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18 The Dy News FrkJey, SepWrmtWr25.1998
Island Life
I
Savan's history goes back to about 1764
it was a sunny Sunday after- Shells pacured what she called r-in the valley or flat area northwest tered 200 vessel, at on
noon in SL Thomas. Then all of a a Data Colection Sheet Neigh- ----- of Charlotte Amaie. such occasions the h
sudden. dark clouds covered the borhood Walk-residenlial survey" Ohk$ae alive with a display of s
sky as lightening flickered and for the students to use to collect ODvis Edith DeJongh Woods. a their flags and boomrn
thunderstoro bursted into the sky information about historic Savan retired educator, stated that nons all day long. This
beyond the horizon of Charlotte as they walked through the neigh- "Savan was the flat area that start- supplied the inhabitants
Amalle. I watched the failing rain borbood. Each data sheet was d6f- ed at Gambie oade, the third street trade and wealth. It w
from a distance coming closer to ferent in gathering Information north of Market obRotbhchild mercial, not the agricult
the hatbor. As the rain came closer about Savan town. One might ask Francis Square. and extended of the sugar enterprise I
to land. it fell and the wind blowed for information about housing, But before there was a Savan north to-Antoni Straede and Lev. mold the destiny ofSt.
and the surrounding hills and another human habitation and so town, the island was inhabited by kol Straede. The esasen boundary
mounuta sides turned milky white ndans. The gut o stream tha ran was Vaster Oade and the western Thus, the early econ
as if snow was falling on the land. through Savan today once ran all boundary was Borge Oade. Today. Thomas depended on
I oeearved the weather change The ocwe specific in ask. yea round. Nallve fresh water however. Prindesne Oade ad not so much on arilc
In teas than a mneo tma cas. h qunoestins uch as if the rool fish, crabs and other amphibians Regjoringts Oad are included in though enslaved Africa
roominSte.Pa nPn's o oses were galvanize, tarf populated the stream. The gut Savan." Woods also mentioned in th = sugar cane fiel
Catholic Stchool. Peiern downtown paper, asphalt shingles or what upland moist forest environmenl thai the flat area east of Ooven- illand. Many ensaved
Charlotte Amho li c School n downtown condition abe roofs were in. and surrounding areas of Sevna meant Hill was once called BEast St. Thomas worked as
thelmoo ito r the polpm"A BoUove me, the students were had large trees such as ailk cotton, Savanne. or on the docks. During
walk through the heritage of paed sd ready to go with t ir hog pum. West Indian almond. St. Thomas was not like St. saves obtained their ph
Savant. invited me to St. Thomas date sheets, video cameras, and sandbox, roVa palm, and turpen- 'Me
toS be th d morge t for the wlkwater in their bands. time trees that once grew Ian Coix with many plantations. The dom. As a result, Savans
or oabu ce along the ngut and op Dne saw St. Thomas harbor as a laid out between 1764
through historic Savan. flat land. tra gut ed ope ding port with other Caribbean accommodate the rowi
I grew up in Savan in the late islands and the world. Reimert lion of the so-called fr
This historic walk of Savan was 1960s and left the island in the KHasgeansn confirmed this when black people.
funded by the Virgin Islands 1970s, to attend college In the The large trees further upland he asld in the 1700a, "At ts peak
Humanities Council. United States. So I have a good in the gut today are evidence of of early development the auspl* Next week's column
ides of how Sevan looked like how Savan used to look before the cdous harbor received over 50 sall- on the economy of Sava
The program started off where during my childhood living in this area was inhabited by man. The ing ships arriving dally; just as
Shells introduced me to the stu. area. n fact, my parents still have word Sayvan, Savannah, Savanna, many sailed out of the harbor fully Thi article reflec t
dents and parents that were there properties there. The area is Savans come from a Spanish word loaded." Olare Davn, a St. Cr
la the classroom. As a native St. known as Ago Fancy located In "zavena." Also, the Taino Indiam g1t4 activist and writer
Thomlan and Savanero, I was hon- the northern hills of Savan looking word "zabas" means flat land. He further said, "in all, there master of science degm
ored to be their tour guide. over the town. Indeed. Savan is located basically were times when the harbor ael- management andforerir
e time. On
arbor was
hbip flying
g the can-
was what
with their
s the com-
ure, aspect
bat was to
rhomas."
omy of St.
commerce
Iture even
ao worked
Ids on the
d licas on
craftsmen
this period
ry, many
ralcIl free-
town was
to 1765 to
ag popula-
ee colored
will focus
n.
he view of
oie ecolo.
who has a
Sin range
y ecology.
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