Estate Bodkin

Bodkin is estate 10 in St. Croix’s Northside A Quarter. The windmill was built in the 19th century based on appearances on historic maps. The inscription stone says Erected 1808 A.D. Bodkin was likely named for the initial owner in the Danish period. The windmill tower is partly collapsed.

The first suggestion of settlement of estate Bodkins is the ownership attributed to Laurence Bodkin through the late 1760s, indicating the genesis of the estate name as the original owner per McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.37). Historic maps no indication of sugar machinery through the 18th century. By 1790, ownership transitioned to Robert Thompson.

The 1856 Parsons map includes a windmill at Bodkin. McGuire notes that the mill is 100 yards southeast of the summit of the 993-foot Bodkin Hill. The 20th-century topographic maps all indicate a windmill ruin on the high ridge indicating an elevation of 963 feet, 100 yards south of the summit of Bodkin Hill, creating the highest elevation for a windmill on St. Croix.

Photos of Bodkin, 2020s

Windmill tower featuring the main entrance in the center of the image.
Bodkin windmill exterior from the northwest featuring the main entrance.
Windmill tower close up of the main entrance, through which the window on the east face admits light.
Bodkin windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance.
Windmill tower focused on the main entrance, from which the stones lining the opening have been removed. Above the entrance is the inscription stone.
Bodkin windmill exterior from the west with a close up of the main entrance.
Beige-colored inscription stone above the main entrance that reads "Erected Anno Domini 1808"
Bodkin windmill exterior from the west with a close up of the inscription stone. The words “Erected 1808” give a clear indication the mill was built in 1808.
Windmill tower obscured by intervening vegetation. Machine slot opening visible in the center of the image.
Bodkin windmill exterior from the north featuring the machine slot. Notice how a portion of the top of the mill collapsed revealed by the unlevel top of the mill.
Three openings of the windmill from inside the mill.
Bodkin windmill interior facing southwest featuring the machine slot on the left, bagasse opening center and main entrance on the right.
Windmill with bushes in front to the left and vegetation over the top of the mill on the right side of the image.
Bodkin windmill exterior from the northwest from a distance.

Historic Maps of Bodkin

Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1982 featuring Northside A quarter estate # 10, currently named Bodkins.
The 1982 USGS topographic map shows ruins identifiable as a windmill at Bodkin.
Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1958 featuring Northside A quarter estate # 10, currently named Bodkins.
The 1958 USGS topographic map shows ruins identifiable as a windmill at Bodkin.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 10, currently named Bodkins.
The 1920 USCGS topographic map shows the Bodkin Mill at an elevation of 963 feet.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 10, currently named Bodkins.
The 1907 map indicates a windmill at Bodkins.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 10, currently named Bodkins.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill near the elevation 980 feet at Bodkin.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 and the copy by Lang of 1820 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 10, currently named Bodkins.
Oxholm’s 1799 map and its 1820 revision show an atypical structure icon in estate 10a.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring Northside A quarter estate # 10, currently named Bodkins.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows an atypical structure icon in estate 10a.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 10, currently named Bodkins.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen, respectively, attribute ownership to Robert Thompson.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 10, currently named Bodkins.
Küffner’s 1767 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a settlement in the area of Bodkins.
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1770 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 10, currently named Bodkins.
For the annotated and manuscript copies of the Beck map, none show an animal mill in estate 10. All attribute ownership to Laurence Bodkins, with a variety of spellings.
Snippets of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 10, currently named Bodkins.
Neither of the Beck printings depict any sugar machinery.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 10, currently named Bodkins.
The 1750 map indicates no cultivation and attributes no ownership.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 10, currently named Bodkins.
During the French period, no settlement is indicated near Bodkins.