Estate Mon Bijou

Mon Bijou is estate 8 in St. Croix’s King’s Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the 1760s. Translated, the estate name means my jewel. The western half of the windmill tower collapsed.

The 1750 map indicates sugar cultivation but no animal mill. Both Beck printings depict and animal mill near the center of the estate. All the annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies combine estates 8 and 9, with sails added to the windmill on all these maps, except the 1770 annotated map that only added landowner names.

The 1799 Oxholm map depicts a windmill on a small hill in the northeast corner of mon bijou. The 1856 Parsons map depicts a windmill in the same relative location and several structures surrounded by what appears to be a wall to the north and a square to the west.

The 1921 topographic sheet specifies the ruins at Mon Bijou to be a chimney. Both the 1958 and 1982 topographic maps indicate ruins identifiable as a windmill at Mon Bijou.

All the annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies, from 1766 to 1791, attribute ownership to Peter Heyliger Junior for both estates 8 and 9.

McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (pp.128-129) notes mon bijou in French translates to my jewel.

Photos of Mon Bijou, 2020s

Curved interior of windmill tower wall with some recesses visible that would have held timbers. Wall collapsed on the left side of image. Tree branches in foreground.
Mon Bijou windmill interior facing northeast featuring the construction material. Notice the stone block surface covers a rubble wall interior.
A curved portion of windmill tower on the left, collapsed on the right under blue skies with vegetation in front. Two iguanas sun themselves atop the mill wall.
Mon Bijou windmill exterior from the north with a close up of the construction material. The cut stone blocks are much darker than the mortar. Notice the iguanas on the top of the wall, a species not likely to have been around the windmill when sugar was being processed.
The curved mill wall interrupted by about one-third of it collapsed on the western side, to the right of the image.
Mon Bijou windmill exterior from the north featuring the construction material. Notice how the western one third of the tower collapsed. The square stone blocks are not all the same size.
Interior mill wall finished with stone blocks above a foot or more of rubble material.
Mon Bijou windmill interior facing north featuring the floor. The rubble material below the stone block provides evidence the original mill work floor was removed.
Narrow base of windmill wall between two openings.
Mon Bijou windmill interior facing southwest featuring the construction material. To the left is the machine slot and to the right is part of the bagasse opening. Notice the removal of material around the openings.
Interior windmill wall with three recesses visible.
Mon Bijou windmill interior facing east featuring the construction material. The square recesses with bricks on the bottom would have held timbers supporting a work floor. Notice the square stones are not the same size, similar to the exterior of this mill.
Interior windmill wall with machine slot centered in image. Vegetation in foreground obscures the lower part of the image, although wall collapse evident.
Mon Bijou windmill interior facing south featuring the machine slot. The stones around the arch have not been removed. However, the stones lower down have been removed.

Historic Maps of Mon Bijou

Snippets of the U.S. Geological Service topographic maps of 1958 & 1982 featuring King's Quarter estate # 8, currently named Mon Bijou.
The 1958 & 1982 photorevision of the USGS topographic map show ruins identifiable as a windmill at Mon Bijou.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring King's Quarter estate # 8, currently named Mon Bijou.
The 1921 USGS topographic map shows ruins specified as Mon Bijou Chimney at Mon Bijou.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring King's Quarter estate # 8, currently named Mon Bijou.
The 1907 map indicates a windmill at Mon Bijou.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring King's Quarter estate # 8, currently named Mon Bijou.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill with a square immediately to the west and other structures to the north at Mon Bijou.
Snippets of the Oxholm map of 1799 and the copy by Lang of 1820 featuring King's Quarter estate # 8, currently named Mon Bijou.
Oxholm’s 1799 map and the 1820 revision show a windmill at mon bijou.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring King's Quarter estate # 8, currently named Mon Bijou.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows a windmill at mon bijou.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring King's Quarter estate # 8, currently named Mon Bijou.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership to Peter Heyliger Junior.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring King's Quarter estate # 8, currently named Mon Bijou.
Küffner’s 1767 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a settlement with a sugar mill near Mon Bijou with no ownership attribution.
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1770 featuring King's Quarter estate # 8, currently named Mon Bijou.
All the annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies of Beck converted the animal mill in estate 8 from the printed map into a windmill, except the 1770 annotated map that only added landowner names. All the maps attribute ownership to Peter Heyliger Junior, with some spelling variation.
Snippets of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring King's Quarter estate # 8, currently named Mon Bijou.
Both Beck printings depict an animal mill in estate 8.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring King's Quarter estate # 8, currently named Mon Bijou.
The 1750 map indicates sugar cultivation, but no animal mill, at estates 8 &9. Ownership attributed to Nicholas Salomons.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring King's Quarter estate # 8, currently named Mon Bijou.
During the French period, a settlement named Sanson is indicated near Mon Bijou.