Estate Wills Bay/Sweet Bottom

Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom is estate 20 in St. Croix’s Northside A Quarter. The windmill was likely built in 1796 based on the date on the inscription stone. This windmill did not appear on any historic maps except the 20th-century topographic maps; the inscription date underlines that Oxholm collected information through 1794 for the map published in 1799. This estate was likely named for the nearby by and the valley between the mill and shore. The windmill is in good condition.

Historic maps show no occupation through the 1750s in the as yet unnumbered estate 20. The Beck variants indicate an animal mill in the southeast corner of the estate except the 1770 and c.1770 annotated maps. The coastline is notably changed on three of the annotated Beck maps, moving the coast southward.

The 1799 Oxholm map depicts an animal mill very close to the shore; uphill from the animal mill is a structure with a winding road coming down from the ridge above. However, none of the historic maps depict a windmill. The 20th-century topographic maps all indicate the ruins identifiable as a windmill at the location where ruins were located in the field.

All of the Beck variants attribute ownership to Robert Stewart except the 1770 and c.1770 annotated maps, which attribute ownership to Peter Heiliger Senior or his heirs. Ownership transitioned to R. Thompson by 1790.

McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p. 186 & p.199) notes an Old mill on northeast slop of Furnel Ridge.

Photos of Wills Bay/Sweet Bottom, 2020s

Top of windmill tower obscured by bush with large hill rising behind it.
Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom windmill exterior from the north.
Windmill tower with the main entrance in the center of the image and light visible through the window on the opposite wall through the main entrance.
Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance.
Inscription stone reading AD 1796 above the main entrance keystone.
Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom windmill exterior from the west with a close up of the inscription stone over the main entrance. The inscription AD 1796 suggests a construction date. While the 1799 Oxholm map was published after this windmill was built, the data for the map was only collected through 1794.
Exterior wall of windmill looking up at partly cloudy sky and vegetation around the mill. The center of the image looks through the narrow machine slot through the top of the tower.
Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom windmill exterior from the north looking upward machine slot.
Arched window with a square bottom from the interior of the windmill.
Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom windmill interior facing east featuring the window.
Three arched openings from the interior of the windmill.
Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom windmill interior facing west featuring the suspected later bagasse opening on the left, the main entrance in the center, and the original bagasse opening on the right.
Circle of blue sky surrounded by the mill wall interior. This image shows vertical slots that indicates the top portion of the mill tower has not collapsed.
Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom windmill interior facing north looking upward machine slot.

Historic Maps of Wills Bay/Sweet Bottom

Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1982 featuring Northside A quarter estate # 20, currently named Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom.
The 1982 USGS topographic map shows ruins identifiable as a windmill in the area of Wills Bay/Sweet Bottom.
Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1958 featuring Northside A quarter estate # 20, currently named Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom.
The 1958 USGS topographic map shows ruins identifiable as a windmill in the area of Wills Bay/Sweet Bottom.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 20, currently named Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom.
The 1920 USCGS topographic map shows a Mill in the area of Wills Bay/Sweet Bottom without naming the area.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 20, currently named Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom.
The 1907 map makes no mention of a settlement but identifies the maritime feature Wills Bay.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 20, currently named Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom.
Parsons’ 1856 map makes no mention of settlement at Wills Bay but does identify the maritime feature Wells Bay. Since this windmill may have served as a useful navigational aid, its omission on an Admiralty Chart creates confusion.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring Northside A quarter estate # 20, currently named Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows an animal mill with a long, winding path leading to a structure to the south at Sweet Bottom.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 20, currently named Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen, respectively, attribute ownership to R. Thompson.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 20, currently named Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom.
Küffner’s 1767 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts no settlement in the area of Wills Bay.
Snippets of the annotated Beck maps made in 1770 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 20, currently named Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom.
The 1770 and c.1770 annotated Beck maps depict no sugar manufacturing equipment near estate 20. Ownership in the east attributed to Peter Heiliger Senior or his heirs and to the west to Robert Stewart or Thomson.
Snippets of the annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1767 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 20, currently named Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom.
The 1766, 1767, and c.1767 annotated beck maps and both the manuscript copies of Beck place a hand-drawn animal mill in what would become estate 20. These maps attribute ownership to William Farnell or his widow. The neighboring estate to the west has no sugar manufacturing equipment depicted and attribute ownership to Robert Stewart.
Snippets of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 20, currently named Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom.
Neither of the Beck printings depict any sugar machinery.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 20, currently named Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom.
The 1750 map indicates no cultivation and attributes no ownership.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring Northside A Quarter estate # 20, currently named Wills Bay/ Sweet Bottom.
During the French period, no settlement is indicated near Wills Bay/Sweet Bottom, although the seaward feature is named Anse a la Vieille, or Old Cove.