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NPS Forni 10-900 tM2) 0MB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form See instructions in How to Complete National Register Forms Type all entries—complete applicable sections For NPS UM only OCT 2 I98T date entered 1. Name Historic District historic Estate Strawherrv Hill Till fp and or common Strawberry Hill > Plots 29, 20b 2. Location street & number Queen's Quarter not for publication city,town Christiansted XX- vicinity of state US Virgin islands code 78 county St. Croix code 0800 3. Classification Category Ownership Status Present Use XX district pubiic XX occupied agriculture museum building(s) private unoccupied commercial park structure both work in progress educational XX private residence site Public Acquisition Accessible entertainment XX religious object in process XX yes: restricted government scientific being considered yes: unrestricted industrial transportation no military .. other: 4. Owner of Property name United Brethren in Christ Pentecostal Church see continuation sheet #4 street & number ^/o PO Box 1034- city, town Christiansted, St. Croix . vicinity of state US Virgin Islands 00820 5. Location of Legal Description courthouse, registry of deeds, etc. Recorder of Deeds street & number Government House city,town Christiansted, St. Croix state Virgin Islands 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Virgin Islands Inventory title Qf Historic Sites has this property been determined eligible? yes ^?Lno date February 1983 federal state county local depository for survey records Virgin Islands Planning Office city, town Christiansted, St. Croix state US Virgin Islands 7. Description Condition Check one ___ excellent XX deteriorated xXunaltered ___ good XX ruins _xx aitered XX fair ___ unexposed Check one XX original site __ moved date Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance Strawberry Hill Estate, named after the London suburb of the same name. Is located In Queens Quarter, St. Croix, about five miles southwest of ChrlstIansted. The ruins of the estate consist of (1) a great house, (2) a conical sugar mill tower, (3) retaining walls possibly Including the remains of an animal mill, (4-5) outbuildings, (6-11) laborers' living quarters, (12) conical belfry and field shelter, (13) well tower and (14) retaining wall and storage area. They are distributed along the upper reaches of a moderately sloping hill, and are relatively visible and clear of vegetatlon. (1) Great House (c. 1800) The vacant great house In fair condition faces In the direction of the south shore. It stands on top of the small, grassy hill. It Is one story with a raised basement. The great house Is composed of four major sections. The first section, the central core with hip roof measures approximately 27 feet by 70 feet and contains the principal residential rooms. A section, smal ler by one bay on each side of the core. Is attached to the north. It Is covered with a galvanized metal shed roof that Is highest In elevation along the west side. A second addition on the third division of the house covered by a hipped roof extends west of the central core extending one bay. It Is also one bay wide. The front of the building, a wooden front shed porch with an enclosed one bay by one bay pavilion at the west end of It. The fourth section Is the foundation, made of continuous rubble masonry covered with lime plaster, and comprises the raised basement. Massive stone piers support the front porch. The exterior walls are plastered brick and rubble masonry. A low-pitched hip roof oriented along a north to south axis covers the main core. Flat arched window and door openings are relatively narrow. Some have retained the original hardware, wood lintels and wood, vertical planked shutters and doors. Exterior trim and other embellishments are minimal, except for a noticeable string course (or water table) lining the exterior facades along the ground floor level. A cistern attached to It furthest south of the building rises four feet above grade. It Is flat on top with a central rectangular opening measuring two feet by two feet. The porch Is decorated with a more recently added masonry railing and six bevelled and camphored wood posts above It at regularly spaced Intervals. The modern railing has a geometric pattern of narrow silts, some of which have diamond-shaped openings In the center of every other one. An original rubble masonry welcoming arm staircase of 13 steps, with an arch underneath, leads to the center of the porch. (2) WlndmllI (c.17661 The conical sugar mil I tower Is located on the edge of the hi IIslde about 40 feet south of the great house. Its walIs, approximately four feet thick has a diameter of 70 feet at the foundation level. The cone tapers to 15 feet NP& Fomi IIFtOO^t 0«) 0MB No 1024-001B t*p. 10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item numtaer For NFS NM only received date entered Page Telpha Mapson PO Box 1009 Ghristiansted, St. Groix USVI 00820 NPS Form 10-900-a CM2) OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number use only (4-5) at the top. The walls are reduced to one and a half feet. . thick. It Is fairly overgrown with cirrus nightblooming cacti I making It only partially visible. The tower has a central arched opening, which faces west. It Is lined In stone with both we I I defined volssonts and a prominent keystone. The total height of the structure Is approximately 35 feet high composed