Estate Coakley Bay

Coakley Bay is estate 1 in St. Croix’s East End B Quarter. Coakley Bay can trace its name to early in the Danish period, with William Coakly owning the property by 1750. Sugar was produced here by the 1750s and the windmill constructed by 1794. This windmill tower is in very good condition and has been modified as an outdoor space.

Estate Coakley Bay was settled early in the Danish period and shifted from cotton to sugar by the 1750s. Like the entire eastern one third of St. Croix, no indication of habitation in the French period but is settled and growing cotton by 1750. While the handwriting on the Cronenberg & Jægersberg 1750 map is ambiguous, the estate is shown as owned by William Coakely, indicating the name of the estate goes back to the earliest settlers in the Danish period. The first animal mill was indicated in the second Beck printing in the mid-1750s. By the late 1760s, the animal mill still appears with ownership attributed to John Coakly, with 3 different spellings of the name in 6 maps. The maps of the early 1790s both show ownership by Cardon, which Oxholm spells Cardens in 1794, a place name still currently used in the area.

The windmill first appears on the Oxholm 1794 map with a consistent appearance in the Parsons and 1921 USGS topographic maps at Coakley Bay along with the 1958 and photorevision 1982 USGS topographic maps by the place name Cardens. The structures indicated on the Parsons 1856 map to the south and west of the windmill can mostly be located. However, the orientation of the plantation house on the 1794 Oxholm map is more consistent with the 2020s configuration of the home built on the foundations of the plantation house and the windmill tower on the knoll. The height of the windmill tower is approximately 30 feet, given the elevation measures on the USGS map of approximately 40 feet at the base and 72 feet at the top. As the McGuire description below shows, the name of the area shifted over time.

Photos of Coakley Bay, 2020s

Coakley Bay windmill exterior from the south, featuring the machine slot.
Coakley Bay windmill exterior from the south, featuring the machine slot. The main entrance is to the left and one of the two bagasse openings are between. The small indentation over the machine slot has an unknown purpose.
Coakley Bay windmill west-facing exterior highlighting the main opening, exterior finish, and top notch.
Coakley Bay windmill showing the west face of the mill with the top of the main entrance. Notice the bricks lining the opening. Also notice the wearing of the plaster halfway up the mill exterior. Also notice the notch in the top of the of the mill, one of four typically found at the top of the mill that help to anchor the wooden top cap to the masonry tower.
Coakley Bay windmill interior close up of the refurbished floor & 2 openings.
Coakley Bay windmill interior showing a refinished floor from the original mill. Notice the bricks lining the opening.

Historic Maps of Coakley Bay

Snippets of the U.S. Geological Service topographic maps of 1982 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 1, currently named Coakley Bay.
The 1958 and 1982 photorevision of the USGS topographic map show ruins at Carden near Coakley Bay, with the dashed circle indicating a windmill on the northern edge of the sea-facing hill.
Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1982 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 1, currently named Coakley Bay.
The 1958 and 1982 photorevision of the USGS topographic map show ruins at Carden near Coakley Bay, with the dashed circle indicating a windmill on the northern edge of the sea-facing hill.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 1, currently named Coakley Bay.
The 1921 USGS topographic map shows an old mill tower with the base at approximately 40 feet and the top at 72 feet elevation at Estate Coakley Bay.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 1, currently named Coakley Bay.
The 1907 map indicates a circle at Estate Coakley Bay.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 1, currently named Coakley Bay.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill near the shore in the northern portion of Estate Coakley Bay with structures to the west, south, and east. Given the number of structures, the settlement to the east was most likely the slave village.
Snippets of the Oxholm map of 1799 and the Lang updated to it of 1820 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 1, currently named Coakley Bay.
Oxholm’s 1799 map and the 1820 revision with the Lang revisions both show a windmill near the shore in the northern portion of Estate Cardens with structures to the south and east. To the west of the windmill along the coast is the battery of Wismenog.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 1, currently named Coakley Bay.
Oxholm’s 1799 map a windmill near the shore in the northern portion of Estate Cardens with structures to the south and east. To the west of the windmill along the coast is the battery of Wismenog.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 1, currently named Coakley Bay.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership to Cardon.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 1, currently named Coakley Bay.
Küffner’s 1767 Beck replica includes identifying a settlement in the area of estate 5, with the name Coakly.
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps made from 1766 to 1770 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 1, currently named Coakley Bay.
The 1766, 1767, c.1767, and 1770 annotated Beck maps illustrate an animal mill in the southwest corner of the estate, south of the road. The 1766 map has a hand-drawn mill, reflecting that this annotation was made on the first Beck printing. The later four maps have the printed animal mill, reflecting annotations on the second Beck printing. With various spellings, ownership attributed to John Coakly Senior.
Snippets of the 2 manuscript copies of Beck from 1766 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 1, currently named Coakley Bay.
The 1766 manuscript copies of Beck depict an animal mill in the southwest corner of the estate, south of the road. Ownership attributed to John Coakly.
Snippet of the Beck map printed in c.1757 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 1, currently named Coakley Bay.
By around 1756, the second Beck printing shows the same road in the southern half of the estate, with an animal mill added to the engraving.
Snippet of the Beck map printed in 1754 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 1, currently named Coakley Bay.
By 1752, the first Beck printing shows a road running east-west through the southern half of the estate but no sugar machinery.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 1, currently named Coakley Bay.
The Cronenberg and von Jægersberg map of 1750 indicates estate 1 planted in cotton, evidenced by the blue coloring. A plantation house is near the center of the estate, with some other structures to the south. Two names appear, attributing ownership to what appears to be William Coakely to the north and Louis Surleine in the south.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring East End B Quarter estate # 1, currently named Coakley Bay.
During the French period, no settlement is indicated near Coakley Bay.