Estate Spring Garden

Spring Garden is estate 27-28 in St. Croix’s Northside A Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, one windmill was likely built in the late 18th century. A second windmill was built perhaps in the 19th century. One windmill is in good condition and the second is partly collapsed.

No settlement indicated in the area of the as yet unnumbered estates 27 & 28 through the 1770s. The annotated and manuscript copies of Beck uniformly attribute ownership to Christopher McEvoy, an ownership that persisted through 1791.

The 1799 Oxholm map and 1856 Parsons map both indicate one windmill at Spring Garden. The 20th-century topographic maps all indicate two windmills at Springgarden.

McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.183) notes a House in upper valley; mill on opposite ridge to southwest. In the 1920s, estate with Extensive plantation of cocoa, coffee, mangoes, oranges, vanilla, etc.

Photos of Spring Garden, 2020s

Two hills, near and far intersect beneath a blue sky. The flat platform of the mill visible on the near hill.
Spring Garden lower windmill in valley just west of existing ruined house. Mill tower is largely collapsed.
Windmill tower silhouette close-up from below.
Spring Garden upper windmill close up from the valley. The mill has some vegetation growing out of the top of it.
Windmill tower silhouette on the top of a hill.
Spring Garden upper windmill shows how the mill is perched on the edge of the hill.

Historic Maps of Spring Garden

Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1982 featuring Northside A quarter estates # 27-28, currently named Spring Garden .
The 1982 USGS topographic map shows two ruins identifiable as a windmill at Springgarden.
Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1958 featuring Northside A quarter estates # 27-28, currently named Spring Garden.
The 1958 USGS topographic map shows two ruins identifiable as a windmill at Springgarden.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 27-28, currently named Spring Garden .
The 1920 USCGS topographic map shows a Mill in Ruins with structures to the east and south of it corresponding to the mill ruins in the valley plus the Spring Garden Mill on the hilltop.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 27-28, currently named Spring Garden .
The 1907 map indicates a windmill at Spring Garden.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 27-28, currently named Spring Garden .
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill at Spring Garden.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 and the copy by Lang of 1820 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 27-28, currently named Spring Garden .
Oxholm’s 1799 map and its 1820 revision show one windmill at Spring Garden. The location of this windmill corresponds with the collapsed windmill ruin to the west of the other structures in the valley and not the mill on the hilltop.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring Northside A quarter estates # 27-28, currently named Spring Garden.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows one windmill at Spring Garden. The location of this windmill corresponds with the collapsed windmill ruin to the west of the other structures in the valley and not the mill on the hilltop.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 27-28, currently named Spring Garden .
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen, respectively, attribute ownership to Christopher McEvoy.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 27-28, currently named Spring Garden .
Küffner’s 1767 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts the name “Maronberg” in the area of Spring Garden, a place where runaway slaves resided.
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1770 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 27-28, currently named Spring Garden .
None of the annotated and manuscript copies of the Beck map show an animal mill in what became estates 27 & 28. All attribute ownership to Christopher McEvoy.
Snippets of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 27-28, currently named Spring Garden .
Neither of the Beck printings depict any sugar machinery.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 27-28, currently named Spring Garden .
The 1750 map indicates no cultivation and attributes no ownership.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring Northside A Quarter estates # 27-28, currently named Spring Garden .
During the French period, no settlement is indicated near Spring Garden.