of the main construction material, rectangular limestone blocks laid In even courses. A narrower opening formerly used to transport the grinding equipment and for the sugar juice to enter Is located on the north side. Two short round arched openings, egress points for pipes carrying sugar, are located on the south side. A water table of two consecutive bands at the base of the mill extends to form a ledge two feet above grade. Inside the remains of one original Joist can be seen Inserted In one of the six one foot square holes or niches used to support the machinery. These were located seven feet above the floor. Retaining Walls (late 18th c.) Remains of rubble masonry wal Is appear to have once enclosed some of the historic structures on top of the hill Including the great house, several outbuildings and the sugar mill. Beginning ten feet northeast of the wider arched sugar mill openings, the remains of a seven foot high and one Inch thick wall begins with a rectangular gatepost column. A capital band protrudes from Its top. A portion of the original hardware and wood posts for the gateway sti I I remains attached to the post. The wal I extends In a clockwise direction for seven feet to the mill, then west of the mill for about 40 yards, then bends to the northeast forming a rounded corner. The retal nl ng wal I dlrectly west of the ml I I suggests an earl Ier animal mill In Its roughly seml-clrcular shape and size. The walI Is composed of limestone block and rises to six feet above grade on the sloping edge of the hillside. It tapers to an end about 20 yards north of the great house as It approaches the level ground at the top of the hill. The wall begins again In the same clockwise and northerly direction about 50 feet north of the above mentioned wall and directly 50 feet west of the great house. Another rectangular gatepost column, similar to the one northwest of the mill, punctuates the wal I approximately 175 feet east. Another round capped wall begins 40 feet north of the cistern adjacent to the great house and extends for 30 feet before bending to the west. It Is five feet high, beginning again after 20 feet and Incorporating the deteriorated remains of a gabled end facade six feet high. Outbuildings (c. 1800-1850) To the west and south of the great house are several outbuildings, most of which were once used as the living quarters for laborers. Those closest to the great house on top of the hill to the west are most deteriorated. Therefore, the original functions are Indiscernible. The remains of these three rectangular structures are composed of rubble masonry. The first L NPS Foim 10-900-a 0MB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number >r NPS use only received dateent outbuilding furthest north approximately 20 yards west of the great house has gabled ends on the north and south facades as well as on the top part of the Interior wall, much like a dividing wall separating units of workers’ living quarters. The roof Is missing. A five foot long and approximately four feet high wall connects the west facades of the above mentioned structure to a second structure. This second outbuilding follows a perpend I cular axis running In an east to west direction. It has been more recently repaired with cement patches along the plate level and with cement blocks at the northwest corner. The structure formerly had a shed roof with Its highest elevation along the south side. A few of the corner limestone blocks have been scavenged. The highest side with a nine foot elevation along the south wall, appears to be level with the other sides on top due to the sloping ground. The structure Is five bays long by one bay wide. The longest sides are on the north and south. The north wall Is punctuated by alternating splayed windows and doors, most of which have retained the wooden lintels and jambs. Inside the roofless structure Is a raised solid masonry foundation. A half foot ledge lines the exterior of the north and east facades 2 feet, 6 Inches above grade. Iron hardware exist along three of the wal Is. Vertical Iron bars, later added, cover the window facing west. (6-11) Workers’ Rowhouses (c. 1800-1850) Approximately six rowhouses composed of limestone block are located further down the hillside beginning approximately 200 yards west of the great house. The one furthest east stands alone. It Is the most deteriorated, overgrown with tall grass and bush. Only the north facade remains. One hundred twenty feet further to the west at the base of the hillside are a series of five rowhouses (similar to those at Diamond Ruby). Each structure Is approximately 12 feet by 35 feet long. The gable roofs have a north to south orientation. Three of the buildings stand In a row five feet apart from each other east to west. Two more In a row stand parallei approximately eight feet north of these. The wooden lintels and Jambs have been retained as wel I as the metal corrugated roofs. They are apparently vacant although they may be used by the residents presently living on the property. (12) Belfry and Shelter (early 19th century) The belfry composed of brick and rectangular limestone block stands slightly lower on the hillside twenty yards southwest of the sugar mill. It Is 30 feet high and three feet thick. A cornice band lines the edges near the top of the rectangular column above the three foot high arched opening. Above the cornice, the column has heavy denticuIatlon topped by a brick corbel two feet by