Sint Eustatius

Sint Eustatius, more locally known as Statia is an island in the Netherlands Antilles. Statia was at one point the most important port in the New World. During the 18th century it rose to prominence through a combination of lax Dutch trading controls and the American Revolution. Successive transfers between Dutch, British and French control compelled the once-prosperous merchant community to seek better profits elsewhere, but the archaeological record records their presence. Hence Statia's current motto, "The Historic Gem." Nowadays, the only visible record of it's once-proud presence are the fragments of pottery incorporated into local driveways and crumbling 18th century Caribbean architecture.