Celebrate a Turning Point in World History: The First Salute on St. Eustatius
There's a spot on the walls of Fort Oranje, high above Oranjestad's Lower Town, where the sea turns silver every evening at sunset. Stand there for a minute and it's easy to picture the scene: gun crews at the cannons, a strange new flag in the bay, gunpowder smoke drifting over the water. Two hundred and fifty years ago this November, something happened on that spot that changed history, and almost nobody outside the Netherlands, apart from a few American history buffs, knows the story. This is the First Salute on St. Eustatius, and 2026 is the year to come and see where it happened.
A Ship, a Flag, and a Cannon Salute
On November 16, 1776, an American ship called the Andrew Doria sailed into Oranje Bay below the fort. It was flying a flag almost nobody had seen before: the colors of thirteen rebel colonies calling themselves the United States. As it came in, the ship fired a 13-gun salute, one shot for each colony, the customary greeting of a vessel entering a foreign harbor. What happened next is the part we love telling guests over dinner.
The island's governor, Johannes de Graaff, gave an order: fire back. Fort Oranje answered with 11 guns, two fewer than the ship, following the maritime custom used when saluting a sovereign flag. It sounds small. It wasn't. With that reply, St. Eustatius became the first foreign authority in the world to officially salute the flag of the United States. This was only months after the Declaration of Independence, and most of Europe still wasn't taking the new nation seriously. A Dutch governor on a tiny Caribbean island said otherwise, with cannon fire.
The First Salute at a Glance
| Year | What Happened |
|---|---|
| 1776 | The Andrew Doria fires 13 guns entering Oranje Bay; Fort Oranje returns 11 on Governor de Graaff's order |
| 1780 | Britain declares war on the Dutch Republic, with Statia's support for the Americans among the grievances |
| 1781 | British Admiral Rodney captures St. Eustatius and seizes its packed warehouses |
| 1782 | The Dutch Republic formally recognizes the United States |
| 1939 | President Franklin D. Roosevelt presents a commemorative plaque to Fort Oranje |
| 2026 | St. Eustatius marks 250 years of the First Salute |
The Fallout: Why Britain Took Notice
The British were not happy. Word got back to London fast, and the salute became one of the grievances behind the war between Britain and the Netherlands a few years later. For a short, remarkable stretch of time, this little free port, nicknamed "The Golden Rock" for its wealth, mattered more to the American Revolution than islands ten times its size. Weapons and supplies moved through this harbor to the American colonies throughout the war. When British Admiral George Rodney finally captured the island in 1781, he was reportedly stunned by how much was stockpiled in the warehouses.
A Plaque from Roosevelt
The story didn't end there. In 1939, President Franklin D. Roosevelt presented a bronze plaque to St. Eustatius to commemorate the salute. It's still mounted on the flagpole monument inside Fort Oranje today. Most visitors walk right past it without noticing. We always make a point of showing guests where it is.
Visiting Fort Oranje for the 250th Anniversary
- Stand Where It Happened: Walk the same stones the gun crews stood on and look out over the water the Andrew Doria sailed through.
- Find the Roosevelt Plaque: Look for it on the white flagpole monument at the center of the fort.
- Explore Lower Town: Follow the old road down the hill to the warehouse ruins that made Statia "The Golden Rock."
- No Crowds: The fort isn't roped off or crowded with tour buses, so you can take your time.
Stay at Golden Rock Resort: History, Diving, and Downtime
Golden Rock Resort is a short drive from Fort Oranje. Plenty of our guests come for the diving or the nature trails and end up more curious about the island's history than they expected. This year feels like the right time to go find that plaque for yourself. Just ask anyone at the resort and we'll point you the right way, or walk you there ourselves.
Book directly with Golden Rock Resort to make the most of your stay during Statia's 250th anniversary year. Direct bookings include our Best Rate Guarantee, complimentary daily breakfast, and airport transfer. Contact sales@goldenrockresort.com for the latest availability and special offers.
Don't Miss 250 Years of the First Salute
It's rare to stand in the exact spot where a piece of world history happened, especially when that place is this quiet and this close to the sea. The First Salute on St. Eustatius is a story worth telling, and this November is the moment to experience it for yourself. Come celebrate 250 years of the First Salute on Statia, and let us show you where it all began.