Estate Cane Garden

Cane Garden is estate 46 in St. Croix’s Queen’s Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the late 18th century and decommissioned before 1856. The windmill tower is in good condition.

The 1750 map indicates provision cultivation in estate 46. None of the Beck variants depict a windmill in estate 46.

The 1799 Oxholm map shows a windmill at Cane Garden. The 1856 Parsons map depicts a windmill and a tower without sails with other structures. All the 20th century topographic maps indicate ruins identifiable as a windmill at Cane Garden.

The 1750 map attributes ownership to Joseph Robbensen. The maps in the 1760s and 1770s attribute ownership to John Suple, although the c.1770 annotated Beck map indicates ownership by Christopher McEvoy, an ownership consistent through 1791.

McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.47) locates the mill at right turn of Southside Road and notes this location is the site of old French Estate DuVal, which is a questionable claim.

Photos of Cane Garden, 2020s

Windmill tower with main entrance centered in image and bagasse opening visible to right. Grassy field bordered by trees and bush.
Cane Garden windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance. Notice how the material around the arch has been removed. The bagasse opening is visible on the right.
Windmill tower against a cloudy sky. Arched opening in center and tall, narrow machine slot to right. Part of main entrance visible to left. Weedy vegetation in front of tower.
Cane Garden windmill exterior from the southwest featuring the bagasse opening. The main entrance is to the left and machine slot to the right.
Crescent of cloudy sky bordered by the windmill tower masonry. Some masonry has collapsed from the inside of the tower, revealing the rubble wall interior. Two beams stick out from the wall.
Cane Garden windmill interior looking upward. The two beams extending out from the wall held a work floor enabling maintenance of the gears and other machinery above. The beehive at the bottom of one of the vertical timber slots is a common sight in abandoned windmill towers.
Arched opening centered in the image through which the arched juice trough opening visible on the far side. The tall, narrow machine slot partially visible on the right and main entrance on the left. Weedy vegetation in foreground.
Cane Garden windmill exterior from the southwest featuring the bagasse opening. The floor slopes outward to facilitate the removal of the crushed cane from the windmill. The recess to the lower right would have held a timber used to tie off the sails when the windmill was not in operation.
Windmill tower against cloudy blue sky. Machine slot centered in image, through which the lower juice trough opening visible. Arched bagasse opening to the right. Grassy and weedy area in foreground. Trees and vehicle in background.
Cane Garden windmill exterior from the south featuring the machine slot. The bagasse opening is to the right and the juice trough opening can be seen on the far side. Notice the remnants of steps in the machine slot leading up to the work floor. Also notice how the work floor is elevated several feet above grade to allow the juice to flow downhill and raise the mill up to catch breezes better.
Interior view looking out at the Caribbean Sea through the narrow machine slot.
Cane Garden windmill interior facing south featuring the machine slot.
Arched opening interior centered in the image with parts of other arched openings visible on either side.
Cane Garden windmill interior facing southwest featuring the bagasse opening with the machine slot left and main entrance right.
Windmill tower on a grassy area with the Caribbean Sea in the background.
Cane Garden windmill exterior from the northeast featuring the juice trough opening. The top rim around the mill indicates the top portion has not collapsed.
Windmill tower against a cloudy blue sky. View of arched opening allows view of far opening. Square recess to left and right of arched opening are timber slots to tie ropes securing the sails when the windmill was not operating.
Cane Garden windmill exterior from the north featuring the juice trough opening with the machine slot visible on the far side. Notice how the cut stone blocks are not all the same size.
Arched opening with material removed on interior. Looking out from mill, can see low, round stone wall that had an animal mill and other stone walls of a building further away.
Cane Garden windmill interior facing north featuring the juice trough opening. Material is removed around the arch on the interior. The animal mill round and other sugar works buildings are in the distance outside.

Historic Maps of Cane Garden

the U.S. Geological Service topographic maps of 1958 & 1982 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 18, currently named Bonne Esperance.
The 1958 and 1982 photorevision of the USGS topographic map show no ruins identifiable as a windmill at Bonne Esperance.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 18, currently named Bonne Esperance.
The 1921 USCGS topographic sheet shows old mill tr.at elevation 290 feet in the center of Bonne Esperance.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 18, currently named Bonne Esperance.
The 1907 map identifies an estate at Bonne Esperance.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 18, currently named Bonne Esperance.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill and a tower without sails with other structures to the west in the south side of Cane Garden.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 46, currently named Cane Garden.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows a windmill on top of a hill in the center of Cane garden.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 46, currently named Cane Garden.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership of estate 46 to Christopher McEvoy.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 46, currently named Cane Garden.
The 1767 Küffner manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts no settlement with no ownership attribution in the area of Cane Garden.
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1770 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 46, currently named Cane Garden.
None of the annotated Beck maps or manuscript copies depict a sugar mill icon in estate 46. These maps attribute ownership to John Suple except the c.1770 annotated map that attributes ownership to Christopher McEvoy (together with Queen’s Quarter estate 45).
Snippets of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 46, currently named Cane Garden.
Neither Beck printing shows a sugar mill icon in estate 46.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 46, currently named Cane Garden.
The 1750 map by Cronenberg and von Jægersberg indicates provision cultivation and no structures in estate 46. Ownership attributed to Joseph Robbensen.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 46, currently named Cane Garden.
During the French period, ownership in the Cane Garden area is attributed to Moncæur.