Seven Arches Museum

Fermin Corneiro In 1906, Fermin Corneiro purchased Seven Arches and would make it the Corneiro family for the next 60 years.  The Corneiros originally came from Portugal in the late 17 or 1800's and have been lived permanently in the Virgin Islands since then.	Conrad Corneiro and sons In 1914, Conrad Corneiro inherited the house from his father.  Throughout Conrad's career he worked as a newspaper editor, banker, goldsmith and statesman.  In 1936, Conrad would become the first President of the Virgin Islands Legislature.
Postcards Letters and postcards from the late 1800's provide a glimpse into just how worldly the Corneiro Family as well as many of the people of the then Danish West Indies were.  Corresponcences from as far away as Denmark, Mexico, Germany and Russia are display in the museum.   In recent years, postage stamps from the Danish West Indies have become highle collectable.	Corneiro Family Before moving to Seven Arches, the Corneiro family lived in this large house located on Dronnings Gade aka Main Street.  The house functioned as the family home as well as the goldsmith's shop.  Today the old house still stands and is located at the bottom of Government Hill and just a few hundred yards from Seven Arches.
Charlotte Amalie This pictures shows how the people and the houses on Government Hill appeared around the turn of the century.  Horse and buggy carts and steam boats were common place when the islands were Danish.  Although the islands were Danish properties, most of the inhabitants were of African ancestry due to the many years in which slavery was practiced.	Check used to purchase the Virgin Islands In 1914, the United States purchased the Virgin Islands for $25 million.  The United States entered World War 2 just months after purchasing the islands.  The islands were considered essential at the time to protect the U.S.'s easternmost coast from military attack.