administration
Date
1807 – 1807
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1807 to 1807.
1807
Administration
Date
1807 – 1808
British Governor during occupation, serving 1807 to 1808.
1807
Historical event
Date
1807–1815
A longer British occupation placed the islands under wartime administration until the end of the Napoleonic conflicts.
1808
Administration
Date
1808 – 1812
British Governor during occupation, serving 1808 to 1812.
1812
Administration
Date
1812 – 1813
Acting British Governor during occupation, serving 1812 to 1813.
1813
Administration
Date
1813 – 1815
British Governor during occupation, serving 1813 to 1815.
1815
Administration
Date
1815 – 1816
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1815 to 1816.
1816
Administration
Date
1816 – 1819
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1816 to 1819.
1816
Administration
Date
1816 – 1816
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1816 to 1816.
1819
Administration
Date
1819 – 1820
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1819 to 1820.
1820
Administration
Date
1820 – 1822
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1820 to 1822.
1822
Administration
Date
1822 – 1827
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1822 to 1827.
1827
Administration
Date
1827 – 1831
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1827 to 1831.
1831
Administration
Date
1831 – 1832
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1831 to 1832.
1832
Administration
Date
1832 – 1834
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1832 to 1834.
1834
Administration
Date
1834 – 1836
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1834 to 1836.
1836
Administration
Date
1836 – 1848-07-06
Proclaimed emancipation on July 3, 1848.
1848
Historical event
Date
July 3, 1848
Following mass action by enslaved people in Frederiksted, Governor-General Peter von Scholten proclaimed emancipation throughout the Danish West Indies.
1848
Administration
Date
1848 – 1848
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1848 to 1848.
1848
Administration
Date
1848 – 1851
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1848 to 1851.
1851
Administration
Date
1851 – 1855
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1851 to 1855.
1855
Administration
Date
1855 – 1861
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1855 to 1861.
1861
Administration
Date
1861 – 1871
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1861 to 1871.
1871
Administration
Date
1871 – 1872
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1871 to 1872.
1871
Administration
Date
1871 – 1871
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1871 to 1871.
1872
Administration
Date
1872 – 1876
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1872 to 1876.
1872
Administration
Date
1872 – 1872
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1872 to 1872.
1876
Administration
Date
1876 – 1876
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1876 to 1876.
1876
Administration
Date
1876 – 1881
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1876 to 1881.
1878
Historical event
Date
1878
Workers led a major uprising against oppressive post-emancipation labor conditions, with Queen Mary, Queen Agnes, Queen Mathilda, and Queen Susanna becoming enduring symbols of resistance.
1881
Administration
Date
1881 – 1884
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1881 to 1884.
1884
Administration
Date
1884 – 1885
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1884 to 1885.
1885
Administration
Date
1885 – 1888
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1885 to 1888.
1888
Administration
Date
1888 – 1889
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1888 to 1889.
1889
Administration
Date
1889 – 1893
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1889 to 1893.
1893
Administration
Date
1893 – 1903
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1893 to 1903.
1903
Administration
Date
1903 – 1904
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1903 to 1904.
1904
Administration
Date
1904 – 1905
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1904 to 1905.
1905
Administration
Date
1905 – 1908
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1905 to 1908.
1908
Administration
Date
1908 – 1911
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1908 to 1911.
1911
Administration
Date
1911 – 1915
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1911 to 1915.
1915
Administration
Date
1915 – 1916
Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1915 to 1916.
1915
Administration
Date
1915 – 1915
Acting Governor-General of the Danish West Indies, serving 1915 to 1915.
1916
Administration
Date
1916 – 1917-03-31
Last Danish governor at Transfer.
1916
Administration
Date
1916-12 – 1917-03-31
Assisted with the transfer to U.S. sovereignty.
1917
Administration
Date
1917-03-31 – 1917-04-20
Acting Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1917-03-31 to 1917-04-20.
1917
Administration
Date
1917-04-20 – 1919-04-08
Naval Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1917-04-20 to 1919-04-08.
1917
Historical event
Date
March 31, 1917
The United States formally took possession of the former Danish West Indies, beginning the U.S. naval administration period.
1919
Administration
Date
1919-04-08 – 1921-04-26
Naval Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1919-04-08 to 1921-04-26.
