The Virgin Islands of the United States, typically called the U.S. Virgin Islands (USVI), are a group of islands in the West Indies located east of Puerto Rico. There are three main islands. Saint Thomas and Saint John are part of the main chain of the Virgin Islands Archipelago, while Saint Croix is a larger island about 65 km (40 mi) to the south. The islands were a Danish colony, the Danish West Indies, from 1754 until they became somewhat isolated from Danish rule during World War I. In 1917 the United States purchased the islands from Denmark. The population of the islands is about 90,000. Shortly before the change in sovereignty Denmark built two lighthouses in the colony. These two lights are among the most endangered of all U.S. lighthouses today. The U.S. installed a third light at Fort Louise Augusta near Christiansted, St. Croix, and the photo below by Michael Thomas proves that battered ruins of this lighthouse still stand. A fourth light was at Muhlenfeldt Point, the southeastern entrance to the harbor of Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. Nothing remains of this light station. Aids to navigation in the U.S. Virgin Islands are maintained by the Aids to Navigation Team of the U.S. Coast Guard Sector San Juan, Puerto Rico. ARLHS numbers are from the ARLHS World List of Lights. Admiralty numbers are from Volume J of the Admiralty List of Lights & Fog Signals. USCG numbers are from Volume III of the U.S. Coast Guard Light List, and U.S. NGA numbers are from Publication 110.
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Information available on lost lighthouses:
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Notable faux lighthouses:
Adjoining pages: East: British Virgin Islands | West: Puerto Rico
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Created May 2002. Checked and revised February 1, 2025. Lighthouses: 8. Site copyright 2025 Russ Rowlett and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.