Estate Golden Grove

Golden Grove is estate 33 in St. Croix’s Prince’s Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the 1760s. The windmill has been reduced to a foundation.

The first sign of sugar manufacturing is the 1766 annotated Beck map that depicts a windmill, one of only three of these maps to do so. Both the 1799 Oxholm map and the 1856 Parsons map depict a windmill. None of the 20th century topographic maps include ruins identifiable as a windmill.

The annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies attribute ownership to John Irwin. By 1790 ownership transitioned to William Armstrong.

McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.84) provides basic naming and location information.

Historic Maps of Golden Grove

Snippets of the U.S. Geological Service topographic maps of 1958 & 1982 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 33, currently named Golden Grove.
The 1958 and 1982 photorevision of the USGS topographic map show no indication of ruins at Golden Grove.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 33, currently named Golden Grove.
The 1921 USCGS topographic sheet shows no ruins identifiable as a windmill at Golden Grove. The fanmill in the southwest corner correlates with the water tower found in the field.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 33, currently named Golden Grove.
The 1907 map identifies an estate at Golden Grove.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 33, currently named Golden Grove.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill with a structure to the south and square to the southwest at Golden Grove. Another structure lies at the end of the road to the north at the top of a hill.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 33, currently named Golden Grove.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows a windmill at Golden Grove. Two rows of trees go north up a hill, ending in a cluster of structures.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 33, currently named Golden Grove.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership to William Armstrong.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 33, currently named Golden Grove.
Küffner’s 1767 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts no settlement and attributes no ownership in the area of Golden Grove.
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1770 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 33, currently named Golden Grove.
The 1766 annotated Beck maps and both manuscript copies of Beck added a windmill in the southeast quadrant of estate 33, with no change from the animal mill seen in the 1770 annotated map that only added landowner names. For the section with the windmill, ownership attributed to John Irwin, with some spelling variation.
Snippets of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 33, currently named Golden Grove.
Neither Beck printing shows a sugar mill icon in estate 33.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 33, currently named Golden Grove.
The 1750 map by Cronenberg and von Jægersberg indicates no cultivation in and makes no ownership attribution in estate 33.