six feet. The belfry stands above vaulted rooms. The massive retaining wall of the west facade Is built Into the hillside 20 feet high. The belfry Is flush with the north facade punctuated by a large NPS Fonn 10-900-a 0^ 0MB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number NFS use only Page barre I-vau I ted opening. This lower three bay section of the belfry, consisting of a central vaulted opening to the south end, has a vaulted room flanking either side of the hallway. Each room Is 7 feet by 20 feet. The plastered walls are two feet thick. The rooms have barrel vaulted ceilings. The west room has two highly elevated narrow splayed windows, splayed and located on the south end of the west wall. A highly elevated rectangular opening Is located near the center of the facade adjacent to the central passageway. A door three feet wide Is arched on the passageway side facing the Interior. It Is nearer to the front entrance than the door on the east side. The east room has one slitted window opening to the Interior passageway, set further back. Drawings of sailboats have been Inscribed Into the plaster of the west room. (13) Wei I Tower (late 18th c.) One of the most Impressive features of the ruins at Strawberry HIM Estate Is Its well tower (windmill) with winding staircase. The staircase begins on the northwest side and wraps around the perimeter of the tower In a clockwise direction. It reaches up to the southwest side at the top. The 42 feet high windmill Is located at the base of the hill about 200 feet northwest of the belfry. Its wal Is are two to three feet thick. The tower Is 25 feet In diameter at Its base and gets narrower with height, about ten feet In diameter at the top. Three round arched openings at the base of the stairway line the bottcm of the southwest side, each about four feet high. The arches have been built onto the side of the rubble masonry tower so that they are not open to the Interior. Above these fwo arches are fwo taller and narrower arches at second floor height. Their sizes are approximately four feet high by three feet across and five feet high by three feet across located directly underneath the stairs. Occasionally one foot square weep holes punctuate the wal Is. The tower Is overgrown with vines. (14) Retaining Wall and Storage Area (late 18th century) West of the mill, built Into the hi 1Islde Is a massive retalnlng walI punctuated by vaulted tunnels similar In appearance to the one at Castle Coakley. Its vaulted chambers were also probably first used for storage. Strawberry HIM Estate Is distinguished for Its unusual architectural forms, particularly the windmill with winding staircase and dungeoned belfry. Although deteriorating and partially overgrown with bush, the site has been little altered since Its original construction. Ironically, It Is situated on the outskirts of a fast expanding mid-lsland suburb off Centerline Road. All the mentioned buildings at Strawberry HIM are a part of the historic site possessing considerable historical archaelogical potential. Therefore, the site should be protected from unwarranted disturbances. NPS Fonii 10-900-a (3^21 OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number or NPS u«e <mly received datewte^l iiii The boundaries have been drawn to adequately circumscribe the known structures associated with the site and to enclose the area of highest human activity and, therefore, greatest archaelogical potential. UPS Form 10-900-a C>82) 0MB No. 1024-0018 Expires 10-31-87 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number 7 Page SUMI'IARY/DSSGRIFriON: ESTATE 3TRAVJBERRY HILL Present Physical Description; Estate Strawberry Hill consist of the remains of a late l8th and early 19th-century plantation which continued in sugar production until the early part of the 20th century. Still standing along the upper reaches of a relatively clear, grassy knoll are (l) an impressive and extra­ ordinarily well-preserved greathouse dating to I8OO; (2) a conical sugar mill toi-rer dating to 1766; (3) a number of retaining walls dating to the late l8th century; (4-5) several out­ buildings (most of which were once used as residences for workers) and workers’ rowhouses, all constructed in the earlier part of the nineteenth century (6-II) ; (12) a conical belfry and field shelter; (13) a well tower and (l4) storage area of the late l8th century. ^The remains of the estate are presently surrounded by suburban subdivisions of nearby Ghristiansted, yet are preserved in their original setting. Except for some of the workers'^rowhouses, the estate is no longer occupied and is in a relatively stable, though not stabilized, condition. All estate buildings and ruins are accessible and clear of overgrowth. The full extent of historic arcaeological remains is not yet known. A systematic visual survey at regular intervals indicates the presence of numerous pottery fragments, pieces of iron hardware and tools and stone debris associated with the estate during the course of its operations. The incidence ®f cultural remains falls off dramatically at the edge of the area known to be occupied in historic times and is further accentuated on three sides by modem residential development. A change in topography, together with a decrease in cultural remains, demarcate the northern boundary. Original Physical Appearance; Estate Strawberry Hill visably possesses most of the components associated with a late 18th- century through mid-19th-century sugar