Blue skies, although in true tropical fashion they do give way to a brief rainstorm before returning immediately following. Azure waters. Green iguanas and brown pelicans. A ruined colonial fort, and one of the region’s leading historians and archaeologists to explain the intricacies of it to me. Yeah, in my world, this qualifies as a perfect morning.

In the realm of colonial forts in the Caribbean, Fort Amsterdam, just outside Philipsburg, the capital of the Dutch side Sint Maarten, isn’t all that impressive. And it never was. It was small, containing a few batteries and a couple buildings, constructed on a narrow promontory of land that today can only be accessed by passing through a hotel and timeshare complex. But what it might lack in grandeur is made up for by just how darned stunning this place is. And as Jay Haviser, THE local authority on all things historical in the Dutch Caribbean, shows me, this place is an incredible window into a fascinating – and lesser told – history.

Unlike other Caribbean islands, at the time of European discovery – in this case Columbus’ second voyage in 1493, although he didn’t actually land on the island – St. Martin had no native population remaining. The Arawak and Caribe tribes that had presences here had left by that point, and while the reasons for that will probably never be known for sure, speculation leads to the fact that St. Martin currently has no year-round running fresh water source. So with reliance on rainwater capture, a period of little rainfall might have led to the island being considered uninhabitable.

While Columbus claimed the island for Spain while sailing past, the Spanish made no attempt to colonize it. Rather, Dutch and French settlers came here for its natural salt ponds that could provide a source of salt necessary for curing meat for long sea voyages. (Click here to read about salt and sugar cane as they shaped this island’s life.) The French settled initially along the northeast of the island, and the Dutch on the southwest. Identifying this narrow strip of land between Great Bay and Little Bay (although the island has something like 32 bays so I’m not sure what real effect defenses here had), the Dutch began construction on a triangular fort in 1631. (Their main settlement was in what is now Cul-de-Sac, inland, and neither of these bays was their primary supplying port, according to Jay, so again, placement seems somewhat arbitrary to me, despite the magnificent property and defensibility.)

In 1633, Spain decided that yeah, after all, they DID want this island now that others seemed to be enjoying life mining salt. They sent a small fleet and army, landing about 1000 soldiers on the island. The Dutch garrison at the fort surrendered in the face of the overwhelming numbers, and the Spanish would hold the island for the next decade. (The French had their settlement in what is now called Quartier d’Orleans, or French Quarter, and it was smaller than that of the Dutch and didn’t seem to have much in the way of built defenses, so resistance was only on the Dutch side.)

In 1644, the Dutch finally attempted to recapture Sint Maarten, and sent a fleet and army under Peter Stuyvesant (of New Amsterdam fame, though that’s another story for another day) to do so. They landed here, assaulting the fort, which was now strengthened with additional defenses built in the Spanish style. And they failed. Stuyvesant himself had a leg shot off by a cannon. The victorious Spanish asked the King of Spain for a reward: to be able to leave St. Martin for a larger colony. He agreed, and the Spanish abandoned the island in 1648.

Jay is thorough in his tour, pointing out battery positions that currently exist as well as those that don’t, since Fort Amsterdam – as the Dutch would rename it following their less-than-triumphant return to governance here in 1648 – stopped being used as a military installation in the 19th century and presence here afterward was limited to a radio building and maritime signal station. (That is also a fun story, as Laurelie de Weever served as signal master from 1940-1970, and the ruins of her small house are the only portion of Fort Amsterdam still owned by the government, with the rest of the land having been sold to the aforementioned hotel. But that tiny piece of state-owned land guarantees public access, so that’s a positive.) Jay has led numerous archaeological digs here at the fort, pointing out where interesting discoveries were made, like a piece of pipe from John Philips’ (more on him in a moment) hometown in Scotland. Other discoveries include cisterns, musket and cannonballs, and even skeletons.

While the Treaty of Concordia in 1648 delineated the boundaries between what is now the Dutch Sint Maarten and the French Saint-Martin, and the two sides lived largely in peaceful coexistence, which we will talk more fully about next week, conflicts happened every so often. At several points, each side occupied the other, but those were typically short and not bloody; it was hard to have real conflict with a total population of probably less than 5000. And the English conquered St. Martin as well, taking the island twice in the early 1800s. But it always reverted to the status quo of a Dutch side and a French side.

As mentioned, early Dutch settlers largely lived in what is now Cul-de-Sac, a narrow valley that is still a residential area. And the French were mainly at French Quarter. So how did the modern capitals of Philipsburg and Marigot, respectively, come to be? For both, it was about shipping, as with the colonies semi-stable and exporting sugar and salt, better port facilities were needed. Marigot was chosen on the French side, with a village beginning there in roughly 1690, though it wasn’t until almost a century later that the town would acquire more significance with its port and fortress complex. That fort, Fort Louis (or Fort St. Louis if you believe Google maps, although nobody here calls it that), also exists today in ruined form, topping a hill with a lovely view of Marigot.

