"Hassel Island is a small island of the U.S. Virgin Islands, a United States territory located in the Caribbean Sea. Hassel Island lies in the Charlotte Amalie harbor just south of Saint Thomas and east of Water Island." ~ Wikipedia
Originally, Hassel Island was a peninsula. In the 1860s, the Danish government separated the land from mainland St. Thomas with the hopes of creating better water circulation in the harbor.
The earliest documentation of the ownership of Hassel Island is under the name “Estate Orkanshullet”. This Danish name is translated to “Hurricane Hole”.
Today, the island is named after James Hazzell, who purchased the land in 1784 and whose family maintained a presence on the land until the 20th century. There are many alternate spellings of the family name.
Explore this site to learn about Hassel’s rich history, the many unique sites on the island, and the constant conservation, preservation, and interpretation efforts made by the National Park Service, the St. Thomas Historical Trust, and dedicated community members.
http://www.hasselisland.org/
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