Charlotte Amalie West (Danish: Charlotte Amalie Vest) is a census-designated place (CDP) in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands on the west side of the island. It is the third largest town or census-designated place (CDP) in the U.S. Virgin Islands (after Charlotte Amalie and Anna's Retreat). Together with the historical town of Charlotte Amalie and the census-designated place (CDP) Charlotte Amalie East, Charlotte Amalie West make up the subdistrict and "the City" of Charlotte Amalie[3]
Charlotte Amalie West
Charlotte Amalie Vest (Danish) | |
|---|---|
 | |
  Charlotte Amalie West Location within the United States Virgin Islands | |
| Coordinates: 18°21′N 64°57′W / 18.350°N 64.950°W | |
| Country |  United States |
| Territory |  U.S. Virgin Islands |
| Administrative District | Saint Thomas-Saint John |
| Island (Census District) | Saint Thomas |
| Subdistrict(s) | Charlotte Amalie, Northside |
| Elevation | 3 m (10 ft) |
| Population (2020)[2] | |
• Total | 4,404 |
| ZIP code | 00802, 00803 |
| Area code | 340 |
| Highways and Routes |  
 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2414008[1] |
Charlotte Amalie West is the transportation and industrial area of the island of St. Thomas. Within Charlotte Amalie West is one of the two airports in the US Virgin Islands, the Crown Bay Ports, Crown Bay marina, a marine drydock, the VITRAN (Virgin Island Public Transit) bus depot, ferry docks for surrounding islands, and Randolph Harley Power Plant operated by the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA) for the St. Thomas-St. John district.
History
edit
During the Danish colonial period, much of the land in Charlotte Amalie West was used for plantation agriculture, particularly sugarcane and cotton. Estates with names like Estate Niesky, Estate Contant, Estate Altona were spread across this area. It remained relatively undeveloped compared to the bustling harbor town of Charlotte Amalie to the east.
Early 20th Century: As urbanization slowly expanded outward from the town center, some residential and institutional developments began appearing further west into this area. However, much of Charlotte Amalie West remained characterized by farmland, hillsides, and estate remnants.
World War I to 1931: The US Navy established their first presence in the territory. Initially, the U.S. Navy administered the territory. During this early period, a small naval station was established in Charlotte Amalie West, primarily focused on submarine support.[4]
1935 through World War II: Additional parts of the Charlotte Amalie West area was absorbed into U.S. military planning.
- In 1935 the US government toke over an airstrip and repurposed it as a military air station. They renamed the airstrip Bourne Field.
- In 1939 the US Navy began the construction of a submarine base in Charlotte Amalie West. In addition to this base, a "bombproof powerhouse (four 750 KW diesel generators) and laundry was also created to power the military facilities and clean clothes. [5]
- In 1940 the U.S. Navy operated a hospital in Charlotte Amalie West.[5]
- On March 4, 1943, Bourne Field was merged with the nearby naval facilities and redesignated as the Navy Operating Base, St. Thomas. This consolidation aimed to streamline operations and enhance coordination among various military activities on the island.
- On July 1, 1944, the base was further redesignated as Marine Corps Air Station St. Thomas. This expansion included the integration of a seaplane base at Lindbergh Bay, enhancing the island's capabilities for aerial operations and surveillance.
Post-War Expansion (1950s–1980s): Following the war, as the Virgin Islands became more integrated under U.S. governance, population growth and modernization led to expansion westward from downtown Charlotte Amalie. Housing developments, public schools, and commercial zones emerged. Infrastructure such as roads and utilities improved dramatically in this period.
Present Day: Today, Charlotte Amalie West represents the further expansion of the original settlement. Many of the military facilities were turned over to the territorial government and repurposed for civilian use.
- Bourne Field is now the Cyril E. King Airport
- The Naval Submarine Base is now in the location of the Crown Bay Cruise Port, Crown Bay Marina and Crown Bay Cargo Container Port.
- The University of the Virgin Islands Orville Kean Campus is now occupies the officer quarters for the Navy and Marine Corps.
- The old Naval power plant has been replaced by the Randolph Harley Power Plant, the primary power plant on St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. This facility is operated by the Virgin Islands Water and Power Authority (WAPA). It serves as a critical infrastructure component, providing electricity to the entire islands of St. Thomas, St. John and Water Island.