estate. The functions of the various buildings and outbuildings are knovm through historic maps, photographs and prints of this estate and other estates as well as from literature on the sugar industry. The sequence of development on Estate Strawberry Hill can be traced in outline form particularly through references to early maps and estate records. The 1754 Beck map shows an animal mill on the estate, and the 1760 Kuffner map indicates a windmill had been built by that time. By the end of the 19th century, Strawberry Hill was fully established lAth its estate buildings including an animal mill, windmill, curing house, greathouse, two or three overseer's houses and an extensive slave village, possibly on the site of the ones that still remain in place. By the 1860 s, "the estate had been fully "improT.'ed" with the addition of a three horse power steam-engine. The animal mill, two or three overseer's houses and the factory are no longer identifiable. The rest of the buildings and structures, however, are still present on the estate and can be identified. Boimdary Selection/Justification; The boundaries of Estate Strawberry Hill have been delineated in order to adequately cimum- scribe the known buildings, structures and other cultural remains associated with the historic :Se iHe Snds associalel with the estate have been larply suMivided and <ievelo^d^ NPS Forni 10-900-a (3«) 0MB No. 1024-0018 Expires 10-31-87 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number development around it. Evidence of archaeological materials on the surface occur in greatest concentrations in areas immediately adjacent to or surrounding identifiable ruins or buildings. Their occurance outside the boundaries of the site appears unlikely, particularly in light of grounded disturbances in the area. Alterations/integrity; Estate Strawberry Hill possesses considerable visual and material integrity. The setting is a relatively well-protected expanse on a hill, with historic buildings and structures scattered along its upper reaches. The remains of the estate, while continuing to slowly degenerate, have been little altered to completely unaltered, and convey much of their original character and appearance. The greathouse has a more recently built masonry railing on the porch; however the building has retained its original door and window hardware, wood lintels and vertical wood- planked doors and shuttere. The occupied workers' rowhouses have only been superficially changed to accomodate to the needs of the present occupants. The walls remain intact; likewise, most of the wood lintels and jambs have been retained. The other buildings and structures associated with the site which are not occupied or used have also been allowed to keep their historic integrity through disinterest. The site has undergone few ground disturbances and any sub­ surface remains would appear to have been preserved in situ. Dates/Chronology; Strawberry Hill’s significance extends from c. 1750 through the I930's when^the sugar produc­ tion stopped, for the most part, on the estate. Historic remains still visible on the site date from approximately 1766 through I85O. 8. Significance Period prehistoric ^ 1400-1499 ___ 1500-1599 ^ 1600-1699 XX 1700-1799 XX_ 1800-1899 . 1900- Areas of Significance—Check and justify below archeology-prehistoric xx community planning XX archeology-historic agriculture ^ architecture art commerce _ communications conservation economics education engineering exploration settlement XX industry invention landscape architecture . law literature military _ „ music philosophy xx: politics government religion science sculpture social/ humanitarian theater transportation other (specify) Specific dates 1750-1930 Builder Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) Estate Strawberry HI I I Is comprised of plots 29 and 20b, Queen's Quarter In St. Croix. The total area covered by the estate was originally 375 acres, making It a fairly large estate by St. Croix standards. Traditionally, Straw berry H i I I is I Inked to the Tulte f ami y and on many older maps. Including Kuffner's 1767 map of the Island, the estate is referred to simply as Tulte. The Tultes first arrived in St. Croix in the early 1750's, following a meeting by the family head, Nicholas Tulte, with Governor Jens Hansen in 1749. Up to that time, the Tulte family had made a home In the British Island of Monserrat. There they had been successful merchants and planters. Their main reason for emigrating was one of religious freedom. As Reman Catholics, they were unable to practice their faith in Monserrat where the Church of England was the only recognized religious entity. Hansen encouraged Tulte by suggesting that he could bring a private confessor, in the form of a Capuchin monk, to St. Croix, and, under Danish law, the family would be able to practice their faith free from hindrance. A visit to Copenhagen further encouraged Tuite; there he was informed that a church might be established as well. This convinced Tulte and In the 1750's he liquidated his Monserrat assets moving the center of his operation to St. Croix. In the process, he provided passage for and assistance to over 1 ,000 other settlers, both black and white, al I an obvious advantage to the newly established Danish colony. Strawberry Hill was to become the principal estate for the Tultes, and for 50 years they made it their home. By 1754, an animal mill for grinding sugar was In place and by 1766 a