Discovered in 1493 by Christopher COLUMBUS who named it for his brother Bartolomeo, St. Barthelemy(Saint Barts) was first settled by the French in 1648. In 1784, the French sold the island to Sweden, who renamed the largest town Gustavia, after the Swedish King GUSTAV III, and made it a free port; the island prospered as a trade and supply center during the colonial wars of the 18th century.

France repurchased the island in 1878 and placed it under the administration of Guadeloupe. St. Barts retained its free port status along with various Swedish appelations such as Swedish street and town names, and the three-crown symbol on the coat of arms. In 2003, the populace of the island voted to secede from Guadeloupe and in 2007, the island became a French overseas collectivity.