Estate Prosperity

Prosperity is estate 18 in St. Croix’s Northside B Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the 19th century. The western half of the windmill tower collapsed in the 1970s during a hurricane, although the machine slot did not collapse despite a hearth in the mill.

Prosperity 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.

While the 1799 Oxholm depicts an animal mill, the 1856 Parsons map indicates a windmill at Prosperity. The 20th century topographic maps indicate windmill ruins at approximately 180 feet elevation, with the top specified at 200 feet, at Prosperity.

McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.151) notes the old mill tower with the estatehouse on beach between. Prosperity later merged with estates Northstar and Canebay.

The 1760s annotated and manuscript copies of the Beck map attribute ownership Peter Markoes. The 1790s manuscript copies of Beck attribute ownership to Armstrong.

Photos of Prosperity, 2020s

Prosperity windmill exterior from the north showing the collapse of the western half of the mill tower.
Prosperity windmill exterior from the north showing the collapse of the western half of the mill tower.
Prosperity windmill exterior from the east featuring the window.
Prosperity windmill exterior from the east featuring the window.
Prosperity windmill exterior from the east looking upward and featuring the window and intact top rim of the windmill tower.
Prosperity windmill exterior from the east featuring the window. This view highlights the intact top rim of the tower, indicating the top part of this side of the windmill tower is intact.
Prosperity windmill exterior from the west highlighting a cross section of the remaining wall.
Prosperity windmill exterior from the west highlighting a cross section of the remaining wall.
Prosperity windmill interior facing east featuring the window.
Prosperity windmill interior facing east featuring the window.
A close up of the hearth at Prosperity windmill highlighting vines or roots growing down through the flue.
Prosperity windmill interior facing southeast featuring the hearth.
Prosperity windmill interior facing south featuring the intact machine slot on the right and the hearth in the lower left of the photo.
Prosperity windmill interior facing south featuring the intact machine slot. Note the hearth in the lower left of the photo.

Historic Maps of Prosperity

Snippets of the U.S. Geological Service topographic maps of 1958 & 1982 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 18, currently named Prosperity.
The 1958 and its 1982 photorevision USGS topographic map show ruins identifiable as a windmill at Prosperity.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 18, currently named Prosperity.
The 1921 USGS topographic map shows an old mill tower at Prosperity with an elevation of the top at 200 feet.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 18, currently named Prosperity.
The 1907 map indicates a windmill at Prosperity.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 18, currently named Prosperity.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill with other structures to the northeast of it at Prosperity.
Snippets of the Oxholm map of 1799 and the copy by Lang of 1820 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 18, currently named Prosperity.
Oxholm’s 1799 map and 1820 revision show an animal mill at Prosperity.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 18, currently named Prosperity.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows an animal mill at Prosperity.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 18, currently named Prosperity.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership to Armstrong.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 18, currently named Prosperity.
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 Northside B quarter estate # 18, currently named Prosperity.
All 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies all consistently include an animal mill except the 1770 and c.1770 annotated maps. All these maps attribute ownership to Peter Markoes heirs, with a variety of spellings.
Snippets of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 18, currently named Prosperity.
Neither of the Beck map printings indicates sugar machinery in Prosperity (Northside B) estate.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 18, currently named Prosperity.
By 1750, no settlement is indicated near Prosperity (Northside B) estate.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring Northside B quarter estate # 18, currently named Prosperity.
During the French period, a settlement by Muze is indicated near Prosperity (Northside B) estate.