1921
Administration
Date
1921-04-26 – 1922-09-16
Naval Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1921-04-26 to 1922-09-16.
1922
Administration
Date
1922-09-16 – 1923-12-03
Naval Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1922-09-16 to 1923-12-03.
1923
Administration
Date
1923-12-03 – 1925-09-11
Naval Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1923-12-03 to 1925-09-11.
1925
Administration
Date
1925-09-12 – 1927-01-06
Naval Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1925-09-12 to 1927-01-06.
1927
Historical event
Date
1927
Federal legislation granted United States citizenship to most residents of the Virgin Islands.
1927
Administration
Date
1927-01-19 – 1931-03-18
Naval Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1927-01-19 to 1931-03-18.
1931
Historical event
Date
1931
Responsibility for governing the islands moved from the U.S. Navy to the Department of the Interior.
1931
Administration
Date
1931-03-18 – 1935-07-23
Appointed Civilian Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1931-03-18 to 1935-07-23.
1935
Administration
Date
1935-08-21 – 1940-12-14
Appointed Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1935-08-21 to 1940-12-14.
1936
Historical event
Date
1936
The Organic Act of 1936 expanded local governmental institutions and created a new framework for territorial administration.
1941
Administration
Date
1941-02-03 – 1946-05-17
Appointed Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1941-02-03 to 1946-05-17.
1946
Administration
Date
1946-05-17 – 1949-10-21
First Black governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands.
1949
Administration
Date
1949-10-21 – 1954-04-09
First native-born Virgin Islander to serve as governor.
1954
Administration
Date
1954-04-09 – 1955-08-18
Appointed Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1954-04-09 to 1955-08-18.
1954
Historical event
Date
1954
The Revised Organic Act reorganized the executive, legislative, and judicial structure of the Virgin Islands government.
1955
Administration
Date
1955-10-17 – 1958-09-25
Appointed Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1955-10-17 to 1958-09-25.
1958
Administration
Date
1958-09-25 – 1961-04-05
Appointed Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1958-09-25 to 1961-04-05.
1961
Administration
Date
1961-04-05 – 1969-02-12
Appointed Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1961-04-05 to 1969-02-12.
1968
Historical event
Date
1968
Congress authorized Virgin Islanders to elect their own governor and lieutenant governor rather than receive presidential appointments.
1969
Administration
Date
1969-02-12 – 1969-07-01
Acting Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1969-02-12 to 1969-07-01.
1969
Administration
Date
1969-07-01 – 1971-01-04
Appointed Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1969-07-01 to 1971-01-04.
1970
Historical event
Date
1970–1971
Melvin H. Evans won the first popular gubernatorial election and took office in January 1971.
1971
Administration
Date
1971-01-04 – 1975-01-06
Won the first popular gubernatorial election held November 3, 1970.
1975
Administration
Date
1975-01-06 – 1978-01-02
Died in office; Lieutenant Governor Juan F. Luis succeeded him.
1978
Administration
Date
1978-01-02 – 1987-01-05
3rd Elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1978-01-02 to 1987-01-05.
1987
Administration
Date
1987-01-05 – 1995-01-02
4th Elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1987-01-05 to 1995-01-02.
1989
Historical event
Date
1989
Hurricane Hugo caused catastrophic destruction, especially on St. Croix, and reshaped housing, infrastructure, and disaster planning.
1995
Historical event
Date
1995
Hurricane Marilyn caused widespread damage, particularly on St. Thomas, and renewed debates over resilience and rebuilding.
1995
Administration
Date
1995-01-02 – 1999-01-04
5th Elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1995-01-02 to 1999-01-04.
1999
Administration
Date
1999-01-04 – 2007-01-01
6th Elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 1999-01-04 to 2007-01-01.
2007
Administration
Date
2007-01-01 – 2015-01-05
7th Elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 2007-01-01 to 2015-01-05.
2015
Administration
Date
2015-01-05 – 2019-01-07
8th Elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 2015-01-05 to 2019-01-07.
2017
Historical event
Date
September 2017
Two Category 5 hurricanes struck within weeks, causing territory-wide destruction and launching a long rebuilding and resilience effort.
2017
Historical event
Date
2017
Public programs and historical reflection marked one hundred years since the 1917 transfer from Denmark to the United States.
2019
Administration
Date
2019-01-07 – present
9th Elected Governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands, serving 2019-01-07 to present.