- The former Navy hospital is now part of the Lindbergh Bay Boutique Hotel[6]
Over time, this growing section of the island was administratively recognized as its own CDP around 1990, distinct from the historic downtown yet the grown of the original settlement of Charlotte Amalie the town. The CDP now includes schools, residential neighborhoods, and commercial zones.
Demographics
edit2020 Census
edit| Race / Ethnicity (NH = Non-Hispanic) | Pop 2020[7] | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|
| White alone (NH) | 176 | 4.00% |
| Black or African American alone (NH) | 3,020 | 68.57% |
| Native American or Alaska Native alone (NH) | 12 [8] | 0.27% |
| Asian alone (NH) | 47 [8] | 1.07% |
| Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander alone (NH) | 1 [8] | 0.02% |
| Other race alone (NH) | 33 | 0.75% |
| Mixed race or Multiracial (NH) | 111 | 2.52% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 1,004 | 22.80% |
| Total | 4,404 | 100.00% |
Transportation
editAirports
edit
Cyril E. King Airport (IATA: STT ICAO: TIST) is the busiest airport in the Virgin Islands archipelago and second busiest in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands archipelago behind only the Luis Muñoz Marín International Airport in Carolina, Puerto Rico for total passengers served per year. It offers regular nonstop service to destinations to Chicago, Houston, San Juan and along the east coast of the United States.
Cruise Ports
edit
Charlotte Amalie West also holds one of the two cruise ports in St. Thomas, the other being the West Indian Company (WICO) dock in Havensight of Charlotte Amalie East. The Crown Bay cruise port has space for 2 large cruise ships as well as on port shopping center.
Ferry Terminals
editWithin the Crown Bay Marina are docks for ferries going to both St. John and Water Island.
Public Transit
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The VITRAN (Virgin Island Public Transit) system is a comprehensive public transportation system serving the U.S. Virgin Islands. The system encompasses various modes of transportation, including buses, paratransit services and ferries. The buses and paratransit services are the only modes of transport that are available within the Charlotte Amalie West however.
Public Fixed Path Transit
editUnlike other comprehensive public transportation systems in US cities, VITRAN does not service the local airport or the local university. Only one VITRAN bus route serves the CDP of Charlotte Amalie West as others have been discontinued.[9] Below of the list of bus routes, current and past:
- VITRAN 101 - City/UVI [suspended],
- VITRAN 102 - City/Subbase/Airport [suspended],
- VITRAN 201 - Bordeaux.
Public Paratransit Service
editThe paratransit service provided by VITRAN is a specialized transportation system designed to serve individuals with disabilities who cannot access the regular fixed public transit services. This service adheres to the guidelines of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), ensuring accessible transportation for elderly, those with mobility issues and disabled residents and visitors. This VITRAN service include door-to-door or curb-to-curb transport and advanced reservation systems at half the price of the fixed path transist.
Alternative Fixed Path Transit
edit"Safaris", as they are called locally, are open air taxis mounted onto the back of a pickup truck.[10] Because VITRAN bus transit is not very efficient, some "safari" drivers operate on several VITRAN bus fixed paths. Some Safari drivers still run on the old VITRAN 101 route.
Highways and Major Roads
editIn the USVI, highways and major routes beginning with 3-4 are located on St. Thomas. Many of these highways and routes pass through or border the town of Charlotte Amalie. Some of the major highways and roads include:
- Highway 30 (VI 30) passes through Charlotte Amalie West as Veteran's Drive and Moravian Highway.
- Route/Highway 33 (VI 33) connects to Highway 30 as Crown Mountain Road.
- Route 302 (VI 302) connects to Highway 30 as Airport Road providing access to the Cyril E King Airport Main terminal.
- Route 303 (VI 303) connects to Highway 30 as the Contant Thruway.
- Route 304 (VI 304) connects to Highway 30 and Route 302. It passes though the Crown Bay area the Athniel C. "Addie" Ottley Drive and Sara Hill Road.
- Route 305 (VI 305) connects to Route 304 at both ends and provides access to the Crown Bay Cruise Port as Crown Bay Center Road.
- Route/Highway 308 (VI 308) connects to Highway 30 as Harwood Highway.
- Route 332 (VI 332) is a spur route of Highway 33. The road provides a link from Route 33 to Route 40, connecting two major north–south roads out of Charlotte Amalie in the mountains. Route 332 is Scott Free Road and Lower Solberg Road in the mountains.
