Virgin Islands MPS Reef Bay Great House Historic District
- ■r.> 2 3 198i £ APPENDIX B REEF BAY GREAT HOUSE HISTORIC DISTRICT DESCRIPTION The site of Reef Bay Great House Historic District is on a small spur extending into Reef Bay Valley from Bordeaux Motintain to the east, approximately 1,000 yards inland from the shoreline of the bay. The district contains the Great House, a servants house, a stable, a privy and a well. The elevation is about 250 feet above sea level and it is reached by a trail that branches off the Reef Bay-Lameshur Trail. The Great House is still partially roofed but several bearing masonry walls show signs of failure and on the interior all woodwork is badly deteriorated as are exterior and interior masonry finishes. The masonry walls of the servants quar ters and the stable still stand to plate height in a deteriorated condition. The cookhouse, the privy and the walls of the semi-circular terrace on the north side of the Great House have collapsed as has the once roofed terrace to the south of the Great House. …
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- ■r.> 2 3 198i £ APPENDIX B REEF BAY GREAT HOUSE HISTORIC DISTRICT DESCRIPTION The site of Reef Bay Great House Historic District is on a small spur extending into Reef Bay Valley from Bordeaux Motintain to the east, approximately 1,000 yards inland from the shoreline of the bay. The district contains the Great House, a servants house, a stable, a privy and a well. The elevation is about 250 feet above sea level and it is reached by a trail that branches off the Reef Bay-Lameshur Trail. The Great House is still partially roofed but several bearing masonry walls show signs of failure and on the interior all woodwork is badly deteriorated as are exterior and interior masonry finishes. The masonry walls of the servants quar ters and the stable still stand to plate height in a deteriorated condition. The cookhouse, the privy and the walls of the semi-circular terrace on the north side of the Great House have collapsed as has the once roofed terrace to the south of the Great House. Reef Bay Great House is the most important architectwal monument within the Virgin Islands National Park and a significant example of West Indian architec- • ture. Considered in connection with the remains of Reef Bay Sugar Factory and its historical association with the various ruins within the confines of Reef 'x. Bay Valley, it ranks as the most complete exhibit of the plantation economy of the West Indies within the Virgin Islands. Its spectacular and well-planned setting makes it a noteworthy example of historic landscaping, both for the qua lity of the design and its rarity. Reef Bay Great House was originally the Great House of Par Force. The existing building dates from the early 19th cen tury but it contains within its shell the masonry base of an earlier wood building. In its present form the Great House is an excellent example of a severely formal classical revival design with well conceived and sophisticated detailing that is carried through on the service buildings and in the retaining walls and fences. The incongruity between the formality and controlled symmetry of the architecture and the irregular topography of the setting has by the builder or the designer been turned to an advantage. Retaining walls, fences and steps direct the ap proaches and provide changing views of both the buildings and of the surroundings that soften and enrich the severity of the architecture. The original planting of the terraced landscaping has*, been choked out by bush and can only be guessed at, but sufficient remains of the terraces to provide an idea of the formalized landscape intended. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE Reef Bay Great House complex is significant as a distinguished architectural ex pression in a neo-classical manner, that within a time frame of contemporary buildings, is of a highly sophisticated design as well as a true adaptation to the West Indies and to its setting. tS"; W"' y- NS.: r; f f: ^ 3 198! Latitude 18° 19' 54" Longitude 64° 44' 25" Acreage: 5 acres There are no UTM references on any published maps of the U.S. Virgin Islands VERBAL BOUNDARY DESCRIPTION Except for a small flat approximately 150 feet by a 100 feet northwest of the Reef Bay Great House, the terrain around the complex is very steep and without any distinctive natural or man-made features. As it is located in a protected area the boundaries of the Historic District have been arbitrarily set as the area bounded towards the west and east as longitude 64° 44' 23" and 64° 44' 27" and towards the north and south as latitude 18° 19' 56" and 18° 19' 52". j ''"f I y| JUL 2 3 198! Ap^ndixB, Historic Distgr^gj-p^-^p STRUCTURE FIELD INVENTORY REPORT ‘ ' (Attach BSW Photo) ORGANIZATION ■ PARK/AREA NAMEVirpin Islands INJafT Pa-rV . CODE NO. c;itAn --- . insm • \ . RteGIONSoutheast * '«*/ STRUCTURE NAME Reef Bay Great House o T' ORDER OF SIGNIFICANCE; . National I I STRUCTURE NO. w_i g; i State I i . Taocal I I LOCATION OF STRUCTURE; ^2 miles south of Centerline Rd , Reef Bay Val^le;^ on trail to a L.J LI. Zone I;-J i i L 8 t j n g J. .1. I t No r t h i n g CLASS VI LAND ACREAGE (if not part of a complex or district; 5 acres. STRUCTURE; Type of, and composition; Plastered Brick and Rubble- masonry dwelling, rectangular in plan one-storv high basement. Physical Description; The building is oni^ory with a partial basement under the~ north and west side of the structure. On the lower west side, the basement is on o"i*adp. On the south and east side, the grade is at first floor level. The building -measuri Tf 1 s rnnstrnrtf^H in rubble masonry -\yith brick linLag r>f r^Q-rniayfi a~nH aTOnTiH TYia.SpTlTy Opf^TllTlgS* ExCGpt_for- a.Ad—Step.,§_i— masonry surfaces are plastered or stuccoed. The roof is partially a flat brick roof on wood beams and partially a hipped wood roof with metal roofing. Floors are wood on wood beams. A large double masonry stairway leads to a small..p.orchin The brick roof of the front of the main entrance on the west fact of the building.______________ ________ _ porch is supported on four Tuscan colums. A smaller porch on two columns of similar design shields the rear entrance on the east side of the buUding. It is ~sev'erely~^fnmetrical around an east-west axis. Two arcaded galleries to the south and north flank a center core that is accentuated by additional height. The core is 4 bv5 bays with two windows on either side of the entrances and four doors leading from the interior to the s^th and north gallery respectively. On the exterior base, floorand rail levels, as well as window and door openipg.q^ _ ha vp. stucco banding. A dentil course and a very simplpcyma recta moulding foriii (continue on reverse if necessary) PRESENT CONDITION; Excellent 1 Good Fair j Deteriorated! X j Ruins 1 1 Unaltered | x Altered Original Site |X 1 Moved 1 1 '"4 the classical revival c6rnice. The pkrapet wall abo cornice ■ ■ " into-panels by stucco banding'and-the corners carry^croterion^y..^The flankx^ , V. galibries haVe stucco,banding of ' The interior hds trim around dopr and window openings and cormCe mouldings ■ in plaster. ' , . ' ■ ' < ' 1 ' ' ' ■ The Great'hbuse is still under roof and with all walls stanling. All-woodwork. howpver, including rafters and l^eams have deteriorated beyond repair and_ ‘ withL recent yearp, structural failure of the masonry can be observed in the ^ fropt and south section of the building. Finishes inside anji out are fragmentary V only., kbofing throughout has deteriorated, \i i . s I 'V/ -1 ' ■ -is#'^ ■" -; i * -• 's'^V'' ;vl''■' / S^;7S" ■ r* ,- ■- .'S' ■ ,-, ', ' > ■ ; '•■•' ^ ••• '. , -. • “»• .v/-‘ S]u-'-' ''Sr" * S' . ' --S '1 ■ ' rr*--: ■ ■" 1 S-l V/' '■ ■rS' i'‘:. . ’■"'i- '' i,:Si ' •siv' Sk’" ;V S'i-'S7'; -". ~4 ;'^svs;- ■ SiSSS':.' ■v;:bSS'-' '' •■ ■ V ■ .