windml I I had been bul It to further Increase productive capabilities. For a short time, Tuite maintained a partnership with an English planter named George Harris. In 1791, he switched to another English planter named Stapleton. Whether this was simply to extend his holdings or because of advantageous shipping arrangements Is unknown. By the end of the eighteenth century, the estate was fully established with over 100 slaves and several overseers on the estate. Production figures for that period are unavailable. But Indications are, because of its location and size, that Strawberry Hill was particularly successful. Estate buildings would have Included an animal mill (no longer identified), the windmill, a curing house (possibly in the same location as the later factory), a great house (the beginnings of that presently on the estate), two or three overseers' houses (no longer identified), and an extensive slave village, possibly on the site of that still In place. (Villages during the eighteenth century were generally comprised of simple wattle and daub structures, roofed In thatch; the present village dates from the early nineteenth century when stone bui I dings on European models became more prevalent.) The Impressive masonry storage buildings, possibly a stable, were also construted by this period. In 1803, Tulte sold out to John and Alexander Towers. The reasons for the decision are unclear although the British occupation during that year may have had a part in the family's decision. At the time, the matriculs list 137 slaves and three overseers as resident on the estate. Only 112 acres In cane, the west still (and unusually) producing cotton or turned over to grazing. The Towers Increased sugar production and 9. Major Bibliographical References Beck, L.M. S. Croix Map, 175^, 1767. B«5rgesen, F. Map of the DWI Islands, I898, British Admiralty Chart 2019 of St. Croix, I9I8. 10. Geographical Data Quadrangle scale Acreage of nominated property . approx.__1 1 acres Quadrangle name Chr i st iansted UTMReferences (A) 17°AA'06", (C) 17°^4'05", 6A°45'38" (E) 17°4A'00", 64°A5'32" (B) 17°AA'05", 6A°A5'^3" (D) 17°43'59", 6A°45'37" (F) ]7°kk'07", 6k°kS'33" 111'' ' ' B 1__L I I I I Zone Easting J__L I I I Northing I I I I I 1 I I I I I J_j I I I I I I I I Zone Easting dUJ lu_ FLU U_L_ I I Northing I I 1 J__L I I I ■ I ■ I J I ■ I . I ■ ■ 1 Hi , I 11,1 J I I I I I 1__ L J Verbal boundary description and justification Beginning at the northwesternmost point of the perimeter of the historic district Point (A), latitude 17°A4'06", longitude 64°45'44", the boundaryline follows south to Point (B) , latitude 17°44'05",—longitude 64°45'43", then tu-r-ns east to Point (C) ,—latitude 17°44'09", List all states and counties for properties overiapping state or county boundaries state code county code state code county code ■' 1,. 11. Form Prepared By name/title Betty Ausherman, William Chapman, Claudette Lewis organization Virgin Islands Planning Office date 16 November 1934 street & number PO Box 7818 telephone 809/774-7859 city or town Thomas state US Virgin Islands 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: ____________ nationalstate_______ local As the designated State Historic Preservation Officer for the Nationai Historic Preservation Act of 1966 (Public Law 89- 665), I hereby nominate this property for inclusion in the National Register and certify that it has been evaluated according to the criteria and procedures set forth by the National Park Seprice. State Historic Preservation Officer signature Alan D. Smith ~ ****^ommis s loner , Department of Planning & Nafnral P o <^n^r o ^ g F(^PS use only \ I mreby certify that this propei:t^ is included in the National Register \ I mreby certify^t this mowpii Inc date date Chief of Registration NPS Fonn 10-900-a 0<2) OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number late enterel by 1847 a full 157 acres were In cane; by the 1850's, the figure Increased to 189. Production figures for the same period were high. In the 1830's, they hovered around the figure of 200,000 pounds a year, rising to 323,361 In 183 9. Unfortunately, poor harvests and gradually depleting soil led to lower figures during the 1850's, reaching a low of 68,000 pounds In 1857. In the late 1850's and early 1860's, the heirs to the Towers estate attempted to Increase the efficiency of the estate by diversifying. Around 1860, a three-horse power steam engine was purchased to aid In sugar production. As of 1863, 160 acres were In cane and the remainder was used for grazing, an unusually high figure for the period. The estate could claim three domestic servants, 116 laborers (now emancipated laborers working under the Labor Law of 1850) and 116 cattle. In 1863, the estate was sold to a Mr. Fabricus, who continued to operate It In the usual way. Part of Strawberry was destroyed In 1878 during the FI reburn, but Fabricus managed to return the estate to production within a short time. Figures during the 1880's were wide ranging but averaged about 169 hogsheads (one hogshead=1,500 pounds) per annum. After 1887, however. Strawberry ceased production altogether, carting Its sugar cane over to nearby Barrenspot for processing. In 1897, Strawberry Hill was sold to A.J. Blackwood for $97,000 dollars. Blackwood was the agent for the Bertram Brother's Company, a New York based corporation Involved In the acquisition of real estate In St. Croix for Investment purposes. Blackwood's role In Strawberry was