So good to see your great videos again. I'm so glad I found you here. I miss my days on St. Croix, and you take me back! Hope you are staying healthy and happy, Jonathan!
@cruzan mongoose oh, I would love a visit to the Island. I truly miss it! But my health isn't great, and I mostly stay here on the farm. My brother, who died in 2021 had just added acreage to 555 acres with 4 ponds. I am blessed to live in such a secluded, tranquil place. You take care and stay healthy and happy.
I find that many plantations on St. Croix consistently have at least one tamarind tree on it and have always wondered why! Crucians pronounce the tree and fruit “Taman”-strong emphasis on the second vowel and St Thomian’s pronounce it Tamon. It’s an edible fruit that make a delicious cooling drink popular in the islands even to this day!
The farm lands out on the south shore used to have so many more, some up to 4 feet in diameter but the Hurricanes took a lot out over the years. The Island has lost a lot of the big old trees of all sorts of species do to the hurricanes... wish people would replant
So excited you did this. I lived on the island for several months in 2019 and visited as many mills as I could which was under 10 lol What you have done documenting all if these is just wonderful !!!
Was going to try to get to all the bush mills, but had to stop because all the real bush mills are in the West end and are way in the bush, and I couldn't find safe places to park so I put the series on hold. Going to try to do some of the easier bush mill when dry season comes.. It's a lot of hard work to get to some of the real bush mills, got to cut through a lot of bush just to get to them. some are 2000 feet or more in dense bush..
Lot's of old history here.. All those place marks on google Earth are most of the mills, but their are a lot of old plantations that I yet had to map..
This is interesting Any interest in working w my 8th grade class on how you mapped this out ? And possibly sharing a bit about what you know of the architecture.
Basically to map the mills on google Earth you have to grid the whole Island and look for a circle in the bush, I lost my google Earth map when the computer crashed like a year ago, I was up to over 90 wind driven mills when the PC crashed. based on the info I found in Eric Lawtaez's book their were 115 wind driven sugar mills, so I was about 23 mills short of the total number, I figure some have collapsed and some are completely covered in bush n vines so they wont show up on google Earth. I tried twice to get to a mill above the carambola golf course and couldn't find it, I had been to it like 32 years ago but the bush is so dense that you get all disoriented when treking through all the dense bush. I know I can find it on the third trek but just haven't got around to it. As far as going to all of them it is almost impossible for one person to do it. didn't know what I was getting myself into when I started the series, lol.. another thing is you have to go in the dry season when the bush is less dense.. Going to the ones that are far in the bush in the rain season is impossible. Wish I could help you out with your class but am to busy. Just have them search the Google Earth footage and put a place mark by each one you find, have the class look at the ones that are known to see what the generally look like on a satellite topographical map, you can see in the video what the one looks like in the bush one has to look for the circle in the bush. The first 30 min of this video is the one where I was trying to get to the mill above Carambola golf course, second part I went looking for Dan Dans old rum bottle stash at the plantation near the Carambola hotel.. th-cam.com/video/oHzxc_HVqys/w-d-xo.html Take care Tralice Get your class searching on Google, let em all take turns looking, see who can find the most.. lol
Lot of the old farmers that came here stripped the corner and key stones out of the mills, some were dismantled by other plantation owners and the stones used on other plantations.
I don't think you can build into one any more, you can restore it but not make one into a dwelling.. Back in the day people incorporated them in to houses th-cam.com/video/qtnkpEAOGKE/w-d-xo.html
Hey again, just watching videos of the old mills. Are these spots just marked on your own personal Google maps? Are there still some obscure ones you can get to that are on public lands? Thanks, Bob.
All the mills on the google Earth video were searched for by me In the video, I mapped 86 mills but I found 3 more so I'm up to 89 mills now.. from what I've read their were 125 wind driven mills on ST Croix at the peak of the sugar plantation era.. As far as I know their is no comprehensive map of all the sugar mills on ST Croix but their are lots of mills that can be explored, some easy ones, and some that are way out in the bush. So yes you can go to a lot of them..
@@cruzanmongoose thanks for the info. Sounds ds like you're really into the research and exploration. I'd be interested in meeting up with you to see a couple of them. Especially the more obscure ones....
