Estate Ham’s Bay

Ham’s Bay is estate 32 in St. Croix’s Northside A Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the 19th century and remains is in good condition. Uniquely, this windmill has only 3 openings. The estate was named for the nearby bay.

The area of Ham’s Bay was settled in the French period and in cotton cultivation by 1750 in the Danish period. The 1766 and 1767 annotated Beck maps plus the Zöllner manuscript copy all place an animal mill in the southern portion of the estate by the gut. None of the other Beck variants include any sugar manufacturing machinery.

The 1799 Oxholm map depicts an animal mill at estate 32 without including a name. By 1856, Parsons includes a windmill at Hams Bay Estate. All of the 20th-century topographic maps indicate a windmill at Hams Bay.

In 1750, ownership attributed to William Merts. All the Beck variants attribute ownership to John Farrington, which persists through 1791.

McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.90) notes the estate Locally always called “Hamsbay.”

Photos of Ham’s Bay, 2020s

Windmill tower surrounded by blue sky and some vegetation.
Ham’s Bay windmill exterior from the east featuring the window on the right side and a portion of the machine slot/juice trough opening on the left side. Notice the vertical angle of the cone of the tower.
Windmill tower and main entrance partly obscured by vegetation.
Ham’s Bay windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance. Notice how the mill tower cone is not angled sharply.
Windmill tower and main entrance partly obscured by vegetation. Looking through the main entrance shows light coming through the square window on the far wall of the windmill.
Ham’s Bay windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance in the center and bagasse opening to the left. Both these openings are lined with cut stone blocks. Notice the plaster present at the top of the mill has worn off the lower portions of the mill.
Arched opening viewed from the inside of the mill.
Ham’s Bay windmill interior facing northwest featuring the bagasse opening. Notice the outwardly sloping floor.
Two arched openings viewed from the inside of the mill.
Ham’s Bay windmill interior facing west featuring the main entrance on the left and bagasse opening on the right.
Interior wall of windmill with semicircle of sky visible at the top.
Ham’s Bay windmill interior facing north featuring the top arch of the bagasse opening in the lower left. Notice the beam slots that would have held the beams supporting the crushing rollers. In the top vertical slots, a beehive is found, common inside windmills.
Windmill tower with machine slot in the center.
Ham’s Bay windmill exterior from the south featuring the machine slot that also serves as the juice trough opening.
Square opening viewed from the inside of the mill.
Ham’s Bay windmill interior facing east featuring the window. The rare square shape dos not have a significant difference in the exterior and interior size of the opening that accentuates breezes through windows in other mills.
Circle of blue sky surrounded by mill interior walls. Vegetation stretches across the opening.
Ham’s Bay windmill interior looking upward. The intact vertical slots at the top of the mill indicate the top portion has not collapsed.
Windmill tower and main entrance partly obscured by vegetation. Looking through the main entrance shows light coming through the square window on the far wall of the windmill.
Ham’s Bay windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance in the center and bagasse opening to the left. Both these openings are lined with cut stone blocks. Notice the plaster present at the top of the mill has worn off the lower portions of the mill.
Interior of long, narrow cistern with a stone arched roof and a white PVC pipe in the foreground.
Ham’s Bay cistern interior from the west featuring the full extent of the structure. The cistern stretches about 10 yards and is about 1 yard deep.

Historic Maps of Ham’s Bay

Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1982 featuring Northside A quarter estate # 32, currently named Ham's Bay.
The 1982 USGS topographic map shows ruins identifiable as a windmill at Hams Bay.
Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1958 featuring Northside A quarter estate # 32, currently named Ham's Bay.
The 1958 USGS topographic map shows ruins identifiable as a windmill at Hams Bay.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 32, currently named Ham's Bay.
The 1920 USCGS topographic map shows the Hams Bay Mill with structures to the west.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 32, currently named Ham's Bay.
The 1907 map indicates a windmill at Hams Bay.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 32, currently named Ham's Bay.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill with structures to the south at Hams Bay Estate. An indication of a Ruin lies to the east.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 and the copy by Lang of 1820 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 32, currently named Ham's Bay.
Oxholm’s 1799 map and its 1820 revision show an animal mill at estate 32.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring Northside A quarter estate # 32, currently named Ham's Bay.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows an animal mill at estate 32.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 32, currently named Ham's Bay.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen, respectively, attribute ownership to Farrington.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 32, currently named Ham's Bay.
Küffner’s 1767 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a settlement in the area of Ham’s Bay.
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1770 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 32, currently named Ham's Bay.
The 1766 and 1767 annotated Beck maps plus the Zollner manuscript copy of Beck include a hand-drawn animal mill. The other annotated Beck maps and the unsigned manuscript copy do not include an animal mill. All these maps attribute ownership to John Farrington.
Snippets of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 32, currently named Ham's Bay.
Neither of the Beck printings depict any sugar machinery.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 32, currently named Ham's Bay.
The 1750 map indicates cotton cultivation by the blue hating and attributes ownership to William Merts.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 32, currently named Ham's Bay.
During the French period, settlement indicated near Hams Bay is attributed to Andrin and Alais. The seaward feature is named Cap du Diable, or Devil’s Cape.