that of an Intermediary: estates were often put In his name to avoid absentee ownership taxes. Under the Bertram Brother's ownership. Strawberry continued to produce sugar; usually carting It to Lower Love for processing. In 1911, Bertram sold out to Akt I ustskaet, another holding company, who kept the estate In production during the lean years, processing sugar at their new factory at Upper Bethlehem. In 1931, Auyandro Carrio obtained the estate from the West Indies Sugar Company, the successor to the earlier Swedish-owned company. In a liquidation sale. Since the 1 930's, Strawberry has lain more or less dormant. For a short time, some cane continued to be produced on the estate but this stopped by the 1940's. During the same period. Strawberry was used for grazing, but that has now ceased. The estate now Is gradually being enveloped by suburban subdivisions surrounding nearby Chr I sti ansted, and Its lands bear little resemblance to their appearance 30 years or so ago. A Pentecostal church has also been built In one parcel, further altering the estate's original appearance. Nonetheless, Strawberry HIM preserves a number of buildings of great significance and Its physical plant maintains much of Its original character. Still visible on the estate are an Impressive and extraordinarily well-preserved great house, a number of retaining walls, an early (pre-1766) windmill, a well-tower, factory remains, a stable or storage area (popularly thought to be slave cells) and an early nineteenth century slave village. The estate possesses a number of representative examples of local building types, all Important to an understanding of St. Croix's plantation history. NPS Fonii 10-900-a (3«) 0MB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number 8 received date ent Further knowledge of the estate, as with so many others on St. Croix, awaits archaeological Investigation. For this reason, the estate should be protected from any unnecessary ground disturbances. The boundaries have been delineated In order to adequately circumscribe the known remains associated with the estate and to take Into account present ownership. Historical figures associated with the estate Include the locally Important Tulte family, a family significant for Its place In the agricultural and religious history of the Islands, and A.J. Blackwood, a late nineteenth century businessman and entrepeneur. NPS Form 10-900-a OMB No, 1024-0018 Expires 10-31-87 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number 8 S'JimRY/SIGKIFIGMGE: ESTATE STRA’','BERRY HILL Significance Summary; Estate Strawberry Hill is significant as a well-preserved late-l8th and mid-l9th-century sugar plantation on the island of St. Croix and the one-time residence and property of figures important to St. Croix's history, including the Tuites, an important Gruzan family, merchants and planters on the island and A.J. Blackwood, agent for the Bartram Brothers Company. Estate Strawberry Hill also was significant in the labor and social history of St. Croix as one of the estates partially destroyed during the I878 labor uprising commonly known as the Firebum. The estate's significance in this event is largely commemorative. The estate consists of a representative collection of estate buildings and structures which yield further information on the nature and development of the sugar industry on St. Croix, as well as providing information on lifeways and residence patterns of St. Croix's agricultural population during the late l8th 19th and early 20th centuries. Architecturally, the estate also possesses a number of uniquely elaborate estate buildings and structures in remarkably good condition, particularly the well tower with circular staircase and the belfry and field shelter. Applicable Criteria; Estate Strawberry Hill is significant for its association with the broader patterns of St. Croix's early history (criterion A); for its association with a number of figures important in the commercial and political history of the island (criterion B); for containing examples of distinctive types of buildings, in turn, embodying distinctive methods of construction (criterion C) ; and for its potential value in yielding information on the rise and development of the sugar industry on St. Croix, a subject which still needs to be fully and clearly documented, being crucially important to the history of the Danish and later American colonies (criterion D) . Areas of Significance; Architect'ure: Estate Strawberry Hill Historic District contains a number of important representative buildings that are important to an understanding of the organization and devel­ opment of the sugar industry on St. Croix. These buildings include the greathouse, workers quarters and the conical sugar mill tower. The laborers' quarters appear to ^te from the early to mid-19th century and represent landlords' imprcvement of worker housing following models developed in Europe. The greathouse with its commanding view of the south shore preserves a number of important features including the welcome-arm staircase, wood lintels, vertical- plamked shutters and doors and most of the original window and door hardware. The intact mill is of unusually early origin (c. I766) and plays an important role in understanding the devel­ opment of such structures on the islands. Particularly noteworthy^is the well tower with circular staircase, the most elaborate and well-preserved of its kind on the island. Equally