Fort Oranje is without a doubt the most impressive stronghold on St. Eustatius. On November 16, 1776 this structure made world headlines when it fired a couple of friendly welcome shots to a flag no one had ever seen beyond the 13 colonies. It was the newly created symbol of the self-proclaimed United States of America. The garrison at Fort Oranje was actually the first foreign port to formally acknowledge the flag of this new born nation. Even then the PR machine of this ambitious nation spread word of the event around the globe. Today Fort Oranje, perched on top of a cliff overlooking Oranje Bay, hosts both the local government and the tourist office. This extensively restored fortification and its majestic cannon make history come alive and some informative plaques shed more light on this fascinating page of Caribbean and American history.