■v- 'ii ;i. ■ i' • ■ ■ ■'. [:■ ■■-.. '■ '■•■:, ^v!‘/^'E ■,»;.■ ■ , • '•■ < ■ M,i ■ '■-■■ , ;■ ■■.'■I' ';• ,'■ • .. J'i’- i>l ■ . ' 'V ■ ■5 ^., ' \ v-i'‘------J.'. ■ ■■ ] . . : I ' « , ' .fj'-':- ; ,:■ ■ -,l:% 'v"' ■ ■■■i ■‘v ' . ■;+,:■ ■ v'-';'..l; S'-' ■ ■ -S' ;' -S.-' ; ■ ;■■• V S.!' b. . i; , '.'.rV- , ■■ hj. ' I' -■ S ■i''- ^ ■ f T ■ -,.i i 1 I -■■ ■ \; v s 'V>:^ Si '»-''Sk'; ;SS.,,S... • •,. • >■ .,s «'. -’f •' ■ ;'■ S ■* ,’„SSSS'SS?:^'''"S-:pS''S’'i^'S'^ 1' . b . ' '• . ::< 'i.,:'.. '.' -i' ' ■!; „‘:i : r ■! *;-,r :Vv ■■ ; V • 5: . ..* •-• ■S-i.'' • •'. ;• f-'; '■■ i'.-l .■ ; ■'S,.. -.•l'"/--S „ ! s' I • ;^r .• • " • \ < i' ‘ , i i (- ■ ' i-’, " ■ • ' f' i ,"ii < > ■■': Appendix B, Historic District CLASSIFIED STRUCTURE FIELD INVENTORY REPORT (Attach 4"x5”B&W Photo) JUL 2 3 1981 I;' , NFS ORGANIZATION REGION Southeast PARK/AREA NAME Virgin Islands Nat'l Park.CODE NO. 5360 „ I STRUCTURE NAME Cook House. Reef Bay Great House Complex STRUCTURE NO. H-15..2 ORDER OF SIGNIFICANCE; National I I State Local i < LOCATION OF STRUCTURE; !\ mile south of Centerline Rd, Reef Bay UTM REFERENCE; A l.Tlu- Zone 1 i t n g Li1 I I North i-n g CLASS VI LAND ACREAGE (.if not part of a complex or district; acres. : STRUCTURE Type of and composition: ’ r^J-asterea r>ricK ana ruPDie masonry rect-_. ingiilar in plan nnp-story. Physical Description; The Cook House is located in front and to the west of the__ main house, ten feet below its first floor level. It is a one-story rubble masonry structure 24'2xI4'2" with a Dutch oven built into the soutwest corner. The exterior walls vary in thickness from 2 '3" to 2'6"; the interior is divided into two almost equal sized rooms. The room to the norfr contained the kitchen with a__ masonry range along the west wall. Two doors in the east and north wall respect ively provided light and additional ventilation to the interior. The south room has one door -in the east wall. The sonth end wall of the COok house nOW stands only 2'6" above the original floor level, while the back west wall of the cook house 'stands to a height of 8' measured from outside grade level, or 6'6" from interior pavement level. The cook house was plastered throughout and had the same ] banding of corners and openings as the other buildings of the Great House complex, Latitude 18 19'54" Longitude 64^44'25" (continue on reverse if necessary) PRESENT CONDITION: Excellent 1 Good Fair j j Deteriorated! 1 Ruins |x 1 Unaltered | X Altered Original Site _x_ Moved 1 _ __ _ . .. Ji-iiiiaai Appendix B, Historic District ■ . ■ CLASSlFXiu.- :.TRUCTURE_FD'’ INVENVuRY REjTQRT ■ •(AttiHT5^''ii6W Photo) NPS ORGANIZATION PARK/AREA NAMEVirgin Islands Nat'l Park CODE NO. 536Q REG ION Southeast ■ STRUCTURE NAME Servants' Quarters. Reef Bay Great House [ ORDER OF SIGNIFICANCE: National d] STRUCTURE NO. H-15. 3_ State 1 X 1 / . Local [HJ UTM REFEpNCE; A Lj_J l_l Zone . East .1. 1 \ Li .1 n g NorthingJ—L STRUCTURE: Type of, and composition: Plastered Brick and Rubble masonrx- rectangular in plan one-story. Physical DeBcrintion: The serv^^nts' quarters is the best preserYffd nf t.hfi.i,Q.ux utility buildings. Tt measures 18'5 hy 14'4" and is northwest nf ,th Tt w;^s constructed to line up with the cook house and is 7M 1 " north o.f.it ■1 rill It is _a^ one-story masonry building', standing on an accentuated basa. All other woodwork, including the hipped_rQof. have disappearea. Latitude 18°19'54" Lont^itude 64°44'Z5’1. (continue on reverse if necessary) PRESENT CONDITION: Ruins 1 X) Excellent j Good Unaltered | X Altered Fair 1 ~I Deterioratedl 1 Original Site Moved 1 i LOCATION OF STRUCTURE: iA mile south of Centerline Rd, Reev Bay Vallev^on''traif to, CLASS Vl LAND ACREAGE (if not part of a complex or district:- acres. one-story masonry oui.mxiii:i. oL-d.imi.iiK —The building was- plastered throughout and with an exterior decoratiye banding of windows. CbrneLS and eaves. All walls stand to full height although^,magfid and with-nnly trsrp.a.., of nvig^r,.1 . Wood frames for the door and o.ne of mndbWS,^!!