In the Revised Organic Act of 1954, Executive Order No. 9 established three bureaus under the Department of Education, the Library and Museum Bureau, the Special Activities Bureau and the Recreation Bureau, which included parks and beaches. The main functions of these bureaus were to establish and to administer and operate all publicly supported educational and recreational facilities and programs including specialized instructions, vocational, apprenticeship training, rehabilitation programs and recreation areas. The bureau soon after received a name change to the Bureau of Recreation and Sports Promotion. Act No.1598, which was approved in March, 1966 transferred the Bureau of Recreation and Sports Promotion to the Department of Agriculture. The duties and functions remained the same as they were under the Department of Education except for the following amendments:>

• Administer and operate all publicly supported parks, horseracing tracks, beaches and recreational areas and facilities;
• Regulate, in accordance with law, privately supported public parks, beaches and recreational areas and facilities;

Act No. 2238 was approved in June 1968. Act No. 2238 amended Title 3 of the Virgin Islands Code to provide for the establishment of the Department of Conservation and Cultural Affairs as part of the reorganization of the government of the Virgin Islands. The Department of Conservation and Cultural Affairs then took over the functions of the Bureau of Recreation and Sports Promotion including all Sports Promotion, Parks and Natural Resources, Magens Bay Authority (formerly St. Thomas Park Authority), the Virgin Islands National Historic Sites, Musical Activities, Boxing, Horse Racing, Virgin Islands Lottery, Nickelodeons and Pinball Machines, Billiard and Pool Tables and Outdoor Recreation.

In June of 1962, the Legislature of the Virgin Islands declared that the general welfare of the Virgin Islands, along with the health and living standards of its people, required housing production and related community development sufficient to remedy the serious housing shortage, as well as the elimination of sub-standard and other inadequate housing through the clearance of slums and blighted areas. In order to accomplish this Department of Housing and Community Renewal was established.

By 1987 the Department of Conservation and Cultural Affairs and the Department of Housing and Community Renewal was combined to form the Department of Housing, Parks and Recreation. The department was responsible for the enforcement and administration of all laws pertaining to rent control, administer public recreation programs within housing projects and elsewhere in the United Stated Virgin Islands including organization and maintenance of youth sports leagues; provide and maintain parks, recreation areas and sports complexes for public use and enjoyment; promote physical fitness; administer beautification programs; acquire property already devoted to public use; plan for, install, construct and reconstruct parks, playgrounds and other public improvements in housing projects; determine if and where in its area of operation there is a shortage of safe, decent and sanitary dwelling for low-income families; and clear or prepare any property owned by the department for redevelopment conservation or rehabilitation.

The Magens Bay Authority which existed within the Department of Conservation and Cultural Affairs was continued in the Department of Housing, Parks and Recreation. In 2007 the housing component within the Department of Housing, Parks and Recreation was transferred to the Virgin Islands Housing Finance Authority.