Cane Estate

What is today Cane Estate was likely the Sugar Works of the English during the French period. Previous settlement likely helped early Danish cultivation at Cane Estate, indicated on the 1750 map with sugar indicated being cultivated and an animal mill under the ownership of Manning Roger.

The printed Beck maps in the 1750s depicted an animal mill in an analogous position to the 1750 map, in the north central portion of the estate and just to the east of the stream. The annotated Beck maps plus the manuscript copies of the 1760s all attributed ownership to Manning Roger and none updated the animal mill to a windmill.

By 1790, Manning Roger apparently had died, with ownership attributed to his heirs. The 1799 Oxholm map and 1856 Parsons map both spell the estate name Cain, with Oxholm depicting an animal mill and Parsons depicting a windmill. The 1920s topographic map indicates a mill in ruins at Estate Cane with no indication of a windmill ruin on the 1958 or 1982 maps at Cane.

As the McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p. 47) describes, sugar cane was still cultivated here in the 1920s, with the name sometimes spelled Cain. Field reconnaissance located the foundation of a windmill around 1990.

Historic Maps of Cane Estate

Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map 1982 featuring West End Quarter estate # 1, currently named Cane Estate.
A few more structures are found on the 1982 photorevision of the USGS topographic map.
Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1958featuring West End Quarter estate # 1, currently named Cane Estate.
The 1958 USGS map indicates only a single structure at Estate Cane, with the road approaching from the north. The stream on the western side of the property remains evident. No indication of a windmill, usually shown with a small dotted-line circle, is depicted.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring West End Quarter estate # 1, currently named Cane Estate.
The 1920 USGS topographic map shows a mill in ruins at Estate Cain in the northern one-third of the estate. The mill, similar to the older maps, lies between the streams on the property. The access road now approaches from the north.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring West End Quarter estate # 1, currently named Cane Estate.
The 1907 map overlooks Estate Cane.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring West End Quarter estate # 1, currently named Cane Estate.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a windmill at Estate Cain in the northern portion to the east of the stream. Other structures are shown to the south and east, with the road entering from the south.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring West End Quarter estate # 1, currently named Cane Estate.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows an animal mill in the northern portion of Estate Cain, to the east of the stream.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring West End Quarter estate # 1, currently named Cane Estate.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership to Rogers heirs, indicating the Rogers died.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring West End Quarter estate # 1, currently named Cane Estate.
Küffner’s 1767 Beck replica includes a sugar mill at Estate Cane, evident in location from the position between the two streams meeting in the southern end of the estate.
Snippet of the Zöllner manuscript copy of Beck from 1766 featuring West End Quarter estate # 1, currently named Cane Estate.
Zöllner’s 1766 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts an animal mill further south in the estate compared to all the other maps. Ownership attributed to Roger.
Snippet of the 1766 unsigned Beck manuscript copy featuring West End Quarter estate # 1, currently named Cane Estate.
The 1766 unsigned manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts an animal mill and ownership attributed to Magviri Rodger.
Snippets of the 5 annotated Beck maps made from 1766 to 1770 featuring West End Quarter estate # 1, currently named Cane Estate.
The 1766, 1767, c.1767, 1770, and c.1770 annotated Beck maps illustrate the animal mill from the earlier prints and ownership attributed to Manning Rodger, with alternative spellings on two of the maps. The name underlined in red on the 1770 map indicates a sugar plantation.
Snippet of the Beck map printed in 1754 featuring West End Quarter estate # 1, currently named Cane Estate.
In the 1750s, the first and second printings of the Beck map show an animal mill in the northern portion of the estate, south of the road and east of the stream.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring West End Quarter estate # 1, currently named Cane Estate.
By 1749, a plantation house, animal mill, and slave quarters existed on the estate south of the road and east of the stream. The yellow coloring indicates planting of sugar.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring West End Quarter estate # 1, currently named Cane Estate.
During the French period, in the area of what is now Cane Estate, the Sugar Works of the English existed. This referenced a sugar works that lasted from before the French period when the English controlled St. Croix. Cane Estate was numbered estate #1 in the less than systematic numbering system of West End Quarter.