Estate Plessen
Plessen is estate 29 in St. Croix’s Prince’s Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the 1750s. The windmill was blocked to store water after decommissioning. The estate was likely named for His Excellence von Plessen, one of the early owners of the estate. The windmill tower is in good condition.
Sugar cultivation arrived relatively early at Plessen, with sugar cultivation and an animal mill on the 1750 map. By the second Beck printing, the animal mill was transformed into a windmill. The 1799 Oxholm map includes a windmill. The 1856 Parsons map includes the windmill along with a tower without sails. All the 20th century topographic maps include ruins identifiable as a windmill.
The 1756 map attributed ownership to His Excellence von Plessen, from who the estate likely received its name. All the Beck variants maps of the 1760s and 1770s attribute ownership to William Ryan’s heirs. By 1790 ownership transitioned to Kortright.
McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.147) notes that in the 1920s producing sugar cane, provisions, and pasturage.
Historic Maps of Plessen
