Big Fountain is estate 11 in St. Croix’s Northside A Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, two windmills were likely built in the late 18th century. The windmill tower that has been found is partly collapsed. Field reconnaissance failed to locate ruins identifiable as the second windmill.
Given the location, available water, and breadth of the valley at Fountain, the relatively late settlement of this area creates questions. The area did not show any sugar cultivation through the 1750s, although the 1750 map attributes ownership to Peter Heiliger. Subsequently, the 1766-1767 annotated and manuscript copies of Beck attribute ownership to Major de Nully. The 1770 maps attribute ownership to Andrew Irvin, transitioning to O. Neal by 1790.
Oxholm depicts two windmills on a ridge on the 1799 map, while the 1856 Parsons map only includes one windmill with structures to the south and east. The 20th-century topographic maps show a windmill on a hill with structures to the south and west. A single windmill is easily found while no evidence has been found of a second mill, perhaps concealed by bush growing in the area.
McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.35 & p.78) emphasizes the ownership of Maj. De Nully and notes the ownership by Camming sugar plantations starting in 1856.