A new DVD bringing engaging and historically informative walking tours of Christiansted and Frederiksted to video will premiere Wednesday evening at the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts.
The DVD is hosted by Sen. Wayne James, an historian with an extensive body of original research on the U.S. Virgin Islands. The video tour, entitled "The Heritage and Architecture of St. Croix: A CHANT Walking Tour," includes brief historical facts about St. Croix and the Virgin Islands.
The Crucian Heritage and Nature Tourism organization (CHANT), V.I. Council on the Humanities, and the Department of Tourism worked with award-winning director Cathy Mae Sitaram of Sitaram Film Group to produce an historically accurate tour of the two historic towns.
Viewers will wind their way through the wide avenues of Frederiksted and the narrower alleyways of Christiansted, looking at important architectural design elements of historic buildings, like St. Patrick’s Church, the Old Danish School and Fort Christiansvaern.
Viewers can also ponder the Danish Colonial and African influences on the structures’ architecture, peek into the history of families who own and occupy the buildings, and explore their historic uses.
The DVD is the culmination of two-and-a-half years of work, according to Frandelle George, CHANT’s executive director.
“It is our hope that this film will be a keepsake for travelers, a teaching tool, and a must-have in everyone’s film library,” George said in response to questions from the Source over the weekend.
Local historians give the video high marks for historical rigor.
"With respect to accuracy, impact and quality, the DVD is excellent," said V.I. historian and cultural activist Gerard Emanuel in a statement from CHANT. This is an excellent and long overdue humanities project,” he said.
The DVD will get its premier Wednesday at 6 p.m. at the Caribbean Museum Center for the Arts, No. 10 Strand Street, Frederiksted. The public is invited.
To RSVP, email CHANT at info@chantvi.org or call (340) 719-5455.
