Estate Strawberry Hill

Strawberry Hill is estate 29 in St. Croix’s Queen’s Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the 1760s. The windmill was converted to a dwelling. The windmill tower is in good condition.

The 1750 map indicates sugar cultivation and an animal mill in estate 29. Both Beck printings show an animal mill. The 1760s and 1770s maps added sails to depict a windmill.

Both the 1799 Oxholm map and the 1856 Parsons map show a windmill at Strawberry Hill. All the 20th-century topographic maps show a structure identifiable as a windmill at Strawberry Hill.

The 1750 map attributes ownership to Childs heirs. The 1760s and 1770s maps attribute ownership to George Harris & Nicholay Tuite. By 1790, ownership transitioned to Stapleton & Tuite.

McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p.185) provides location and early ownership information.

Photos of Strawberry Hill, 2020s

Mill tower partly obscured by vegetation. The upper arch of the main entrance visible.
Strawberry Hill windmill exterior from the west featuring the main entrance. The metal gate in the opening is not original.
Windmill tower with no openings visible. The stones used to construct it create very neat horizontal rows even though the stones are different sizes.
Strawberry Hill windmill exterior from the east featuring the plaster on the wall. Note how the plaster is relatively intact on the lower portions of the wall but weathered away on the upper portions.
Windmill tower with a palm tree to the right and a short retaining wall in front of it.
Strawberry Hill windmill exterior from the north featuring the machine slot. The brick columns on top of the mill are not original.
Windmill tower partly obscured by vegetation under a blue sky.
Strawberry Hill windmill exterior from the northeast featuring the machine slot.
Windmill tower prominently featuring and upward view of the tall narrow machine slot with sky visible through it.
Strawberry Hill windmill exterior from the north looking upward machine slot.

Historic Maps of Strawberry Hill

the U.S. Geological Service topographic maps of 1958 & 1982 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 29, currently named Strawberry Hill.
The 1958 and 1982 photorevision of the USGS topographic map show ruins identifiable as a windmill at Strawberry Hill.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 29, currently named Strawberry Hill.
The 1921 USCGS topographic sheet shows old mill tower at elevation 163 feet in the north side of Strawberry.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 29, currently named Strawberry Hill.
The 1907 map identifies an estate at Strawberry Hill.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 29, currently named Strawberry Hill.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill to the west of the road with other structures to the north in the north side of Strawberry Hill.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 29, currently named Strawberry Hill.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows a windmill on the south end of a ridge to the north of the road in the north side of Strawberry hill.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 29, currently named Strawberry Hill.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership of estate 29 to Stapleton & Tuite.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 29, currently named Strawberry Hill.
The 1767 Küffner manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a sugar mill and attributes ownership to Tuite in the area of Strawberry Hill.
Snippets of all 5 annotated Beck maps plus the 2 manuscript copies made from 1766 to 1770 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 29, currently named Strawberry Hill.
The annotated Beck maps and manuscript copies add sails to the animal mill to depict a windmill except the 1770 annotated map that only added ownership attributions. All these maps attribute ownership to George Harris & Nicholay Tuite (together with Queen’s Quarter estate 20).
Snippets of both Beck maps printed in 1754 & circa 1757 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 29, currently named Strawberry Hill.
Both Beck printings show an animal mill icon in the north side of estate 29.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 29, currently named Strawberry Hill.
The 1750 map by Cronenberg and von Jægersberg indicates sugar cultivation and structures including an animal mill in estate 29. Ownership attributed to Childs heirs.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring Queen's Quarter estate # 29, currently named Strawberry Hill.
During the French period, no settlement is indicated near Strawberry Hill.