Hassel Island (VI National Park)

Hassel Island is 135 acres in size of which 122 acres are part of the Virgin Islands National Park. Once a peninsula connected to St. Thomas, the land mass was separated in 1860 by the Danish Government in order to facilitate better water and vessel circulation in the Charlotte Amalie harbor. There are four historical structures on the island now listed on the National Historic Places Registry. One of these structures is the remains of a British military garrison built during a brief British occupation of the former Danish West Indies (what is today the US Virgin Islands) in the 1800s.

Another historical site is the Creque Marine Railway which dates back to the mid-1800s and is one of the oldest surviving examples of such a railway.

Hassel Island once bustled with marine activity; Prince Frederik’s Battery guarded the harbor; German transatlantic shipping company Hamburg American Line had a hub in Careening Cove; there were coaling operations for ships; and for repairs. The remains of these military and industrial operations, in addition to others like a former Leprosarium, are a reminder of our history.

A hiking trail provides access to sites. Excursions to Hassel Island are available through VI Ecotours.