Territorial Government
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Although Charlotte Amalie is the anchor town of "the city" of Charlotte Amalie (subdistrict), Charlotte Amalie West is home to the highest division of the judicial branch of the territory. The Supreme Court of the Virgin Islands is located in the Crown Bay area in Charlotte Amalie West. The Supreme Court assumed jurisdiction over all appeals from the Superior Court of the Virgin Islands, a trial level court, on January 29, 2007.
Education
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St. Thomas-St. John School District operates public schools.
Elementary Schools:
- Ulla F. Muller Elementary School
Parochial and Private Schools:
- Moravian School
Universities and Colleges: The University of the Virgin Islands, Orville E. Kean Campus, was founded in 1962. The University of the Virgin Islands provides higher education leading to associate's, bachelor's, master's and PhD degrees, with campuses on St. Thomas and St. Croix.
Sports
edit
Sports and Fitness Center
The University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) Buccaneers men's and Lady Buccaneers women's athletics teams since 2016 has participated in the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) college athletics association for colleges and universities in North America. This membership marked a significant step in expanding UVI's athletic program, allowing its teams to compete at a national level against other colleges and universities in various sports. On of July 1, 2023, UVI athletics took another big step and became a member of the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC), now the HBCU Athletic Conference (HBCUAC). The university currently competes in three sports, basketball, cross country, and track & field for both men and women.
The UVI men's and women's basketball teams play their home games at the Elridge Wilburn Blake Sports and Fitness Center on the UVI Orville E. Kean Campus. The facility is an indoor sporting arena with a capacity of 3,000 people (the largest on the island).[11]
The arena also serves as the host venue for the United States Virgin Islands Paradise Jam, an in-season college basketball exempt multiple-team event (MTE) tournament.[12]
Climate
edit| Climate data for Charlotte Amalie West | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 86 (30) |
86 (30) |
86 (30) |
88 (31) |
88 (31) |
90 (32) |
90 (32) |
91 (33) |
90 (32) |
90 (32) |
88 (31) |
86 (30) |
88 (31) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 72 (22) |
72 (22) |
72 (22) |
74 (23) |
76 (24) |
77 (25) |
78 (26) |
78 (26) |
77 (25) |
76 (24) |
75 (24) |
73 (23) |
75 (24) |
| Average precipitation inches (mm) | 1.89 (48) |
1.51 (38) |
1.52 (39) |
2.39 (61) |
3.36 (85) |
2.35 (60) |
2.42 (61) |
3.50 (89) |
5.34 (136) |
5.57 (141) |
5.28 (134) |
2.74 (70) |
37.87 (962) |
| Source: [13] | |||||||||||||
References
edit- ^ a b "Charlotte Amalie West Census Designated Place". Geographic Names Information System. United States Geological Survey, United States Department of the Interior.
- ^ "Table 1. Population of the United States Virgin Islands : 2010 and 2020" (PDF). United States Census Bureau. Retrieved November 25, 2024.
- ^ "United States Census Bureau" (PDF).
- ^ Olch, Isaiah (December 1933). "St. Thomas". Proceedings Magazine. United States Naval Institute. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
- ^ a b "Military History". Virgin Islands History & Culture Archive. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
- ^ Staff (13 March 2019). "U.S. Virgin Islands History Month: Lindbergh Bay Hotel Was A Former U.S. Navy Hospital In St. Thomas". Virgin Islands Free Press. Retrieved 10 May 2025.
- ^ "DP1 2020: DECIA U.S. Virgin Islands Demographic Profile – Charlotte Amalie West CDP, U.S. Virgin Islands". United States Census Bureau.
- ^ a b c NOTE: The categories for Native American, Asian, and Native Hawaiian did not break out whether they were Hispanic or not so their may be some double-counting with the Hispanic category. The difference is included in some other race.
- ^ "VITRAN Routes". dpw.vi.gov. Retrieved 2025-01-10.
- ^ "Transportation around the island". At Home in The Tropics. February 12, 2020. Retrieved March 13, 2024.
- ^ University of the Virgin Islands | Facilities at uvi.edu, URL accessed January 12, 2001.
- ^ U. S. Virgin Islands Paradise Jam at basketballtravelers.com, URL accessed November 21, 2024.
- ^ "Monthly Averages for Saint Thomas, VI (00801)". The Weather Channel. Archived from the original on 2010-12-03. Retrieved May 13, 2009.