Estate Hogensborg

Hogensborg is estate 17 in St. Croix’s West End Quarter. Based on appearances on historic maps, the windmill was likely built in the 1760s. Hogensborg constructed the first steam mill on St. Croix in 1816. This may have led to the icon for a decommissioned windmill on the 1856 map. The 1920s topographic map suggests two potential windmills, but field reconnaissance failed to locate any ruins identifiable as a windmill.

The estate now known as Hogensborg appears to have been settled in the French period by Solo. This previous settlement may have facilitated the establishment of sugar cultivation and an animal mill in the southern half of the estate by 1750.

Both of the Beck printed maps of the 1750s include an animal mill in the south center of estate 17. Three annotated Beck maps and the manuscript copies of the 1760s all depict a windmill while two retain the printed animal mill.

Ownership on all these maps is attributed to Comeraad Johannes Sobodker, with a variety of spellings. Ownership attributed on Küffner’s 1767 map is also to Sobotker. Like the annotated Beck maps, the 1790s manuscript copies of Beck attribute ownership to Sobotker.

The 1799 Oxholm map includes a windmill in the south center of estate Högens Borg. The 1856 Parsons map indicates a decommissioned windmill tower with no sails in a similar location at Hogens Borg.

The 1920s topographic map locates the Hogensborg Mill at 128 feet elevation, with other structures to the northwest. Further northwest of this lies a Mill in Ruins at 148 feet elevation The 1958 and 1982 topographic maps indicate no ruins suggesting a windmill at Hogensborg. Field reconnaissance failed to locate evidence of the windmill.

As the McGuire geographic dictionary of the Virgin Islands (p. 94) describes, the name Høgensborg means City of the Hawk in Danish.

Historic maps of Hogensborg

Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map 1982 featuring West End Quarter estate # 17, currently named Hogensborg.
The 1982 USGS photorevisions has the same structures plus some newer structures and additional roads at Hogensborg.
Snippet of the U.S. Geological Service topographic map of 1958featuring West End Quarter estate # 17, currently named Hogensborg.
The 1958 USGS map does not indicate any windmill ruins. However, it does include the ruins of the steam chimney plus a few other structures at Hogensborg.
Snippet of the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey topographic map of 1920 featuring West End Quarter estate # 17, currently named Hogensborg.
The 1920 USGS map shows two potential location for the windmill, neither of which were found in the field. The Hogensborg mill in the southeast corner at an elevation of 128 feet indicates an existing structure in the 1920s. The mill in ruins in the west center of the estate at an altitude of 148 feet is a more likely location for a mill given its elevation, location within the estate to allow downhill flowing of the cane juice, and position on the east facing side of the hill. The settled area is between the two structures.
Snippet of the Danish Atlantic Islands Association map of 1907 featuring West End Quarter estate # 17, currently named Hogensborg.
The 1907 map indicates a windmill ruin at Estate Hogens Borg.
Snippet of the Parsons map of 1856 featuring West End Quarter estate # 17, currently named Hogensborg.
Parsons’ 1856 map depicts a tower with no sails in estate Högens Borg to the east of the stream. The tower is in the southwest quadrant of the estate. Across the stream lies a small village.
Snippet of the Oxholm map of 1799 featuring West End Quarter estate # 17, currently named Hogensborg.
Oxholm’s 1799 map shows Estate Högens Borg with a windmill slightly south of center, east of the stream. Parallel rows of trees line the drive in from Centerline Road/Queen Mary Highway. The mill is to the east of the road and structures lie to the north, with an additional structure on a hill in the northwest corner of the estate.
Snippets of the Mühlenfels map of 1790 & the Janssen map of 1791 featuring West End Quarter estate # 17, currently named Hogensborg.
The 1790 & 1791 manuscript maps after Beck by Mühlenfels & Janssen attribute ownership to Sobotkger, extending across the quarter line.
Snippet of the Küffner map of 1767 featuring West End Quarter estate # 17, currently named Hogensborg.
Küffner’s 1767 Beck replica includes a sugar mill at Sobotkers plantation.
Snippet of the Zöllner manuscript copy of Beck from 1766 featuring West End Quarter estate # 17, currently named Hogensborg.
Zöllner’s 1766 manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a windmill in the southeast quadrant of the estate. Due to a tear in the map, the first name is difficult to read, but the surname is Sobotken.
Snippet of the 1766 unsigned Beck manuscript copy featuring West End Quarter estate # 17, currently named Hogensborg.
The 1766 unsigned manuscript copy of Beck’s map depicts a windmill east of the stream in the center of the estate. Ownership attributed to Cammerad So Botkens, with ownership extending to the neighboring estate 25 in Prince quarter.
Snippet of the annotated Beck map of c.1770 featuring West End Quarter estate # 17, currently named Hogensborg.
The c.1770 annotated Beck map illustrates windmill sails hand-drawn over the printed animal mill in estate 17 West End Quarter. The printed animal mill in estate 25 Prince’s Quarter is marked out. Ownership attributed to Camer Raad Johannes Sobotker extending to estate 25 in Prince’s Quarter.
Snippet of the annotated Beck map of 1770 featuring West End Quarter estate # 17, currently named Hogensborg.
The 1770 annotated Beck map illustrates the animal mill found on the original prints. Ownership attributed solely to Johannes Soeboetker along with estate 25 in Prince’s Quarter. The name underlined in red indicates a sugar plantation and the red outlining indicates the owner is a Dane residing in Denmark.
Snippet of the annotated Beck map of c.1767 featuring West End Quarter estate # 17, currently named Hogensborg.
The c.1767 annotated Beck map illustrates printed animal mills in both estate 17 West End Quarter and 25 Prince’s Quarter consistent with the printed map. Ownership attributed to Camerraad Johannes Sobotker extending to estate 25 in Prince’s Quarter.
Snippet of the annotated Beck map of 1767 featuring West End Quarter estate # 17, currently named Hogensborg.
The 1767 annotated Beck map illustrates a windmill drawn over the animal mill found on the original prints. Like the 1766 annotated Beck maps, ownership attributed to Cammer Raad and Johannes Sobotker for both estate 17 in West End and estate 25 in Prince’s Quarter.
Snippet of the annotated Beck map of 1766 featuring West End Quarter estate # 17, currently named Hogensborg.
The 1766 annotated Beck map illustrates a red windmill drawn over the animal mill depicted on the earlier prints. Ownership attributed to Camer Raad Sobotker extending to estate 25 in Prince’s Quarter. This may identify two individuals, Camer Raad and Johannes Sobotker who are separately identified on list of landowners.
Snippet of the Beck map printed in 1754 featuring West End Quarter estate # 17, currently named Hogensborg.
In the 1750s, the first and second printings of the Beck map show an animal mill in the south center of the estate, just east of the stream.
Snippet of the Cronenberg and von Jaegersberg map of 1750 featuring West End Quarter estate # 17, currently named Hogensborg.
By 1749, the estate is planted in sugar, evidenced by the yellow markings. Two plantation houses are in the southwest quadrant of the estate. An animal mill lies west of one red-roofed structure and south of the other. A slave village is to the south of that. All structures are east of the stream, similar to the later maps.
Snippet of the Lapointe map of 1671 featuring West End Quarter estate # 17, currently named Hogensborg.
During the French period in the vicinity of what became Estate Hogensborg appears the name Solo.