impressive is the belfry of ^.imestone aiid brick rich stands above vaulted rooms. ^All of the buildinss embody characteristics of materials, constuction methods and craftsm^ship important to an understanding of Gruzan architecture during the late l8th and early to mid-19th centuries. Archaeology-historic; The full extent of Estate Strawberry Hill's archaeological materiab patterns of the estate's inhabitants over the course of its occupation. Remaining masonry NPS Form 10-900 a tM2) OHB No. 1024-0018 Expires 10-31-87 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number 8 Page walls and rubble masonry debris are of great archaeological value in allowing for greater understanding of estate functions and estate planning. As yet, no sugar estate has been fully excavated or studied on St. Croix. Strawberry Hill represents an important resource for further in’/estigation. Agriculture: Estate Strawberry Hill commemorates and is likely to yield further infor­ mation on St. Croix's agricultural base and predominant industry. Questions such as the residential patterns of workers, the ratio.of workers to field size, the locations of individual gardens, etc. are likely to be answered through further study of Estate Strawberry Hill's cultural remains. The estate was ’under cultivation by the l?50's and remained a sugar estate for at least l60 years. While the agricultural lands associated with the estate have been largely interupted for the most part, the agriculturally-related buildings of the estate remain in place. Commiunity Planning: Estate Strawberry Hill's historic and archaeological district includes the identifiable remains of a stone laborers' village. Such masonry cottages represent a response to agricultural village planning in Britain which began to be reflected on St. Croix during the late l8th and early 19th centuries. These buildings are an important advance over earlier mud and thatch huts known through documentation. The remains of earlier workers' habitations are potentially identifiable archaeologically on the site as well, although this has not been firmly established. The present relation of the greathouse and village vividly portrays the relationship of owner and slaves during the early to mid-l9th centuiy. Industiy;: The production of s’ugar was the mainstay of St. Croix's economy throughout the l8th and 19th centuries, extending until the mid-20th century. Estate Strawberry Hill's buildings and other structures help to document the development of that industry. Important existing structures include the windmill built in 1?66, well tower with circular staircase, belfry and field shelter and workere' residences. A three horse power steam engine was introdced to the estate in i860, which subsequently altered the nature of sugar processing on the estate. Iftifortunately it has been removed. The remaonlng buildings and structures, however, help to chronicle the industry that "made" St. Croix, particularly that industry during its earlier, "pre-steam" period. Politics/Government: Estate Strawberry Hill has commemorative value for its association with a number of figures and events important in the political history of St. Croix. Ehese people include the Tuites, a family of successful merchants and planters who established themselves on St. Croix beginning in the l?50's and later, A.J.Blackwood who was ^ agent for the Bartram Brothers Company, a New York based corporation involved in the acquisition of real estate in St. Croix. Estate Strawberry Hill is also significant as one of the estates partially destroyed during the I878 Fireburn. Context: Estate Strawberry Hill is one of several significant and vrejl-preserved St. Croix sugar estates. Each estate on the island is different to some degree, all of which serve to illustrate _ different facets and periods of development in the history of the sugar industry in St. Croix. Strawberry Hill preserves a number of representative building types including the workers residences outbuildings, greathouse and early mill as well as more uniquely elaborate ones Shelter. The estate possesses an unusual integrity Of setting, due to its hillside location, and helps to convey a vivid impression of the sugar plantation industry during its peak years of the mid-19th century. NPS Fonii 10-900-a <3^ OMB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form i> U8i%iy recelyed date en Continuation sheet Item number 9 Page Brock, H.G., Philip S. Smith, W.A. Tucker. The Danish West Indies: Their Resources and Commercial Importance. Dept, of Conmerce, Special Agen's Serres, No. 129. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1917. Bronsted, Johannes, ed. Vore Gram Ie Tropekolonler. Alfred G. Passings. For lag Copenhagen, 1953. Vol. II, English Summary from Herbert Olsen, 21 pp, L.S. Col lection. Canegata, D.C. St. Croix at the 20th Century. NY: Carlton Press, Inc., 1968, 161 pp. Creque, Darwin. The US Virgin Islands and the Eastern Caribbean. Philadelphia: Whlfmore Publishing Co., 1968, 266 pp. Dansk Vestindren; Gramie Bllleder. The Danish West Indies In Old Pictures. Spring, 1962. Dookhan, Isaac. A History of the Virgin Islands of the US. Essex, England: Caribbean University Press, 1974. Dubois' 1671 St. Croix Map. Gosner, Pamela. Historic Architecture of the US Virgin Islands. Durham, NC: Moore Pub IIshing Co., 1971. Gurney, John Joseph. Familiar Letters to Henry Clay of Kentucky. Describing a Winter ln*the West Indies. NY, 1840. 