Culebra Island redirects here. For the island in the Falkland archipelago, see Sedge Island. Isla Culebra Spanish pronunciation: Snake Island) is an island, town and municipality of Puerto Rico and geographically part of the Spanish Virgin Islands. It is located approximately 17 miles east of the Puerto Rican mainland, 12 miles west of St. Thomas and 9 miles north of Vieques. Culebra is spread over 5 barrios and Culebra Pueblo, the main town and the administrative center of the island.
Residents of the island are known as culebrenses. After that, the island was left abandoned for centuries. During the era of Spanish commerce through the Americas, it was used as a refuge for pirates, as well as local fishermen and sailors. Some sources mention a black overseer from British-ruled Tortola named John Stevens, who was put in charge of Culebra in the 1850s by the Governor of Vieques under the Spanish crown to protect the island from foreigners who, without proper authorization or payments of fees for despoiling Culebra.