top of page
News Articles
The Rules of the Road: A History of Left and Right-Hand Driving in the US Virgin Islands
John F. McKeon My wife and I recently spent the past month driving through Ireland, England and Scotland. The road traffic system is predicated on driving in the left lane. As a long time resident of St. Croix for the past fifteen years I believed that I was well at ease with these conditions. I could not have been more wrong. The steering wheel was on the right hand side of the vehicle rather than the left. I was able to adapt but I came to the conclusion that my use of a l
Altered States: The US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico
John F. McKeon ' In the early 20th century, America was flexing its economic and political muscle on the international stage. Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries America’s rise as a dominant power in the Caribbean involved a gradual shift from indirect economic influence to overt military and political control. This shift was motivated by strategic interests, economic expansion, and imperial ambitions, the US supplanted declining European colonial powers and es
The First ‘Crucian' at Yale
John F. McKeon ' A few weeks ago I visited Yale University. My wife and I were spending the weekend in the sleepy town of Trumbull,...
The Birth of the ‘Puerto-Crucian’
John F. McKeon Across the millennia St. Croix and Puerto Rico have served as twin beacons to e a c h o t h e r a n d h a v e engaged in...
The Difficult Search for History in The Virgin Islands
John F. McKeon In March of 2021, at the tail end of the Covid epidemic, I returned with my wife to St. Croix. We were returning from...
St. Croix and the Knights of Malta
John F. McKeon The history of St. Croix, the largest of the US. Virgin Islands, is rich and complex. Its multi-cultural influences span...
A History of Ice in the Tropics
John F. McKeon Ice harvesting at Spy Pond, Arlington, Massachusetts, 1852, showing the railroad line in the background, used to...
The Moravians in the Danish West Indies
John F. McKeon The Moravian Church has had a presence in the Virgin Islands that spans centuries, and has an interwoven history with the...
The Blinding Reality of Modern Headlights:
John F. McKeon This article will explore the reasons behind the rise in blinding headlights, their potential impact on road safety, and...
How the Creole Language Developed
John F. McKeon Imagine a room full of people, each speaking a different language and needing to complete a task. How would these...
Abraham Lincoln, Denmark and the Island of St. Croix
John F. McKeon Abraham Lincoln, who is lauded for his role in ending slavery, at one time advocated the colonization of African...
Puerto Rico and Spain: Back to the Future?
John F. McKeon (Photo:Flag of Spanish Puerto Rico) Puerto Rico is a “country” within a country, with its own traditions, culture and...
bottom of page