To truly appreciate St Barts, it’s important to know a little about its history.
St Barts was first populated by the Arawak Indians. They gave the island its first name “Ouanalao” which was probably a reference to the many iguanas that inhabited the region.
Christopher Columbus discovered the island in 1493 and gave it the name Saint Barthelemy after his younger brother Bartolomeo.
Over the years, there were many attempts to settle the island. The French tried in 1648 but they were unsuccessful due to the fact that the inadequate water supply provided little opportunity for farming.
They ended up selling the island to the Knights of Malta who attempted to grow indigo and cotton there and were successful in developing the area for farming and fishing. However, the colony was still weak and struggling and the Carib Indians eventually destroyed the settlements.
In 1763, French mariners reclaimed the land but they found themselves constantly struggling to maintain possession. Britain took over briefly but the French were eventually able to reclaim the island.
However, St Barts was lost again when King Louis XVI sold it to Sweden as a trading possession in 1784. Under Sweden’s rule, the island became a vibrant trade and supply center with Gustavia named as a major port after King Gustave III.
In 1878, France bought the island back from Sweden for a modest sum, but it remains heavily influenced by Swedish rule to this day.
In 1946, the citizens of St Barts were given the legal status of the Department of France. Under this new rule, they were given French passports and required to pay French taxes and follow French law.
After the turn of the century, they rallied to gain even more control over budgets. Eventually their efforts paid off and in 2007 they were named as the Overseas Collectivity of Saint Barthelemy and they elected their first territorial council.
The changes in government saw St Barts into its modern era and it quickly became a hot spot for tourists. Part of its appeal is its petite airport. Inaugurated in 1984, and characterized by a strip of land that takes you from a mountainous area into the sea, it became an attraction for thrill seekers.
Its beautiful beaches, mountain coves and residential and commercial restrictions that prohibit the development of large resorts and condominiums are also part of its appeal.
And while the island is formally known as the Collectivité Territoriale de Saint-Barthelemy, people have different names for it all over the world. While U.S. visitors prefer to call it St Barts, it is better known as St Barths or St Barth in Europe.
