The Caribbean Genealogy Library will hold an exhibit of old images of St. Thomas from the Michael and Jane Sheen Historic Postcard Collection, paired with photographs taken today of the same location, on Saturday, July 8, from 2 p.m. to 4.30 p.m.
The project, entitled “St. Thomas Then and Now,” is the work of Saira Kapur, a high school student and amateur photographer, the library said in a press release announcing the event. Kapur sought to capture similar scenes, as the historic ones, to highlight the changes that have occurred on St. Thomas and to observe what has stayed the same.
Some of the historical photos included in the exhibit are familiar sites like Main Street, Yacht Haven Grande, the 99 Steps, and the view from Drake’s Seat of Magens Bay and Peterborg. All of which have seen changes but are recognizable. Other photo pairs are more surprising because the changes are significant, according to the release.
“I’m excited to share this exhibit with the community,” said Kapur. “St. Thomas has an interesting history, and I wanted to capture that in this project. It was fascinating to see the differences in technology, like horse-drawn carts to cars, and the styles of clothing from the late 1800s.”
Kapur selected historic postcards from the Sheen Historic Postcard Collection, a digital collection of more than 1,000 historical postcards of the U.S. Virgin Islands/Danish West Indies from around the 1870s to 1950s. She made her selection based on the artistic and historical interest of the cards. She then identified the locations today and went to those places to try and replicate the scene. Using the then and now images, she observed differences and similarities and used research materials at the library to write descriptions.
“St. Thomas Then and Now” features about 20 historic photos and their pairs. The exhibit illustrates the changes in land development and in technology that occurred over the last 125 years, and it also captures cultural practices and uses of space that have stayed the same, the release stated.
The exhibit will start with an introduction at 2 p.m., and then visitors can browse through the exhibit of then and now photos at their own pace, look through the 1,000-plus photos within the Sheen Historic Postcard Collection, and mingle with other attendees to discuss the places depicted in the postcards.
Admission to the St. Thomas Then and Now exhibit is free, and all are invited to attend.
The Caribbean Genealogy Library is in Al Cohen’s Plaza Building 3 (at the top of Raphune Hill) on St. Thomas.
For more information, email the library at caribgenlibrary@gmail.com.