203 pp. Janssen's 1791 St. Croix Map. Jarvis, J. Antonio. History of the Virgin Islands. Lectures. NYU Workshops, c. 1952. 5 pp. mimeo. Kuffner, Paul. 1767 St. Croix Map. Larsen, Jan S. Virgin Islands Story. Philadelphia: Fortress Press, 1950. Lewis, Gordon K. The Virgin Islands. Lewlsohn, Florence. St. Croix Under Seven Flags. Hollywood, Florida: The Dukane Press, 1970. Lewlsohn, Florence. The Romantic History of St. CroIx. St. Croix Landmarks Society, 1964, 69 pp. LInvald, Steffen. Sukker & Rom. Kobenharn, 1967, 74 pp. NPS Fomi 10-900-I CM2) 0MB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number NPS use only Page McDonald, Forrest. Alexander Hamilton; A Biography. NY: W.W. Norton & Co., 1982, 464 pp. McGuire, James W. Geographic Dictionary of the Virgin_IsIands. Special PubI. No. 103, US Coast and Geodetic Survey. Dept, of Commerce. Wash., D.C., 1925, 211 pp. Merwln, Robert L. "US Representatives' Visit to St. Croix, VI,USA, Thursday, February 21, 1924" as reviewed by RumbIe Bee. G. Johansen, St. Croix Avis Office, 1924. Morton, Henry. Danish West Indian Sketchbook and Diary 1845-44. Copenhagen, Denmark: Danish West Indian Society and St. Croix Landmarks Society, 1975, 183 pp. Oxholm, Maps of St. Croix, 1799. Parson, John. 1856 Map of St. Croix. Quin, John. StatistI os of Sugar Production on St. Croix. 1862-1889. ChrlstIansted, 1892. Quin, John. Statlstlos of Sugar Production on St. Croix. 1890-19Q2. Chrlstiansted, 1903. Recorder of Deeds Office In ChrlstIasted, St. Croix. Reilly, William Benedict. "Bermuda and the Lesser Antilles". The Monthly 11 liistrator. XV, 5, (Dec. 1897), l-lll. (reprinted). St. Croix 1907 Map. "Kort over Dansk Vestindlen". Smith, Janes. Tha winter of 1840 In St. Croix with an Excursion to Tortola and St. Thomas. NY: Printed for authr, 1840, 124 pp. Statistics Concerning Properties on the Island of St. Croix._1816~.1.8.57 . Chrl sti ansted, St. Croix: P.B. Hatchett, 1859. Svenson, Ole, ed. Three Towns. Scantryk, Copenhagen, Denmark: Danish West Indian Society, 1980. Taylor Charles, leaflets from the Danish West Indies. Westport, Connecticut: Negro University Press, 1970 reprint, (orlg. 1887), 228 pp. USGS Map of St. Croix, 1923, 1958, 1982. Westergaard, Waldemar C. The Danish West Indies Under Companv Rule (1671-1917) w.l.th Supplementary Chapter. NY: MacMillan Co., 1917. Zabriskle, Luther K. The Virgin Islands of the USA. NY: 1918. NPS Form 10-500-« (3«) 0MB No. 1024-0018 Exp. 10-31-84 United States Department of the Interior National Park Service National Register of Historic Places Inventory—Nomination Form Continuation sheet Item number 10 For NFS use <mly ietSBlvecI late eni longitude 6A°45'38", then turns south to Point (D), the southwesternmost point of the perimeter at latitude 17°^3'59", longitude (>k°hS'37", then turns east to Point (E) , latitude 17°^^'00", longitude Sk°kS'32", then turns north to Point (F), latitude 17°^^'07", longitude 6k°k5'33"- The boundaryline then follows the south edge of the access road west, returning to Point (A). ..X V, V i\'^'i .■ ‘<k-! m .: STRAWBEi^RY HILU ESTATE / ■ / ■V ■ -■•Vf'/vvA -T ^■T ■" l^ilii^^i^^ M' WASO Form -177 (“R" June 1984) UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT DF THE INTERIOR NATIONAL PARK SERVICE NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACES EVALUATION/RETURN SHEET Strawberry Hill Historic District St. Croix County VIRGIN ISLANDS •ibsftAntlxrsr Rvvl( Working No., □ resubmission □ nomination by person or local government CH owner objection CD appeal J2 1 sample Fed. Reg. Date: Date Due: /p/ Action tcy. L/dLC. A )ue: ^ i: _X.ACCE ooT rtm ACCEPT RETURN ' ( ' ' ' ' R EJ ECT_______________ Federal Agency: Substantive Review: CH request CD appeal NR decision Reviewer's comments: c^cuJ^ Loiat^ 'TlAA^(<y Recom./Criteriaj .......................... Reviewer Discipline . Date " U/ see continuation sneet ( C. Nomination returned for: technical corrections cited below substantive reasons discussed below 1. Name 2. Location 3. Classification Category Ownership Public Acquisition Status Accessible Present Use 4. Owner of Property 5. Location of Legal Description 6. Representation in Existing Surveys Has this property been determined eligible? CD yes CD no 7. Description Condition CD excellent CD good CD fair CD deteriorated CD ruins CD unexposed Check one CD unaltered CD altered Check one CD original site CD moved date. Describe the present and original (if known) physical appearance CD summary paragraph CH completeness CD clarity □ alterations/integrity CD dates CD boundary selection 8. Significance Period Areas of Significance—Check and justify below Specific dates Builder/Architect Statement of Significance (in one paragraph) □ summary paragraph □ completeness □ clarity □ applicable criteria □ justification of areas checked □ relating significance to the resource □ context O relationship of integrity to significance □ justification of exception □ other '■C 9. Major Bibliographical References 10. Geographical Data Acreage of nominated property Quadrangle name UTM References Verbal boundary description and justification 11. Form Prepared By 12. State Historic Preservation Officer Certification The evaluated significance of this property within the state is: national state local State Historic Preservation Officer signature title date 13. Other Q Maps im Photographs □ other Questions concerning this nomination may be directed to. Signed. Date Phone: GPO 916-450 Comments for any item may be continued on an attached sheet