@@bobbydigshistory2153 In a few months when dry season is in full swing I want to go to some of the mills that are in the bush, the ones that I have never been to. Do you live here on ST Croix full time. Right now trying to finish the hiking around the entire coast series, have like ten more videos to finish the coast.....
@@cruzanmongoose hey, yeah I'm just visiting. I'm here for a week or so. Theres definitely a ton of things to do and I'm not sure if I can get away for mountain adventure with my girl.
@@bobbydigshistory2153 Lol go explore some ruins, like I said they have lots of old ruins lots of coast, beaches, got cool swimming holes. This swimming hole is about 400 feet west of the carambola hotel cliffs. you have to climb over some rocks but they're not hard areas to get over it's worth the trip, you can park at the guard shack by the hotel.. and they have a trail to the Annaly bay tide pools another cool spot but farther down the coast.. This is the Davis Bay Carambola swimming hole... th-cam.com/video/UcJRmTMiyhk/w-d-xo.html
I think that is one of the original 19 wind driven mills of the mid 1700's.. They should make a nice trail to it so the tourist and locals alike can go view it..
I know been stung right on the crease of the upper lip, my lip swelled to my nose, I looked like a cartoon character. I hid for 2 days lol@@dorothymason8882
Be encouraged Sir you are doing something very positive letting the world know part of the history of US Virgin Island St Croix.
I believe that the wind driven mill in the video is one of the original 19 mills that were built around the 1750's very few have walls 5 feet thick..
So good to see your great videos again. I'm so glad I found you here. I miss my days on St. Croix, and you take me back! Hope you are staying healthy and happy, Jonathan!
Everything is all right, you should come visit if you miss the Island, Hope all's well, take care be Ire
@cruzan mongoose oh, I would love a visit to the Island. I truly miss it! But my health isn't great, and I mostly stay here on the farm. My brother, who died in 2021 had just added acreage to 555 acres with 4 ponds. I am blessed to live in such a secluded, tranquil place. You take care and stay healthy and happy.
@@starrdfarm41 I see, looks like your in a good spot lot of acreage n wild life take care..
I find that many plantations on St. Croix consistently have at least one tamarind tree on it and have always wondered why! Crucians pronounce the tree and fruit “Taman”-strong emphasis on the second vowel and St Thomian’s pronounce it Tamon. It’s an edible fruit that make a delicious cooling drink popular in the islands even to this day!
The farm lands out on the south shore used to have so many more, some up to 4 feet in diameter but the Hurricanes took a lot out over the years. The Island has lost a lot of the big old trees of all sorts of species do to the hurricanes... wish people would replant
So excited you did this. I lived on the island for several months in 2019 and visited as many mills as I could which was under 10 lol What you have done documenting all if these is just wonderful !!!
Was going to try to get to all the bush mills, but had to stop because all the real bush mills are in the West end and are way in the bush, and I couldn't find safe places to park so I put the series on hold. Going to try to do some of the easier bush mill when dry season comes.. It's a lot of hard work to get to some of the real bush mills, got to cut through a lot of bush just to get to them. some are 2000 feet or more in dense bush..
MAKE A MAP FOR ADVENTURING TOURISTS!!!
@@pennyjohnson5173 I'm going to try to get to some more bush mills in the future will start with the easier ones first..
Excellent job. Me from Pakistan, people from India were taken here some 200 years ago, as indentured labourers, a legal cover to slavery.
Thanks, I think the first mill in the video was one of the original ones built in the mid 1700's
I appreciate the history and the effort to film it. Great job.
Lot's of old history here.. All those place marks on google Earth are most of the mills, but their are a lot of old plantations that I yet had to map..
@@cruzanmongoose thank you for doing this
@@charlenepetersen851 Might do some of the easier ones when dry season comes
I just moved there from Texas, can't wait to settle in and go explore.
Lots of old plantations and old sugar mills to go explore here. Happy exploring
Good work 🇻🇮💪🏿🖤
Thanks Ire I, yes I
Wha meshon give thanks for sharing!
That was the first time I been to that mill. That's one of the thickest mills on the Island, walls are five foot thick built to last.. Jah Ire Ites
This is interesting
Any interest in working w my 8th grade class on how you mapped this out ? And possibly sharing a bit about what you know of the architecture.
