My family came to visit this weekend, and we had an amazing time traveling around the island. We traveled to every destination possible. However, on every road, my grandma kept asking “What are those brick buildings up there? They look like thimbles.” “St. Croix Sugar mills.” “What are they for?” “For grinding sugar cane.” “Are they still in use? Can we visit?”
“I don’t know.”
I knew they were sugar mills, but my answers were so limited after that. I decided to look into the specifics of these majestic sugar mills, and find which ones you could actually visit get up close and personal. They reminded me of Dutch windmills, and after learning the history, I realized the similarities make sense…
Sugar Mill History
St. Croix was once one of the leading sugar producers in the Caribbean. At one point, they had over 200 sugar plantations on island. Under Danish* rule, the majority of these structures were built during the 18th century using animal, wind, or steam to power the grinding of sugar cane. Originally using donkeys to power the machines, the Danish installed sails, updating the technology. The constant trade winds in St. Croix kept the sails moving around the clock, which moved the cogs along. In the final stage of the technological revolution, steam would eventually take over. Juice extracted during the grinding ran downhill to a separate facility.
Let’s not sugar coat it- exports in this time were manned by enslaved labor, a dark part of the Caribbean timeline. These men and women produced brown and white sugar, molasses, and rum. Like much in St. Croix, nothing is wasted. Leftover cane stalks served as fuel for the fire to boil the cane juice. When slavery was abolished in the 19th century, the industry came to a halt and slowed production entirely. However, the remnants of these stone structures serve as a reminder of the crude history of this refined product.
150 mills are still scattered around on island, however most are on private property and aren’t open to the public. If you’re looking to venture in, it’s common courtesy to ALWAYS ask permission before lurking on someone’s land. If you want an opportunity to get an up close view, consider these locations.
Sugar Mill Excursions
Cruzan Rum Distillery
If the Cruzan Rum Distillery on Estate Diamond were currently open to the public, it would be a great way to see a working facility still producing rum. While their sugar mill is now used as a cistern for the distillery, the process of making rum is an art that deserves to be seen. If the distillery opens anytime, make it a point to stop by and watch the process.
Estate Whim Museum & Sugar Mill
The oldest sugar plantation in not only St. Croix but in all of USVI, Estate Whim Museum & Sugar Mill now serves as the only sugar plantation museum in USVI. The 12-acre property depicts life was like on a sugar plantation and the impact they had on the community of St. Croix.
The hours are Wednesday-Saturday and cruise ship days 10am-4pm, but call 340-772-0598 first to make sure they’re open. Hours can sometimes vary. Admission is $10
Wesgate at Sugar Beach Condominiums
This spot, located outside of Christiansted, constructed a swimming pool around the perimeter a 250 year old sugar mill. What a way to make your sunbathing a little sweeter…
The Buccaneer Sugar Mill
If you’re a fan of the television show “The Bachelor,” you probably saw the “one on one” dinner located inside the private sugar mill at The Buccaneer. The inside can be rented out for a romantic dinner or private event, utilizing the space in a picture perfect setting.
Rust Op Twist Sugar Mill
Rust Op Twist is an incredible property overlooking the North Shore coastline. However, Rust Op Twist is privately owned and requires a private reservation, so no walking on the grounds. They host retreats and events and is available as a vacation rental. After doing research, this was the sugar mill that prompted the question from my grandmother!
Estate Mount Washington
This sprawling property, on a whopping 12.31 acres, was the second largest sugar producer when “sugar was king.” The home is still closed to the public, but take a self guided tour of the “cockpit” animal mill and ruins of the sugar factory. The owner doesn’t even charge an admission fee! This estate also offers the ruins of a dungeon, a small bell tower, a cistern, and remnants of equipment scattered. There’s even a small meditative stone labyrinth to wander and lose your mind for a short time.
Lawaetz Museum at Estate Little La Grange
This family property, owned for over 100 years, has timeless memorabilia to show the history of the Danish family who has grown up for generations on the land. With both a wind and animal mill, the sights are absolutely sensational, seeing what life would have looked like on a 19th century plantation. While the LLG sugar mill sits on on an adjacent private lot, there’s still a lot of history to explore at the Lawaetz Museum. Based off reviews, it is one of the most thorough and comprehensive history tours on island.
Edit:
The property is now managed by Ridge to Reef Farm, an organic retreat that offers fresh produce, livestock, and experience to the people of the Virgin Islands. The hours for guided tours of the property and farm store are available Wednesdays and Saturdays from 11am-3pm, or by reservation for large groups for other days of the week. The admission cost is $15.
Machetes and cutlasses were kept inside the millworks to chop off any hands that got caught in the rollers. Mostly women fed the cane stalks into the rollers at harvest/grinding time. The work was fast as cane would begin fermenting very soon after cutting. Profit margins demanded that the rollers never stopped and amputation was preferred to stopping the rollers. While the mils are architecturally interesting and beautiful, their history is brutal.
Thank you for that additional information Caryn.
The Danish West Indies and Guinea Company and later the country of Denmark, not Holland, colonized the island of St. Croix from 1733 until 1917.
Very interesting and someone needs to make more use out of the vacant ones, as they are a sight to see, if you have no knowledge of what they were used for.
The Lawaetz Museum at Little La Grange is not managed by Landmarks, but rather Ridge to Reef Farm. The hours for guided tours are 11-3 Wednesday and Saturday, or by reservation for large groups for other days of the week.
There is not access to the LLG sugar mill, which is privately owned on another lot.
Nate, we appreciate you! We corrected those changes in our story. Thank you!
These are haunting and haunted places. When touring the mills always be cognizant of their brutal history. While the ruins may be beautiful, to the majority of the residents of the islands they serve as a reminder of what their ancestors endured.
Thank you for the wonderful plug for our beloved island of St.Croix, but your paragraphs entitled “Estate Whim Museum & Sugar Mill” are misleading. The Whim Museum is in total disrepair and has been so since September 2017, and has lost its museum accreditation. I would be happy to forward 4 articles published in ST.CROIX THIS WEEK over the past 2 years about the museum’s demise and lack of leadership, the last article is in the ST.CROIX THIS WEEK March edition on page 59. The St.Croix community is still waiting for an announcement of the years overdue public annual meeting promised by museum leadership last October ( 5 months ago.)