Estate Green Kay

Green Kay is estate 14 in St. Croix’s East End A Quarter, deriving its name from the nearby islet. A windmill first appears on Oxholm’s 1799 map. Reinforcing this late construction is a window above the main entrance along with a hearth. The inscription stone dated 1804 with the name Cecilia raises questions about the purpose of inscription stones. The windmill tower is in very good condition, abandoned in a field.

Green Kay estate settlement can be traced to the French period through historic maps, although the cultivation of sugar likely did not start until the end of the 18th century. The appearance of the windmill on Oxholm’s 1799 map coupled with the inscription stone above the mill’s main entrance dated 1804 create a question of the mill’s construction date and the meaning of inscription stones.

During the French period, the point currently named Pull Point was called Plum Point, while the bay to the east, currently named Prune Bay, was called Plum Cove (or Grand anse aux prunes) and the bay to the west, currently called Chenay Bay, was called Chenaye Bay. The area was indicated settled by Chausson.

In 1750, Green Kay estate was planted in cotton with ownership attributed to Thomas Johan. For all the Beck map printings, annotated maps, and manuscript copies through the 1770s, no sugar machinery is indicated and ownership is attributed to Peter Heiliger Senior. By the 1790s, ownership changed to Coppy.

The 1799 Oxholm map indicates a windmill on a ridge at grön Kay with a structure to the southwest, a depiction reproduced on the 1820 revision with the addition of a dwelling to the northwest. Parsons places a windmill in the same location in 1856, with structures to the southeast and west.

Since Oxholm’s map was based on data collected through 1799 and printed in 1799, the inscription stone above the main entrance raises an intriguing question. The stone, dated 1804 with the name Cecilia, raises the questions of the meaning of these inscriptions. Many people wonder who was Cecilia.

The US topographic maps indicate the ruins of a windmill at the same location as Oxholm and Parsons, confirmed by field reconnaissance. The elevation of the base of the mill is approximately 90 feet above sea level.

The McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p. 88) simply notes the location and ownership details of Greencay Estate.

Photos of Green Kay, 2020s

The Green Kay windmill as viewed from the west featuring the main entrance, inscription stone, and window above it.
Green Kay windmill from the west featuring the main entrance, inscription stone, and window above it. The inscription stone says “Cecilia, AD, 1804.” Since this appears on the Oxholm map of St. Croix, it was built by 1794, calling into question what inscription stones signify.
The interior of the Green Kay windmill looking west, with the main entrance and both bagasse openings.
Interior of the Green Kay windmill looking west, with the main entrance and both bagasse openings. Note the different materials lining the two bagasse openings. The mill working floor elevated above the surrounding ground helps the juice flow down to the boiling house, dropping the bagasse out of the mill, and lift the mill up to catch the wind better.
The Green Kay windmill as viewed from the southwest featuring the main entrance and a bagasse opening.
Green Kay windmill from the southwest featuring the main entrance, window above it, and a bagasse opening. Note the raised stonework lining the exterior of the openings and the plaster on the exterior of the windmill. The floor of the bagasse opening slopes outward to help the crushed cane fall out of the mill.
The interior of the Green Kay windmill looking south featuring the east-facing window and juice trough opening.
Interior of the Green Kay windmill looking south featuring the east-facing window and juice trough opening. Note the interior of the window is larger than the exterior, helping breezes enter the mill. The top portion of the mill indicates the mill is intact, not having collapsed. The vertical slots would hold timbers that supported a ring around the top of the mill on which the mill’s cap could rotate. The beehives in some of the beam slots are frequently found in windmills.
The Green Kay windmill highlight of the machine slot stairs.
Green Kay windmill highlight of the machine slot stairs. The missing stones on the walls of the machine slot indicate where wooden beams would have added a layer on the stairs.
The Green Kay windmill from the north, featuring the machine slot and one of the bagasse openings.
Green Kay windmill from the north, featuring the machine slot and one of the bagasse openings. Note the rim by the foundation along the north, a common feature among windmills. Low and to the left of the machine slot is a timber slot, used to tie down the sails when the mill was not in operation. Note how in the upper right of the visible portion of the mill a portion of the plaster has weathered away.
The Green Kay windmill from the northwest featuring one of the bagasse openings.
Green Kay windmill from the northwest featuring one of the bagasse openings. The brick lining the opening, different from the other openings, indicates this opening was created after the mill had been operating for some time. The sloping floor helps the crushed cane fall out of the mill.
The Green Kay windmill from the south showing the juice trough opening, a bagasse opening, and the boiling house to the left.
Green Kay windmill from the south showing the juice trough opening, a bagasse opening, and the boiling house to the left. The boiling house is most commonly found near the juice trough opening so the cane juice had the shortest distance to travel for processing.
The Green Kay windmill as viewed from the east featuring the square window.
Green Kay windmill from the east featuring the square window. The hole near the foundation is a timber slot that would be used to tie off the sails when the mill was not in operation. The square exterior of the window is a bit unusual. The missing masonry above and to the left of the window appears to be damage.

