ˈæftɚ bˌiːɪŋ fˈaʊndᵻd ɪnðə wˈʌn θˈaʊzənd sˈɪkshˈʌndɹɪd twˈɛnti z, ðə tˈaʊn bɪkˌeɪm ðə kəmˈɜːʃəl sˈɛntɚɹ ʌv sənt. kˈɪts ænd wʌz wˈʌn ʌvðə bˈɪziɪst pˈoːɹts ɪnðə ɹˈiːdʒən, æz ˈɛvɪdənst baɪ ðə ɹᵻmˈeɪnz ʌvðə mˈɛni fˈɔːɹmɚ dˈʌtʃ wˈɛɹhaʊzᵻz lˈaɪnɪŋ ðə ʃˈoːɹlaɪn, wˌɪtʃ wˈʌns tˈoʊɾəld ˌoʊvɚ θɹˈiːhˈʌndɹɪd.
After being founded in the 1620s, the town became the commercial centre of St. Kitts and was one of the busiest ports in the region, as evidenced by the remains of the many former Dutch warehouses lining the shoreline, which once totalled over 300.