^ I • % AppendikB, Historic Dis^t^ ^ 2' 1981 CLASSIFIED STRUCTURE FIELD Ii;VENTORY EErOl^ CAttacir?'T‘x5'' B&W Ehoto) ORGANIZATION PARK/AREA NAME Virgin Islands Nat'l Park CODE NO. 5360 REGION Southeast ■ 1 ■ STRUCTURE NAME P-rivyr Rftef B^ay House k:~ L.. nRnKR (DF STCNTFrCANCK* National I I STRUCTURE NO. H-15,4 5 State nn . Local Fill i O'- < LOCATION OF STRUCTURE:li miles south of Centerline Rd, Reef Bay Y^ UTM REFEMNCE: A Li J Ll^i. J I 1 1 1 1 I t n g ■' N, o’r t h i n g CLASS VI LAND ACREAGE- (if not part of a complex or district; acres. STRUCTURE; Type of, and composition; Plastered rubble masonry, one story and rectangular in plan Physical Description; The privy was a -with a door on the northwest side and probably a 10' bv IQ'6". one-storv masonrv structure. small window in each one of the. tLrPP nthpT- sides. hnilding was stuccoed and its cornic.e_a.nd thg. dootWaY— Liehtlv TvrnTPrtinp- stucco bands, as did the other buildiURS q£ the..sila. The_ had SliaiJ-U-LV LJJ. ^ ------------------------ ------------------------ ------------------------------------------------------------- south corner stands to a height of 6'9". but other walls have tumbled apd...Q33lx. fnnti-ngs and wall fragments remain. juatitude 18'^19'54" Longitude 64^44'25" (continue on reverse if necessary) PRESENT CONDITION; Excellent 1 Good Fair 1 ! Deteriorated Ruins 1 X 1 Unaltered |x Altered OriKinal Site \ Xl Moved I | r; JUL 23 198; i'iWCTURR iriELD^ I>_iURY V.Attach * aoLo) ' « . . ' NFS ORGANiZAXUHN PARK/AREA NAMEVirgiii Islands Nat'l Park- CODE NO. 5360 REG ION Southeast ; ■ STRUCTURE NAME Stahl STRUCTURE NO. E Local { ( State 1 xl ORDER OF SIGNIFICANCE: National I I LOCATION OF STRUCTURE; I miles south of Centerline Rd. Reef ]^av~Vallev on UTM REFERENCE CLASS VI LAND ACREAGE- (if not part of a complex or district acres No r th ing Zone . East STRUCTURE; Type of, and composition: Plastered rubble masonry, one-story rectangular in nlan.! Physical Description; The stable is a one-story masonry building measuring 14'4' bv 39'1". It was built into the side of the hill and its rear, southeast wall also three large openings. The exterior was stuccoed and corners, window openings. base and top of walls were accentuated bv slightly nroiecting stucco bands. The two remaining walls stand partially to their full height and the roof appears to bavp baan hippad. i^atitude 18^19'54" Longitude 64°44'25" (continue on reverse if necessary) PRESENT CONDITION: Excellent Ruins 1 ^ 1 Unaltered | ^ Good Altered Fair 1 1 Deteriorated ^ Original Site 1 ^1 Moved 11 served as a retaining wall. Both end walls have a centered window opening 3'0" bv 3'9" high. The front wall that has collapsed, appears to have had either two or 9 ■5 JUL 2 3 I98t ....Appendix B, Historic District REGION Southeast CLASSIFIED .rRUCTURE FIELD INVjENTORY REPORT (Attach“4’’^'Fhoto) ORGANIZATION park/area name Vi^gi^ Islands Nat'l Park CODE NO, S360 V r STRUCTURE NAMEp p.tfl.ininP'^Talls and Fences . 'Reef B av Great , STRUCTURE NO, _Hl3.pJl «■ ' ino\is © ORDER OF SIGNIFICANCE; National 1 1 State I X i .Local CH IoC^i'on' of STRUCTURE: H south of Centerline Rd, Keel Day vauey on CLASS VI LAND ACREAGE (if not part of a complex or district; acres. UTM REFERENCE: .. A 1 1 . 