A test on whether you are a St. Thomian, (pronounce St. Tomian)
You can usually tell how long a person has been in St. Thomas by how well they give directions to sometimes out of the way places, like:
• Looking for the White House? Go to the head of "pave street," take a left and then left again by where Criterion Grocery used to be.
• Need "birth papers"? Go to the old hospital behind the "field"
• Want to go to Magens Bay? Go up Lincoln School Hill, then…..
• Want to get to Sib's? Go up Fireburn Hill, take a left where Dr. Singleton’s house used to be and then go up Manassah Hill and make a left.
• Want to watch the Carnival parade? It starts by the old graveyard and ends up in the "field" (now you know).
• Need to get to Sugar Bay Hotel? Continue past Coki Point turnoff till you get to where the dump used to be.
• To get to the West Indian Co. Dock, take the Waterfront, go past the first housing project built in St. Thomas and make a right by where Tastee Freeze used to be.
• Want a taxi at night? Go down next to where Sebastian’s used to be.
• Meet me by the old Post Office.
• To buy handmade local items, go to the building by where Continental used to be.
• Meet me at the corner by where Chase Bank used to be.
• Where is Cuzzin's? Go to where Night and Day used to be on Back Street.
• To get to the Reformed Church, still Dutch Reformed to many, go up Back Street and make a left where Lockhart Bakery used to be.
• Looking for the Democratic Party headquarters? Go by Berne’s Ice Plant alley.
• Where is Zone A Police Command? Go up Main Street, past the Cable Office, and it is where the Youth Care Center used to be, across from Dr. Anduze’s old office.
• Can’t find the Family Health Center? Go to where Haynes Drug Store used to be.
• Looking for Marianne in town? It is across from the old Lucy’s Supermarket and Reliable Furniture Store.
• Can’t find Liberated Flowers? Go by where Dr. Block had his office.
One day I am sure that we will have road signs that we can remember, but until then, use these directions to get where you need to go. Make sure that you ask a native St. Thomian or someone who has become one by living here a long time. Good luck!
Editor's note: Catherine Lockhart-Mills is a former Human Services commissioner — and a native St. Thomian.