Basically to map the mills on google Earth you have to grid the whole Island and look for a circle in the bush, I lost my google Earth map when the computer crashed like a year ago, I was up to over 90 wind driven mills when the PC crashed. based on the info I found in Eric Lawtaez's book their were 115 wind driven sugar mills, so I was about 23 mills short of the total number, I figure some have collapsed and some are completely covered in bush n vines so they wont show up on google Earth. I tried twice to get to a mill above the carambola golf course and couldn't find it, I had been to it like 32 years ago but the bush is so dense that you get all disoriented when treking through all the dense bush. I know I can find it on the third trek but just haven't got around to it. As far as going to all of them it is almost impossible for one person to do it. didn't know what I was getting myself into when I started the series, lol.. another thing is you have to go in the dry season when the bush is less dense.. Going to the ones that are far in the bush in the rain season is impossible. Wish I could help you out with your class but am to busy. Just have them search the Google Earth footage and put a place mark by each one you find, have the class look at the ones that are known to see what the generally look like on a satellite topographical map, you can see in the video what the one looks like in the bush one has to look for the circle in the bush. The first 30 min of this video is the one where I was trying to get to the mill above Carambola golf course, second part I went looking for Dan Dans old rum bottle stash at the plantation near the Carambola hotel.. th-cam.com/video/oHzxc_HVqys/w-d-xo.html Take care Tralice Get your class searching on Google, let em all take turns looking, see who can find the most.. lol
Most times they cut out the Right (date) to attached to the Wrong.
Lot of the old farmers that came here stripped the corner and key stones out of the mills, some were dismantled by other plantation owners and the stones used on other plantations.
Are there any laws preventing one from converting these old mills into habitable buildings?
(e.g. 'historic building' regulations)
I don't think you can build into one any more, you can restore it but not make one into a dwelling.. Back in the day people incorporated them in to houses th-cam.com/video/qtnkpEAOGKE/w-d-xo.html
Hey again, just watching videos of the old mills. Are these spots just marked on your own personal Google maps? Are there still some obscure ones you can get to that are on public lands? Thanks, Bob.
All the mills on the google Earth video were searched for by me In the video, I mapped 86 mills but I found 3 more so I'm up to 89 mills now.. from what I've read their were 125 wind driven mills on ST Croix at the peak of the sugar plantation era.. As far as I know their is no comprehensive map of all the sugar mills on ST Croix but their are lots of mills that can be explored, some easy ones, and some that are way out in the bush. So yes you can go to a lot of them..
@@cruzanmongoose thanks for the info. Sounds ds like you're really into the research and exploration. I'd be interested in meeting up with you to see a couple of them. Especially the more obscure ones....
@@bobbydigshistory2153 In a few months when dry season is in full swing I want to go to some of the mills that are in the bush, the ones that I have never been to. Do you live here on ST Croix full time. Right now trying to finish the hiking around the entire coast series, have like ten more videos to finish the coast.....
@@cruzanmongoose hey, yeah I'm just visiting. I'm here for a week or so. Theres definitely a ton of things to do and I'm not sure if I can get away for mountain adventure with my girl.
@@bobbydigshistory2153 Lol go explore some ruins, like I said they have lots of old ruins lots of coast, beaches, got cool swimming holes. This swimming hole is about 400 feet west of the carambola hotel cliffs. you have to climb over some rocks but they're not hard areas to get over it's worth the trip, you can park at the guard shack by the hotel.. and they have a trail to the Annaly bay tide pools another cool spot but farther down the coast.. This is the Davis Bay Carambola swimming hole... th-cam.com/video/UcJRmTMiyhk/w-d-xo.html
That last mill
I wouldn't buy nor sell that spot
Thats history from the slavery days
I think that is one of the original 19 wind driven mills of the mid 1700's.. They should make a nice trail to it so the tourist and locals alike can go view it..
@@cruzanmongoose yep
The bush is thick, and the jacks sting, I had two bites on my neck and face, OUCH
Lol sucks when you get stung on the upper lip.
@@cruzanmongoose it takes days for the swelling to go down🔮
I know been stung right on the crease of the upper lip, my lip swelled to my nose, I looked like a cartoon character. I hid for 2 days lol@@dorothymason8882
@@cruzanmongoose It’s a good excuse to grow a mustache 🎩
Lol Ha Ha@@dorothymason8882
Shoes????
I did have shoes on, a rare thing for me.. To many thorns to do that bare foot lol.. hows it going in cali land?? Hope all's good for you and fam..