Origin of the Virgin Islands National Park 

The Virgin Islands National Park was made possible through the generosity of Laurence S. Rockefeller and members of his family. Mr. Rockefeller first discovered the beauty of St. John when he came here on a sailing vacation some fifty years ago.

In November l954, the Rockefeller family began acquiring large tracts of land on St. John in the Virgin Islands. The plan was to eventually turn the acreage over to the federal government for the establishment of a Virgin Islands national park. The Rockefellers initially accumulated over 5,000 acres of land on St. John, which they donated to the Department of the Interior. On August 2, l956, President Eisenhower signed a bill authorizing the creation of the Virgin Islands National Park. Over the years, the size of the Virgin Islands National Park has grown steadily. Today it totals more than 9,620 acres plus an additional 5,600 acres of off-shore underwater marine gardens.

Mr. Rockefeller’s visionary gesture spared St. John from over-development. Instead, St. John has remained an unspoiled jewel whose captivating beauty offers unending pleasure and enjoyment to everyone who comes here. 

Friends of the National Park - Virgin Islands

The Friends of the National Park is a non-profit, island organization working with the National Park Service to help protect and conserve our Virgin Islands National Park. The Friends objective is to help safeguard the resources of the park while enhancing the experience of visitors.

The Friends publishes a brochure of classes and trips, which can be obtained at the National Park Visitor Center. Typical classes open to the public include palm weaving, coastal ecology, island marine biology, the history of scientific research on St. John, West Indian cooking, and archeology of St. John. For additional information call (340) 779-4940 or you may e-mail Friends at friends@islands.vi.

To order your copy of St. John On Foot and By Car click on the credit cards or send us a check at the address below.