Estate Belvedere

Belvedere includes estates 22 & 23 in St. Croix’s Northside B Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the late 18th century. The date 1763 over the main entrance is not original to the mill and was likely added when the windmill was incorporated into a dwelling to designate the original construction date.

Belvedere indicates how elevated locations in Northside B quarter delayed sugar cultivation. No settlement is indicated through the 1750s. In the 1760s, the annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies of the Beck map indicate an animal mill hand drawn into estate 22 except the 1770 annotated Beck map, a map that did not add any sugar machinery to the printed map.

Both the 1799 Oxholm and 1856 Parsons maps indicate a windmill at Belvedere and Belvidere, respectively. In estate 23. The 20th century topographic maps indicate windmill ruins at approximately 220 feet elevation at Belvedere.

The 1760s annotated and manuscript copies of the Beck map attribute ownership of estate 22 to Thomas Stritch and estate 23 to Warner Abraham Rogers heirs. The 1790s manuscript copies of Beck attribute ownership of both estates to McEvoy. The 1799 Oxholm map suggests single ownership of the two estates with a dotted line between them.

McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.33) notes later merger with Lavallee as Rotha sugar plantation.

Photos of Belvedere, 2020s

Belvedere windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance.
Belvedere windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance.
Belvedere windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance inscription of 1763, which is not original to the mill.
Belvedere windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance inscription of 1763, which is not original to the mill.
Belvedere windmill exterior from the southwest.
Belvedere windmill exterior from the southwest.
Belvedere windmill exterior from the south featuring the machine slot.
Belvedere windmill exterior from the south featuring the machine slot.
Belvedere windmill exterior from the east featuring the later connection of the mill to other dwelling structures.
Belvedere windmill exterior from the east featuring the later connection of the mill to other dwelling structures.

Historic Maps of Belvedere

Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic maps of 1958 and 1982 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 22-23, currently named Belvedere.
The 1958 and its 1982 photorevision USGS topographic map show ruins identifiable as a windmill at Belvedere.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 22-23, currently named Belvedere.
The 1921 USGS topographic map shows an old mill tower at Belvedere with an elevation of approximately 220 feet.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 22-23, currently named Belvedere.
The 1907 map indicates a windmill at Belvedere.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 22-23, currently named Belvedere.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill on a ridge, with other structures stretching to the northeast of it at Belvidere.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 22-23, currently named Belvedere.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows a windmill at Belvedere in estate 23 on a ridge just east of the road.
Snippet of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 and the Janssen map of 1791 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 22-23, currently named Belvedere.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership to McEvoy.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 22-23, currently named Belvedere.
Küffner’s 1767 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a settlement but not a sugar mill.
Snippet of all 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1770 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 22-23, currently named Belvedere.
All the annotated Beck maps except 1770 plus both the manuscript copies of Beck include an animal mill in estate 22. All of these maps attribute ownership of estate 22 to Lucas Thomas Stritch and estate 23 to Warner Abraham Rogers heirs, using a variety of spellings.
Snippet of both Beck maps printed in 1754 and circa 1757 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 22-23, currently named Belvedere.
Neither of the Beck map printings indicates sugar machinery in Belvedere estate.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 22-23, currently named Belvedere.
By 1750, no settlement is indicated near Belvedere estate.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 22-23, currently named Belvedere.
During the French period, no settlement is indicated near Belvedere estate.