Estate Grove Place

Grove Place is estate 21 in St. Croix’s Prince’s Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the 1760s. Field reconnaissance failed to locate ruins identifiable as a windmill.

The 1750 map indicates sugar cultivation including an animal mill. While neither of the Beck printings depict a sugar mill icon, the annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies added a windmill. Both the 1799 Oxholm map and 1856 Parsons map include a windmill. The 1920s topographic sheet indicates a Mill in Field while the later topographic maps make no indication of ruins.

The 1750 map attributed ownership to His Excellence von Plessen. The annotated Beck maps starting in 1766 attribute ownership to John Baker. By 1770 and through 1791, ownership transitioned to Cornelius Hendrickson.

McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.90) notes in the 1920s agriculture pursuits including cane, grass, and provisions along with squatters’ land.

Historic Maps of Grove Place

Snippets of the U.S. Geological Service topographic maps of 1958 & 1982 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 21, currently named Grove Place.
The 1958 and 1982 photorevision of the USGS topographic map show no indication of ruins at Grove Place.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 21, currently named Grove Place.
The 1920 USCGS topographic sheet shows ruins identifiable as a windmill at Grove Place. To the southeast lies a Mill in Field at 197 feet elevation. No windmill ruin appears in the cluster of structures in the center of the state.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 21, currently named Grove Place.
The 1907 map identifies an estate at Grove Place.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 21, currently named Grove Place.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill at elevation 213 feet to the east of the road and stream at Grove Place. A cluster of structures lies to the west of the stream with a square on the road to the northwest.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 21, currently named Grove Place.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows a windmill to the east of the road and stream at Grove place.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 21, currently named Grove Place.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership to Hendricksen.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 21, currently named Grove Place.
Küffner’s 1767 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a settlement but no sugar mill and attributes ownership to John Baker in the area of Grove Place.
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1770 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 21, currently named Grove Place.
The annotated Beck maps and the two manuscript copies add a windmill, except the 1770 annotated map that only added landowner names. The windmill was added in estate 21 except the 1766 annotated map that added it to estate 20. The Zöllner manuscript copy placed it close to the boundary between the two estates. The 1766, 1767, and c.1767 annotated Beck maps plus the two manuscript copies attribute ownership to John Baker. Both the 1770 and c.1770 annotated Beck maps attribute ownership to Cornelius Hendrickson, with some spelling variation.
Snippets of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 21, currently named Grove Place.
Neither Beck printing shows a sugar mill icon in estate 21.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring Prince's Quarter estate # 21, currently named Grove Place.
The 1750 map by Cronenberg and von Jægersberg indicates sugar cultivation and structures including an animal mill in estate 21. Ownership attributed to His Excellence von Plessen.