Batteries were constructed here in roughly 1765, but the fort as a more modern structure only dates to 1789. As with Fort Amsterdam, it is free to enter, with the only real limiting factor being a lack of good footing on the rocky and uneven terrain. It is easy to see the strategic location of the defenses, as one looks down on what is now the main ferry terminal serving Anguilla and Saint Barthélemy, which would have been the commercial docks.

As for Philipsburg, it was established in 1733 on a sand bar between Great Bay and the Great Salt Pond. Named for John Philips (whose artifact Jay discovered at Fort Amsterdam, and who served as governor of Sint Maarten from 1735 to 1746), this small settlement eventually became home to the main port of the Dutch side, with other fortifications constructed around Great Bay to provide cross-fire with (and then replace) Fort Amsterdam.

The town is built along two main streets running between the bodies of water, and today is both the administrative capital and cruise terminal, making it one of the most likely entrance points to the island. And while colonial-era buildings are rare (between salt water weathering and hurricanes, survival of period buildings intact is not something one should expect), some restored gems are in evidence. One of the best ways to experience those is via an Adventure Race (link below in the acknowledgments), a historical discovery tour done in the form of a family-friendly Amazing Race sort of thing. Teams solve puzzles, take part in physical activities, and walk/run throughout Philipsburg to pretty much all of the main sights, taking photos for points and remembering what they’ve learned for a trivia portion at the end that will decide the winner. (Note: I did not win.)

Among the stops racers will make is at the Courthouse. Though it has been restored and reconstructed on several occasions, this building still appears original, and still houses its original function. (Racers will need to note some of the decor, like a pineapple topping the clock tower, as well as the Sint Maarten flag flying out front.)

The nearby Methodist church is likewise original, or as original as a building here can be.

(Note, if you like staying in historic places like Philipsburg instead of pure beach resorts – although the beach here is awesome, so don’t worry on that account – I cannot recommend the Seaview Beach Hotel highly enough. I spent four nights there, enjoying the pool and beach chairs daily, and the location along the promenade with its restaurants and shops cannot be beat.)

Today’s Marigot seems to hold less tourism infrastructure than Philipsburg, but is still absolutely worth seeing. Some of the colonial-style balconied buildings along Rue de la République are original (though many have not been restored post-Hurricane Irma) and some are reconstructions, but all are stunning, playing home to some high-end shopping and wonderful cafes.

And the nearby Marigot Market, once the main market for Saint-Martin, now houses some delicious looking food stalls for those looking for anything from Creole to French to fresh seafood. (Creole street food is a pleasure here, with Johnny cakes in the morning and curry goat or oxtail later. You’ll leave happy and full.)

In the nineteenth century, both Fort Amsterdam and Fort Louis ceased functioning as defenses, and so began their declines that led to their ruined states today. But in both places, and in the cities just outside them, the history represented is more than just the simple gun emplacements. Together, the forts and the capitals of Philipsburg and Marigot tell two sides of the same story. From these sites, we learn both the Dutch and French takes on the outskirts of their respective empires, on tiny colonies where military might was less important than coexistence, and where greatness isn’t in measured in size but in local value.

Back at Fort Amsterdam, Jay shares his vision for the place, one where tourists will be able to come and see period-dressed actors re-enacting the most famous parts of the history of Sint Maarten/Saint-Martin. Stations will lead visitors from Arawak warriors to the Spanish garrison holding off Peter Stuyvesant. Dutch and French soldiers will battle each other and the English, and a small museum will house Jay’s archaeological discoveries above a viewing platform for the island’s main pelican breeding area.

I hope that this vision comes to be, as the history of this island is a unique one, and one that is worthy of remembrance, both for visitors and for the local schoolchildren that Jay currently works with. And I hope something similar can happen at Fort Louis and Marigot. But whatever the future holds, I know that through my visit here, and through my solid second-place Adventure Race finish, my own knowledge of a fascinating history has increased.

Yeah, today was a pretty perfect day here in the paradise that is Sint Maarten/Saint-Martin.

As with all of these pieces, I need to express some pretty major gratitude. Thank you to the Seaview Beach Hotel for hosting me in Philipsburg so I could more effectively write about this history. Thank you to Tri Sport SXM for letting me join the Adventure Race. Thank you to Jay Haviser for patiently answering my overwhelming barrage of questions and for taking the time out of his busy schedule to show me through Fort Amsterdam. And above all, thank you to Visit St. Maarten/St. Martin for arranging this truly wonderful trip.

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