Historic Maps of Green Kay

Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1982 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 14, currently named Green Kay.
The 1982 photorevision shows a windmill ruin at Green Kay.
Snippets of the U.S. Geological Service topographic maps of 1958 & 1982 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 14, currently named Green Kay.
The 1958 USGS map 1982 photorevision show a windmill ruin at Green Kay.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 14, currently named Green Kay.
The 1919 USGS topographic map shows the icon for a stonemill without a fan at the Green Cay Estate Mill. Other structures lie to the south, coinciding with field reconnaissance.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 14, currently named Green Kay.
The 1907 map indicates a circle at Green Cay.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 14, currently named Green Kay.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill on a ridge at Green Cay Estate. A point on the same ridge to the southeast of the windmill indicates 209 feet elevation. Several structures lie to the southeast and west of the mill.
Snippet of the 1820 Lang update of Oxholm featuring East End A Quarter estate # 14, currently named Green Kay.
The 1820 updates to Oxholm included soundings and navigational aids by Lang. These are seen most evidently in East End A quarter. A navigation sight line for The Sight mill goes over the corner of an added structure, a Dwelling House, at grön Kay.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 14, currently named Green Kay.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows a windmill at the border of estates 13 and 14 on a ridge. A structure depicted to the southwest is consistent with the positioning of the sugar factory. Other structures along with the icon for a cotton plantation are depicted on a ridge to the southeast at grön Kay in the northeast corner of estate 12.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 14, currently named Green Kay.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen both attribute ownership to Coppy.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 14, currently named Green Kay.
Küffner’s 1767 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a settlement in the area of Green Kay and attributes ownership to Heiliger.
Snippets of the 2 manuscript copies of Beck from 1766 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 14, currently named Green Kay.
The two 1766 manuscript copies of Beck’s map attribute ownership to Peter Heÿliger Senior with no structures indicated. These depictions match the annotated Beck maps.
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps made from 1766 to 1770 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 14, currently named Green Kay.
The five annotated Beck maps dated 1766, 1767, c.1767, and 1770 indicate that Peter Heÿliger Senior as the property owner with no structures indicated. For the 1770 annotation, the name not underlined in red indicates this estate was not planted in sugar.
Snippets of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 14, currently named Green Kay.
The Beck printings with data from 1752 and c.1755 show no structures in Green Kay.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 14, currently named Green Kay.
The Cronenberg and von Jægersberg map of 1750 for estate 14 indicates cotton cultivation and attributes property ownership to Thomas Johan.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring East End A Quarter estate # 14, currently named Green Kay.
During the French period, Chausson appears in the area of Green Kay, with the point named Plum Point, not Pull Point. Similar to current naming, the bay to the east of Green Kay is called Prune (or Plum) bay and the bay to the west is Chenay Bay.