Eliza James-McBean Clock Tower, Frederiksted, St. Croix, US Virgin Islands
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The Virgin Islands Senate Bill, Act No. 6577 was enacted May 7, 2003 to honor Eliza James-McBean posthumously and name the clock tower and boardwalk located in Frederiksted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands “The Eliza James McBean Clock Tower and Boardwalk”. Mrs. McBean passed away at the age of 105 in July of 2001. The park was dedicated on September 9, 2009 on the anniversary of her birth. This image, taken in December 2005, was before the naming ceremony and, hence, the name does not appear on the clock tower as you will see in more recent images.
What I find very strange is that I found the above reference to the naming of the clock tower but cannot uncover anything which explains who Eliza James-McBean was and why she had the clock tower and boardwalk in Frederiksted named after her. If anyone is able to fill in the blanks, please leave a note in the comments below.
The clock tower located at the end of the cruise ship pier, on the edge of the Frederiksted Historic District which contains Fort Frederik, also known as Frederiksfort, the Customs House and other interesting attractions for the visitor to see. It is located in a quiet park area with curving pathways. There is also a bandstand from which you sometimes find musicians playing for the passengers as they return to the cruise ships for the late afternoon departure,
Twitter: maxmanian
| October 10, 2012
Nice image, Mark. I like how that one branch of the palm tree points down at the tower. I’m sure you planned that. 🙂 I tried to find information about Eliza James-McBean as well. No luck! I did find an article about a celebration in St Croix where she was an honoree a few years ago but that’s about it.
“The fourth Ball was the Champagne Ball, where the color of the evening was champagne. The King and Queen of this ball were Mr. Lawrence Bastian and Mrs. Patricia Frorup. Honorees were Mrs. Eliza McBean, Mrs. Ethel McIntosh and Mrs. Alberta Messer.”
Twitter: twitter (username)
| October 10, 2012
Thanks for trying to find out so me info for me. From what I remember about this shot was how hard it was to avoid distracting shadows in the foreground from the other trees that I probably forgot to check for the more obvious elements in the sky!
Twitter: JimiJones
| October 11, 2012
I really like the framing on this, Mark. Nice composition, man. This is a pretty scene.
Twitter: twitter (username)
| October 11, 2012
I’ve never heard from her but it’s a very nice image. I like the way you’ve framed it.
Twitter: twitter (username)
| October 12, 2012
Wonderful picture Mark! The composition and depth of field to the picture is fantastic and you get a real sense of caribbean life while looking at it.
Twitter: twitter (username)
| October 12, 2012
Nice pic! The tower now has her name below the clock as well as a small bio about her at the base. I knew Ms. McBean. My mother used to go visit her often. I will see if I can get some more info about her.
Twitter: jameshowephoto
| November 6, 2012
Terrific shot of this tower. Nice composition utilizing the palm trees as a frame.
Twitter: twitter (username)
| April 2, 2014
She was a loving wife, mother, aunt and a great example of what a woman needs to be in a community. She helped mentor and take care of several generations of our family. There was not a hungry or needy person she did not help. She was my great, great aunt.
XMy step father was born an rasid in st croix. I like to know if this is his family. His name was Gerald McBean. He was in a VA Hospital where he met my mother Montrose, New york.
I dated Eliza grandson Edward mcbean
Interesting. I research and maintain family trees for the Scottish MacBean clan – the three main septs of that family from Kinchyle, Fallie and Tomatin. There are a number of prominent clan members went to the West Indies to recover fortunes after the Battle of Culloden 1976. Others were deported as indentured prisoners after both the 1715-19 and 1745-46 Jacobite uprisings – most of these to the Carolinas. By and large they all prospered – Guyana, Jamaica, Tortuga. I have a number in the family trees in the West Indies, but cannot as yet trace any to the modern day US Virgin islands. So I have more than casual interest in Eliza James-McBean. I would be more than happy to be contacted with genealogy details of her family, and notes from her life and times. Thanks – David Geddes, in Scotland.
Looking for information on the McBean.