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 J 1 • Zone. . East] i Lug N, orthi n S STRUCTURE; Type of, and composition: Plastered rubble and brick masonry retaii]j.n, walls, fences and ofate posts and steps. Physical Descriotion! p^-rf- nf Pp.pf Rav Great House quality lies in its careiullY---- planned and controlled setting of terraces, retaining walls, steps, fences, etc^__ These features are now almost .obscured-' by vegetation and in some, cases.^. parti- A teTTace in front of the main house separates it from the cook— miarters biiPt to the west and at a lower IflYpl. -The terrai:.e-j^ _J_ _ T O I ^ "L^ 4- 1-^ yll ^ r T ^ nmisg=* aTltl a R i V H.llLP ir .L/w ..... —_____---------- ^ hounded to the west bv retaining walls up to 12' high topped by, circular ma_s^n^ nillars th^nt once were the posts For the iron fence. Access. to the terrace is Irgm the nortrbv three steps and a gate between two 10'3" ornamental masonry gate^ posts The front terrace continues 45 feet beyond the Great House and ends in a_ !;o-;.^H'c....eho. A retaining wall and steps separated the narrow and irregular------ vards south and east of the building from the front terrace. Steps, in the northeaj.t corner of the east yard lead down to the area north of the Great House and provi_d_es .ccca.q to the stable and outhouse. The retaining walls and staircas.?s, whereJMy are Still standing, have the same stucco band decoration as observed on the building T.ai-ifude. 1R01Q'54" T ,on g^it.\ide 64*^44'25" PRESENT CONDITION; Excellent i Good Fair 1 1 Deteriorated! Ruins 1 1 Unaltered X Altered Original Site 1 X j Moved 1 1 ti "\d i 1 Multiple Resource Area Thematic Group dnr-11 Name State ■ Virgin Islands National Park Multiple Resource Area Nomination Type of Review •• 1. Brown Bay Plantation Historic District - •^'2. Rustenberg Plantation South Hist. Dist.- «'3. Dennis Bay Hist. Dist. M. More Hill Hist. Dist. ^ 5. Hermitage Plantation Histi Dist. ^6. Annaberg Hist. Dist. 7 America Hill Hist. Dist. I Reef Bay Great House Hist. Dist. > Vg. Reef Bay Sugar Factory Hist. Dist. - - 10. Jossie Gut Hist. Dist. ✓ L.^11. L'Esperance Hist. Dist. ^ > 43. Liever Marches Bay Hist. Dist. 714. Cathrineberg-Jockumsdahl-Herman Farm _ -f 15. Plantation v ^15. Lameshur Plantation <47. Mary Point Estate jg. Annaberg School „ Trunk Bay Sugar Factory >/ • _ 20. 21. - 22. 23. 24. Decision y “ . 9, (aA<r^i/<^A. ' f / previously listed 3-30-7& Previously listed 7-11-78 Previously listed 6-23-78 Previously listed 5-22-78 __________________ . state, Coghty/^ yj ^^;^<±s*-n^JEed Nom or Request—Agency Fe Name 'y/t/s^z -ifri/w \ —— i Working Number ^^^^ination __Determination of Eligiblity On Nomination Form Federal Register Date A. g A Mapsj^ Photos ^ ^Bldg(s) __Site __Object __ Structure District Within: _^j^-Mtiltiple Resource Area __Thematic Group Nomination prepared by: __State Staff Local Other Acti<^n: Check if Appropriate: j^^CCEPT 7/^3/p/ __State Request for Review __RETURN_____ __Keeper's Decision to Review REJECT 2nd Return I. Evaluation of Resource (cont. on back if necessary) 1/ >' c n. Evaluation of Nomination 1. Descriptive Statement Short Format / Yes 2. Significance Statenrient Short Format vYes No 3. Concepts/Integrity 4. Concepts/Criteria 5. Concepts/Boundaries 6. Contextual Evaluation Good Adequate Poor / / / Comments General Comments (cont. on back if necessary): Reviewer/Date ! T National Park Service See Attached__ U.S. Department of the Interior 4 1 '2i£:SlfKr . , t wSmwatsi*®; <"■.■:J' - Tv-' . V ■' ■ % f0i ■f ,f-El.^ -^ii^ ■ \. Tt*w^s^ ^•aa 'msii^ry tvooui^^t Pf^T-^^rfZAPW SK^rcw HAP r ■>; y'-'S m'.. 5C'... er . ecMA- r“*.:lbe-6' ’-■•yy-.'-y;-. eEErBA¥.«0effaHflV49R -St ja«ij, fsiy^i^ vV&V 'y |||;j;«7yy4cvaa^*'-- - ,v, S' f:i,v- '- ■'■-'y- -■;-y--:. ,^-y ‘^A '■ \ .y , -A jJL 2 3 .[98r,v ' " ■:<.■.> •.' i-'." . Please refer to the map in the Multiple Property Cover Sheet for this property Multiple Property Cover Sheet Reference Number: 64000886 i ;i