Endangered National Historic Landmark

Salt River Bay

Endangered National Historic Landmark

First Two Centuries of the Contact Period
17^th Century Wreck - Possible Pirate Ship
Early Port - Prehistoric/Contact Period

Significant destruction and degradation have been ongoing and are a current threat to the site. Clearly, it is urgent that active management and interpretation be instituted for the Salt River Bay NHL in St. Croix. It is a world-class site.

Columbus Landing Site

The bay since the 1960s has been named the "Columbus Landing Site." This is something of a misnomer since Columbus himself did not land but rather stayed on board ship while his men went ashore on 14 November, 1493. Their meeting with the aboriginals from a major settlement on the west side of the bay resulted in the first documented site of violent conflict between Europeans and Indians now on United States soil. In the process Taino slaves were freed from their Carib captors. Columbus the liberator, imagine That!

Salt River is the first of only two Columbus-associated sites now on U.S. soil.

History of Salt River Bay
From 1641 until 1665, Salt River Bay was the main port for the island of St. Croix. The fort established is the oldest surviving earthwork fort on US soil. It was occupied by Dutch, English, Spanish, and French colonists in the 17^th century. The French referred to the fort as "Fort Flamand" and later "Fort Sale." The list of superlatives goes on. The incised stone ball court of the prehistoric and contact period aboriginal site co-located with the fort is rare if not unique on US soil. It is the easternmost known ball court of the West Indies although is was not mentioned in the eyewitness accounts from 1493 and may have fallen into disuse by that time. This bay was probably an entry point for the prehistoric trade routes to the island.

National Historic Landmark
Salt River Bay has been a National Historic Landmark (NHL) since 1960, with a five acre boundary approved in 1980. Congress in 1992 authorized the establishment of a National Park Unit to include the whole Salt River Bay and neighboring seabed out to the 300 ft. depth contour. The Atlanta office of the National Park Service has developed a new Salt River Bay NHL study with an expanded boundary and enhanced statement of significance. The new NHL boundary includes the land around the bay containing cultural properties and the underwater lands in the bay itself. The landward boundary is generally near the bay shore and does not extend far into the island proper.
	Boulders had been placed across the dirt road to block the entrance to the roads around the fort, but some were moved aside by park goers. You can see the earthworks fort in the background.

Archaeological Potential
A reconnaissance survey of the Bay and surrounding terrestrial areas was conducted by J. Barto Arnold III of the Institute of Nautical Archaeology in March of 2001. He concluded that Salt River Bay would be an excellent site for an INA excavation. The historic context on land, including ruins of large plantations that are visible but have not been recorded, as well as the potential for sites within the bay could lead to a joint underwater/terrestrial project. The area is small and manageable. A dive shop located within the NHL boundaries greatly facilitates the needs of an underwater excavation.
	Marina on Salt River Bay just 5-10 min. by boat from mouth of the bay and one of the Caribbean's premier dive sites, the vertical-sided canyon leading from bay through coral to deeper water. This dive site is located within the NHL and is an important natural and tourism resource.