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I post on Monday with an occasional random blog thrown in for good measure. I do my best to answer all comments via email and visit around on the days I post.

Wednesday, April 17, 2013

O is for Oppenheimer Beach

For this, my fourth year doing the challenge, I've decided to share place names from the Virgin Islands. For such a small spot in the ocean, it seems like every rock, cove, hill and house has been christened. The names are a unique mix of Spanish, Danish, French, Dutch, English, and African to name a few.


Oppenheimer Beach, St. John
On the far left of this picture is Oppenheimer Beach.  A building is just visible. It is not the one the Oppenheimer's build, which was destroyed in a hurricane. This is where Dr. J. Robert Oppenheimer and his family spent their summers from 1957 through to Dr. O.'s death in 1966. It's odd that my family doesn't have any picture of them, considering how close they were to my parents and how much time we spent with them. After his death, it was my parents who took his wife, Kitty, and daughter, Tony, out to Carvel Rock to scatter his ashes. No one else was with them. That alone speaks volumes to the nature of their relationship.

Other O Names:
Otter Creek, St. John, a bay located within Hurricane Hole on the east end of the island.

Outer Brass, St. Thomas. 
This is the perpetual view from the family home on St. Thomas overlooking Megan's Bay with Outer Brass standing guard.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Catholic Church, St. Thomas
This lovely little church has strong ties to French community on the island. Building was first begun in 1924 and completed in 1926. In 1995, Hurricane Marilyn just about destroyed it, but it has risen from the wreckage, much like a phoenix. Every Sunday my sister, Erva, (a non-Catholic) sings in the choir.

Our Lady of Perpetual Help


The interior.

 I love the use of conch shells as holy water fonts.

 There once was a dairy farm on St. Thomas that was in continual operation up through my teens. This 250 year old building was the barn. Now, nicely restored, it is an up-scale restaurant. You too, can dine where the cows once ate. It's fabulous.

14 comments:

  1. I love these pictures. I wish the beaches where I am were hilly, mountainous, and green.

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  2. Nice when they can adapt an old building so it still has a use. For my mum's 60th birthday we had lunch in a room that used to be horse stables.

    I feel like I should know who Dr Oppenheimer is. The name rings a bell.

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  3. Oh that lovely brick! I shared with my husband what you told me yesterday about the brick and we were both blown away. We never would have known that if you didn't share. Thank you! And here I just thought it was pretty.

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  4. I love the re-purposing of the barn for a restaurant. Great pictures, as usual :)

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  5. Lovely pictures as usual. I am so "O for on the other side of the fence" science. When I hear of men like Dr. Oppenheimer, I could never understand how a scientist's mind works. I guess they're born that way, as my oldest son, when he was little, all the other kids wanted Winnie the Poo to be read at bed time but he'd drag science books in and want them read. Yeah, he grew up to be a rocket scientist. LOL

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  6. Beautiful Pics. Lovely church. The renovations on that barn are amazing.

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  7. All of these are lovely. I'd really enjoy dining at that restaurant. It's so inviting.

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  8. Fabulous pics, Bish! How are you doing and how's your book coming along? Is it published now? I have a lot of catching up to do!

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  9. Interesting note about Dr. Oppenheimer. I know little about him. The church is lovely, and a conch shell makes a wonderful, appropriate font.

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  10. What beautiful pictures! So fun to learn about where names come from. I love the Old Stone House and would love to eat where the cows ate. ;) Thanks for sharing!
    ~Jess

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  11. That was touching.
    That restaurant looks awesome! I'd eat there.

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  12. These great photos tell me I'm living in the wrong country!!!!! :D

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  13. I'm really getting the impression I need to visit the Virgin Islands!

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  14. I am so pleased that Dr. Oppenheimer found a peaceful place to end his days. And, how wonderful that your family helped him find it.

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Your Random Thoughts are most welcome!