Estate Concordia

Concordia includes estates 5 & 8 in St. Croix’s Queen’s Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the 1750s. The windmill tower is in good condition.

The 1750 map indicates sugar cultivation with structures including an animal mill in the estate 8 portion of Concordia in an area analogous with ruins located in the field. Both Beck printings and all the annotated Beck maps show a windmill icon in the southeast quadrant of estate 5. However, the manuscript copies include a windmill in estate 8, with the Zöllner manuscript copy also including a windmill in estate 5. The location of ruins in the field along with the later maps matching this location leads to the conclusion the printed Beck maps erroneously placed the windmill in estate 5.

The 1799 Oxholm map shows a windmill at Concordia, while the 1856 Parsons map shows a windmill along with a tower with no sails further downstream on Salt River. All the 20th-century topographic maps show ruins identifiable as a windmill at Concordia.

The 1750 map attributes ownership to Johan Wilhelm Schoppen & Adrian von Beverhout. The 1766 annotated Beck map and both 1766 manuscript copies attribute ownership to John Baker. The other annotated maps attribute ownership to Justice Raad Moth. By 1790 ownership transitioned to Oxholm.

McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.58) locates on north side of Concordia Gut, are the old mill tower and buildings. The overall location information includes the portions of Queen’s Quarter estates 4 &5 along with Northside B Quarter estates 2, 3, 9, & 10 with early ownership attribution to Moth. Also distinguishes this estate as Upper Concordia compared to Lower Concordia in West End Quarter.

Photos of Concordia, Queen’s Quarter, 2020s

Windmill tower partially obscured by vegetation with one arched opening visible.
Concordia windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance. Notice little plaster remains on this west-facing side of the tower.
Interior of windmill tower with two arched openings.
Concordia windmill interior facing southwest featuring the juice trough opening on the left and bagasse opening on the right. The top of the bagasse opening slopes outward, reflecting the slope of the floor. Material missing from the juice trough opening may have fallen out when the beam that was secured at the bottom of the opening was removed.
Windmill tower perched on a gentle hill with a tree to the left and behind the mill.
Concordia windmill exterior from the northwest featuring the machine slot on the left and main entrance on the right. Note how the grade dropping away on the left provides a higher spot for access through the main entrance and room for sails to turn on the windward side.
Windmill tower with the tall narrow machine slot at the center of the image. The top of the opening reaches within 3 feet of the top of the mill. The foreground has patchy grass and a tree to the left shades the mill.
Concordia windmill exterior from the north featuring the machine slot that has bricks lining the arch of the opening. The rim around the top suggests the mill has not collapsed. However, inside the mill, the vertical slots expected to be found that supported the cap are missing.
Interior of windmill tower with the tall narrow machine slot in the center of the image. A crescent of blue sky above the mill and also through the opening. Vegetation obscures the lower portion of the opening.
Concordia windmill interior facing north featuring the machine slot. Bricks line the arch of the opening and cut stone the remainder of the opening. Little material appears to have been removed from the opening. However, the top portion of the mill does appear to have collapsed with the absence of the vertical slots and uneven upper level of the stones at the top seen here.
Windmill tower with no openings. The foreground has patchy grass with a tree on the left shading the mill and ground.
Concordia windmill exterior from the east featuring the construction material. Notice how the stones form regular rows but are varying sizes. Plaster appears less weathered to the upper left of the image. The recesses at the bottom held timbers that would tie off sails when the mill was not operating.
Interior of windmill tower where it meets the floor. Leaves and dust brushed away indicates stones underneath and not just rubble.
Concordia windmill interior with a close up of the floor. The leaf litter swept away suggests the original stones are still present in this mill.

Historic Maps of Concordia, Queen’s Quarter

Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic maps of 1958 & 1982 featuring Queen's Quarter estates # 5&8, currently named Concordia.
The 1958 and 1982 photorevision of the USGS topographic map show ruins identifiable as a windmill at Concordia on the estate 8 side.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring Queen's Quarter estates # 5&8, currently named Concordia.
The 1921 USCGS topographic sheet shows an old mill tower by Concordia Chimney in the estate 8 area of Concordia.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring Queen's Quarter estates # 5&8, currently named Concordia.
The 1907 map identifies an estate at Concordia.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring Queen's Quarter estates # 5&8, currently named Concordia.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill to the north of the stream with other structures to the west in the north edge of Concordia. A tower without sails is located further downstream on Salt River and in the same location as a water tower.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring Queen's Quarter estates # 5&8, currently named Concordia.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows a windmill on the south side of a hill to the north of the stream in the north edge of Concordia.
Snippet of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring Queen's Quarter estates # 5&8, currently named Concordia.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership of estate 5 to Nugent in the west and Oxholm in the east with ownership of estate 8 attributed to Oxholm.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring Queen's Quarter estates # 5&8, currently named Concordia.
The 1767 Küffner manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a sugar mill and attributes ownership to Moth in the area of Concordia The 1767 Küffner manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a settlement but no sugar mill and attributes no ownership in the area of Concordia.
Snippet of all 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1770 featuring Queen's Quarter estates # 5&8, currently named Concordia.
The annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies retained the windmill from the printed maps in estate 5. The two manuscript copies of the Beck map include a windmill in estate 8 while none of the annotated Beck maps do. Curiously, the Zöllner manuscript copy also includes a windmill in estate 5. The 1766 annotated Beck map and both manuscript copies attribute ownership to John Baker of Queen’s Quarter estate 8 and the eastern portion of estate 5. All the other annotated maps attribute ownership to Justice Raad Moth (Queen’s Quarter estates 5 & 8 together with Northside B Quarter estates 3 & 9).
Snippet of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring Queen's Quarter estates # 5&8, currently named Concordia.
Both Beck printed maps depict a windmill in the southern side of estate 5, while neither Beck printing shows a sugar mill icon in estate 8.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring Queen's Quarter estates # 5&8, currently named Concordia.
The 1750 map by Cronenberg and von Jægersberg indicates sugar cultivation but no structures in estate 5 with structures including an animal mill appear in estate 8. Ownership attributed to Johan Wilhelm Schoppen & Adrian von Beverhout.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring Queen's Quarter estates # 5&8, currently named Concordia.
During the French period, ownership in the Concordia area is attributed to Grange.