Creque Marine Railway

Creque Marine Railway is the stone-and-iron remains of a steam-powered shipyard on Hassel Island’s north shore, in Charlotte Amalie harbor. A cradle on rails hauled ships out of the water so crews could repair them ashore. If maritime history interests you, this is a distinctive stop: the rails and powerhouse make the operation easier to picture than another plaque or foundation wall.

Hassel Island is reached by boat. NPS rules limit vessels docked at the railway to day use, and boats can’t be stored on the island. Confirm that your operator can land here and that you can reach the railway before setting out; it isn’t a drive-up stop.

Look for the rails running down toward the water, along with remains of the ship cradle, the stone Head House and engine room, and a cistern. If you can land at the railway, frame the rails with the powerhouse and harbor so the route from water to repair floor is clear.

Local businessmen formed the railway company in 1840. By 1868, it regularly hauled vessels weighing as much as 1,200 tons. After a financial failure and a 1910 auction, Henry O. Creque bought the site and had it working again by 1912. It was abandoned in the 1960s, but his name stuck.