Estate River

River is estate 3, 14, & 15 in St. Croix’s Prince’s Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the 1760s. Only one of the three windmills that may have been built here has been found. The one remaining tower had the floor lowered nearly 5 feet and then the windmill put back into operation. The windmill tower is in good condition.

Sugar cultivation arrived relatively early at River, with a depiction in the area on the French map. The 1750 map indicated sugar cultivation and an animal mill in the estate 14 & 15 side. The Beck maps followed suit, with the printed maps depicting an animal mill in estate 14.

The annotated Beck maps mostly convert the animal mill into a windmill by adding sails. However, the 1766 annotated copy added a windmill in estate 15, the location of the windmill ruins found in the field.

The 1799 Oxholm 1799 map shows three windmills at River. One sits atop a hill in estate 15, corresponding with the ruins found in the field. The other two windmills sit on a ridge to the west of the road and stream in estates 14 and 3 and have not been located in the field. Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill on a hill corresponding to estate 15 with no windmills or towers in the area of estates 3 or 14.

All the 20th century topographic maps include ruins identifiable as a windmill in the location where the ruins can be found in the field. The location of the other two windmills has no ruins identified.

The 1750 map and the Beck variants attribute ownership to Johannes de Windt and Abraham Dunker for estates 14 & 15, except the 1767 annotated map that replaces Dunker with Lt. Estatioes. By 1790 ownership transitioned to William & James Newton.

McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.158) makes a note of River Mill without much additional description other than overall size and certain ownership aspects.

Photos of River, 2020s

Arched opening from interior shows cloudy sky beyond, along with distant hills. Vegetation crowds the interior and exterior of the opening.
River windmill interior facing north featuring the juice trough opening. The large amount of removed material on either side reflect the placement of beams at this level, indicating the mill was put back into operation after the floor was lowered by removing material.
Three arched openings from interior shows cloudy sky beyond, along with crescent of sky above the top of the mill wall.
River windmill interior facing northwest featuring the main entrance on the left, bagasse opening center, and juice trough opening to the right.
Arched opening from interior shows cloudy sky beyond, along with crescent of sky above the top of the mill wall.
River windmill interior facing west featuring the main entrance. Notice the smooth fieldstone interior on this part of the wall. The arch is lined with cut stone block.
Circle of cloudy sky and silhouette of tree ringed by interior wall of mill.
River windmill interior looking upward. The vertical slots that would have held timbers that supported the mill’s cap are intact, indicating this mill has not collapsed at the top.
Arched opening from interior shows vegetation beyond. Cut stone block on the arch with material removed below it to reveal the rubble making up the core of the tower wall.
River windmill interior facing northwest featuring the bagasse opening. Notice how the removal of material shows what the wall interior is made from. The darker stone on the bottom half would have been the foundation before the work floor was lowered.
Arched opening from interior shows cloudy sky beyond, along with crescent of sky above the top of the mill wall.
River windmill interior facing east featuring the machine slot. Notice the cut stone block lining the opening to a certain level, below which material has been removed. A beehive above the opening is a common occurrence at windmills on St. Croix.
Arched window interior leads to square window exterior. Arched hearth to the right. Interior wall made of brown & grey fieldstone above a discrete line, with dark rubble beneath.
River windmill interior facing east with a close up of the window. The hearth is to the right. Notice the cut stone block outlining both features. The window interior is larger than the exterior, facilitating breezes into the mill. Notice both features appear high on the wall due to the removal of material to lower the floor level about 5 feet.
Windmill tower behind many branches and stems in the foreground. Arched opening has a square of light reflecting the window on the far wall.
River windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance. The window is visible on the far wall. The top rim indicates the top of the mill has not collapsed.
Windmill tower behind many branches and stems in the foreground.
River windmill exterior from the south featuring the machine slot.
Windmill tower against a cloudy sky. Vegetation in the foreground obscures the lower half of the tower.
River windmill exterior from the southeast featuring the window. Notice the difference in plaster finish on the right versus the exposed fieldstone on the left of the tower. The top rim indicates the top portion of the mill has not collapsed.
Arched opening from the outside. Man gazing up at the wall, partially obscured by vegetation.
River windmill exterior from the northwest featuring the bagasse opening. Notice the cut stone block on the arch and material removed below that. The machine slot is visible on the far side.
Man pointing to a stark line on the wall. Above it is grey-brown fieldstone. Below it is dark colored rubble.
River windmill interior facing northeast featuring the floor. Orville James pint to the original floor level. All below that level was excavated before putting the mill back into service.

Historic Maps of River

Snippets of the U.S. Geological Service topographic maps of 1958 & 1982 featuring Prince's Quarter estates # 3-14-15, currently named River.
The 1958 and 1982 photorevision of the USGS topographic map show ruins identifiable as a single windmill at River.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring Prince's Quarter estates # 3-14-15, currently named River.
The 1921 USCGS topographic sheet shows the River Mill on top of a hill elevation 256 at River. Other ruins lie in the valley just to the northwest of the road.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring Prince's Quarter estates # 3-14-15, currently named River.
The 1907 map identifies an estate at River.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring Prince's Quarter estates # 3-14-15, currently named River.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill on a hill corresponding to estate 15 at elevation 286 feet at River. Numerous structures identified as Old Work sit to the west on the other side of the stream and road. However, no windmills appear in this area.
River Mill snippet from 1799 Oxholm Map
Estate River in Prince’s Quarter had 3 windmills on Oxholm’s 1799 map. The windmill in estate 15 remains standing today. The windimills in estate 14 and 4, across the stream, have not been located in the field. The dotted lines between the estate blocks indicate common ownership of the property.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring Prince's Quarter estates # 3-14-15, currently named River.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership to William & James Newton for estates 2 & 3 and Newton for estates 14 & 15.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring Prince's Quarter estates # 3-14-15, currently named River.
Küffner’s 1767 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a sugar mill and attributes ownership to Joh. de Wint and Dunkers in the area of River.
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1770 featuring Prince's Quarter estates # 3-14-15, currently named River.
Four of the annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies of Beck converted the animal mill from the printed map into a windmill, with no change from the animal mill seen in the 1770 annotated map that only added landowner names and the unsigned manuscript copy. On the 1770 annotated map, the name underlined in red on this map indicates sugar cultivated here. The 1766 annotated copy added a windmill in estate 15 rather than converting the animal mill in estate 14. All the maps attribute ownership to Johannes de Windt for estates 2 & 3 and Abraham Dunker for estates 14 & 15 with some spelling variation, except the 1767 annotated map that replaces Dunker with Lt. Estatioes.
Snippet of the c1757 Beck map featuring Prince's Quarter estates # 3-14-15, currently named River.
Both Beck printings show one animal mill in estate 14 and none in estates 3 or 15. The animal mill is east of the stream, inconsistent with later maps for the old works.
Snippet of the 1754 Beck map featuring Prince's Quarter estates # 3-14-15, currently named River.
Both Beck printings show one animal mill in estate 14 and none in estates 3 or 15. The animal mill is east of the stream, inconsistent with later maps for the old works.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring Prince's Quarter estates # 3-14-15, currently named River.
The 1750 map by Cronenberg and von Jægersberg indicates sugar cultivation and structures including an animal mill in estates 14 & 15. Ownership attributed to Jan de Wint and Dunker.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring Prince's Quarter estates # 3-14-15, currently named River.
During the French period, no settlement is indicated near River with ownership attributed to Branlant.