The Buccaneer
History
The luxurious Buccanneer is the Virgin Island’s longest running resort, a family-owned operation that dates to the 17th century. In 1653, Charles Martel, a Knight of Malta, erected the first building on the island, well out of sight of coastal marauders. Known as the French Greathouse, it later served as a sugar house on the plantation of Danish Governor von Prock. The property was sold to Michael Shoy, from whom the area takes its name, who began farming cotton.
Later, the estate functioned as a cattle farm until the Armstrong family converted into a full-service eleven-room inn in 1947. Guests, or "continentals," made a two-day trip from the mainland and often mixed their own drinks, raked the beach, painted furniture, and planned meals. The Buccaneer was the first hotel in St. Croix to be built and operated by an island family, a proud tradition that continues to this day.
