Estate La Vallee

Vallee includes estates 24 & 25 in St. Croix’s Northside B Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the late 18th century. The windmill was blocked to store water after decommissioning. The windmill is in good condition.

La Vallee indicates how locations near the north shore in Northside B quarter provided earlier access for sugar cultivation compared to more elevated locations. 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 the map except the 1770 and c.1770 annotated Beck maps.

Both the 1799 Oxholm and 1856 Parsons maps indicate a windmill at La Vallee. The USGS topographic maps indicate windmill ruins at approximately 60 feet elevation at La Vallee which are not clearly identified on the 1921 topographic map that clearly identifies the La Vallee Chimney.

The 1760s annotated and manuscript copies of the Beck map attribute ownership to William Pickering. The 1790s manuscript copies of Beck attribute ownership Isaac Pickering.

McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.112) translates the French la vallee as the Valley and the likely location of the estate Mouchet during the French period. Notes the seat of a Moravian mission at Lavallee.

Photos of La Vallee, 2020s

The La Vallee windmill is fairly short and squat.
La Vallee windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance.
Closeup of mill exterior wall to show the fieldstone material and some places where plaster remains.
La Vallee windmill exterior from the west highlighting areas that have plaster on it and where it has weathered away to reveal the underlying fieldstone.
La Vallee windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance.
La Vallee windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance.

Historic Maps of La Vallee

Snippets of the U.S. Geological Service topographic maps of 1958 & 1982 featuring estates # 24-25, currently named La Vallee.
The 1958 and its 1982 photorevision USGS topographic map show ruins identifiable as a windmill at La Vallee.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring estates # 24-25, currently named La Vallee.
The 1921 USGS topographic map does not show a windmill at La Vallee but identifies the La Vallee Chy with an elevation of the top at 123 feet.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring estates # 24-25, currently named La Vallee.
The 1907 map indicates a windmill at La Vallee.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring estates # 24-25, currently named La Vallee.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill and other structures, including a school, at La Vallée.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring estates # 24-25, currently named La Vallee.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows a windmill at La Vallee with an animal mill and other structures to the west.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring estates # 24-25, currently named La Vallee.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership to Isaac Pickering.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring estates # 24-25, currently named La Vallee.
Küffner’s 1767 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a settlement but not a sugar mill.
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1770 featuring estates # 24-25, currently named La Vallee.
All the annotated Beck maps except the 1770 and c.1770 plus both the manuscript copies of Beck include an animal mill in estate 24. All of these maps attribute ownership to William Pickering, using a variety of spellings.
Snippet of the c1757 Beck map featuring estates # 24-25, currently named La Vallee.
Neither of the Beck map printings indicates sugar machinery in La Vallee estate.
Snippet of the 1754 Beck map featuring estates # 24-25, currently named La Vallee.
Neither of the Beck map printings indicates sugar machinery in La Vallee estate.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring estates # 24-25, currently named La Vallee.
By 1750, no settlement is indicated near La Vallee estate.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring estates # 24-25, currently named La Vallee.
During the French period, no settlement is indicated near La Vallee estate.