Estate Profit

Profit is estate 28 in St. Croix’s King’s Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the 1760s. The windmill was incorporated into a dwelling. The inscription stone is illegible. The windmill is in good condition.

The 1750 map depicts no cultivation in estate 28. Similarly, neither of the Beck printings included a sugar manufacturing icon. Starting with the 1766 example and including all but two of the annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies, map makers depicted a hand drawn windmill. However, two of the maps place the windmill in estate 27 and two place it in estate 28. The two maps that do not include a windmill are the unsigned manuscript copy and the 1770 annotated map that only added landowner names.

The 1799 Oxholm map depicts a windmill at the southern end of a hill in the eastern side of estate 27. The 1856 Parsons map locates a windmill at a 155-foot elevation.

The 1921 topographic sheet locates the Profit mill at a 158-foot elevation. The 1958 and 1982 topographic maps locate ruins identifiable as a windmill at an elevation between 140-160 feet.

On the 1750 map, ownership attributed to Friderich Moths. By 1766 and for all the annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies, ownership changed to Lieutenant Krause. By 1790, Krause must have died, with the ownership attribution to his heirs.

McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.151) attributes ownership in 1754 to Rapzaat Heylinger, whose first name translates to rapeseed. A mill is noted in the southern bowl of Kingshill range.

Photos of Profit, 2020s

Arched window seen from the exterior of the windmill tower.
Profit windmill exterior from the east featuring the window.
Profit windmill exterior from the north looking upward at the machine slot. Notice how none of the stones on the exterior were removed, but some of the interior stones were removed.
Half of an arched opening from the mill interior.
Profit windmill interior facing west with a close up of the main entrance. Notice the cut stone block lining the opening, similar to the exterior and interior of the mill tower.
Interior windmill tower wall with machine slot centered in image. Blue sky and vegetation beyond along with a tree on the inside.
Profit windmill interior facing north featuring the machine slot. Notice how some of the stones lining the arch were removed.
Arched window with vegetation and blue sky beyond.
Profit windmill interior facing east featuring the window. Notice how the interior is larger than the exterior, facilitating breezes coming into the windmill.
Arched opening with wooden floorboards to facilitate access to inside the mill.
Profit windmill interior facing north featuring the juice trough opening. The wooden walkway is not original.
Three arched openings from inside the windmill tower. Each has a pair of bars across it to limit access.
Profit windmill interior facing southwest featuring the bagasse opening. Juice trough opening to the left and main entrance to the right.
Arched opening from the interior of the windmill tower. Vegetation growing inside the mill.
Profit windmill interior facing west featuring the main entrance. Recesses above the opening would have held timbers supporting intermediate work floor.
Circle of blue sky surrounded by interior of mill tower. A couple of bushes grow out of the mill tower top.
Profit windmill interior looking upward. The vertical slots would have held timbers supporting a ring on which the mill cap would turn. Their presence indicates the top portion of the mill has not collapsed.
Exterior windmill wall with very regular pattern of cut stone block.
Profit windmill exterior from the southeast featuring the construction material. Notice the uniform size, straight edges, and square corners of the cut stone block.
Windmill tower under blue skies and obscured by vegetation.
Profit windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance.
Top half of windmill under blue skies. Bottom half obscured by vegetation. Two power lines cross in front of the mill.
Profit windmill exterior from the northeast from a distance. The slanted top of the mill indicates the top portion did not collapse. Notice the uniform size of the cut stone block used for construction.

Historic Maps of Profit

Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map 1982 featuring King's Quarter estate # 28, currently named Profit.
The 1982 photorevision of the USGS topographic map shows ruins identifiable as a windmill at Profit.
Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1958 featuring King's Quarter estate # 28, currently named Profit.
The 1958 USGS topographic map shows ruins identifiable as a windmill at Profit.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring King's Quarter estate # 28, currently named Profit.
The 1921 USGS topographic map shows the Profit Mill at 158 feet elevation.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring King's Quarter estate # 28, currently named Profit.
The 1907 map indicates a windmill at Kongsbay Kaserne, or Kings Bay Barracks, in the area of Profit.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring King's Quarter estate # 28, currently named Profit.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill at Profit, noting the elevation at 155 feet.
Snippets of the Oxholm map of 1799 and the copy by Lang of 1820 featuring King's Quarter estate # 28, currently named Profit.
Oxholm’s 1799 map and the 1820 revision show a windmill at Profit.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring King's Quarter estate # 28, currently named Profit.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows a windmill at Profit.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring King's Quarter estate # 28, currently named Profit.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership to Krause’s heirs.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring King's Quarter estate # 28, currently named Profit.
Küffner’s 1767 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts no settlement near Profit.
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1770 featuring King's Quarter estate # 28, currently named Profit.
All the annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies of Beck added a windmill in the southern half estate 28, except the 1770 annotated map that only added landowner names. All the maps attribute ownership to Lieutenant Krause, with some spelling variation.
Snippets of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring King's Quarter estate # 28, currently named Profit.
Neither of the Beck printings indicated sugar manufacturing machinery in estate 28.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring King's Quarter estate # 28, currently named Profit.
The 1750 map indicates no cultivation at estate 27 & 28. Ownership attributed to Friderich Moths.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring King's Quarter estate # 28, currently named Profit.
During the French period, no settlement is indicated near Profit.