Culebra

Archaeological evidence shows that Taíno and Carib peoples lived on Culebra long before the arrival of the Spanish in the late 15th century. The Spanish didn't bother laying claim to it until 1886; its dearth of freshwater made it an unattractive location for a settlement. The U.S. Navy and Marine Corps, however, thought it was a very valuable piece of real estate. Although President Theodore Roosevelt created a wildlife refuge in 1909, the military used this island, as well as nearby Vieques, for target practice and amphibious assault training beginning in WWII. Despite their smaller numbers, the residents of Culebra managed to oust the military after staging sit-ins on the beach. The military left Culebra in 1975.