Estate Becks Grove

Becks Grove is estate 9 in St. Croix’s Prince’s Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the 19th century and represented on only a single historic map. The estate was likely named for Jens Michelsen Beck. The inscription on the main entrance keystone says 1819. The windmill tower is in good condition.

None of the historic maps indicate any settlement on the Prince’s Quarter side of Estate Becks Grove through the annotated Beck maps. While the 1766 Zöllner manuscript copy of Beck places an animal mill on the border between the two, the processing operations ultimately ended up much closer to the center of estate 9 Prince’s Quarter.

The 1799 Oxholm map included an animal mill near the center of estate 9, naming it clear mount. The 1856 Parsons map depicts a windmill at elevation 635 feet at Becks Grove.

The 1920 USCGS topographic sheet shows ruins identifiable as a windmill at elevation 630 feet at the southern tip of a ridge at Becks Grove and the later USGS map show ruins identifiable as a windmill in the analogous area of Becks Grove.

The annotated Beck maps and early manuscript copies attribute ownership to Cancelie Raad & Jens Michelsen Beck. The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership to Daly & Irwin.

McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.33) notes the mill is in 9b, Prince’s Quarter, consistent with the Oxholm maps and 20th century topographic maps.

Historic Maps of Becks Grove

Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1982 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 9, currently named Becks Grove.
The 1982 photorevision USGS topographic map shows ruins identifiable as a windmill in the area of Becks Grove.
Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1958 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 9, currently named Becks Grove.
The 1958 USGS topographic map shows ruins identifiable as a windmill in the area of Becks Grove.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 9, currently named Becks Grove.
The 1920 USCGS topographic sheet shows ruins identifiable as a windmill at elevation 630 feet at the southern tip of a ridge at Becks Grove.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 9, currently named Becks Grove.
The 1907 map identifies an estate at Becks Grove.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 9, currently named Becks Grove.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill at elevation 635 feet at Becks Grove.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 9, currently named Becks Grove.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows an animal mill at the southern edge of a ridge at clear mount.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 9, currently named Becks Grove.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership to Daly & Irwin.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 9, currently named Becks Grove.
Küffner’s 1767 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a settlement but no sugar mill and attributes ownership to Beck in the area of Becks Grove.
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1770 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 9, currently named Becks Grove.
The annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies of Beck do not place an animal mill in estate 9 Prince quarter, placing it in estate 28 West End Quarter. The nearest exception is the Zöllner map that places the animal mill on the boundary line between the two estates. Estate 28 of West End Quarter and estate 9 of Prince’s Quarter comprise Becks Grove. Later maps clarify that the sugar manufacturing took place in estate 28 of West End Quarter, calling into question the accuracy of these maps. However, placing an animal mill between the forks of a stream does make intuitive sense. All the maps attribute ownership to Cancelie Raad & Jens Michelsen Beck, with some spelling variation.
Snippets of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 9, currently named Becks Grove.
Neither Beck printing shows a sugar mill icon in estate 9. Note the estate number is not in the upper right corner but along the dotted line running down the center of the estate.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 9, currently named Becks Grove.
The 1750 map by Cronenberg and von Jægersberg indicates no cultivation in and makes no ownership attribution in estate 9.