Open Forum: How Estates Got Their Names, Part 2

An Estate Butler Bay 18th century great house, located in the Northside Quarter A on St. Croix. (Photo by Olasee Davis)
An Estate Butler Bay 18th century great house, located in Northside Quarter A on St. Croix. (Photo by Olasee Davis)

In the 1760s, estate naming on St. Croix became common. However, it was not until 1803, the year Denmark abolished the transatlantic slave trade in the Danish West Indies, that names of estates began to appear in land tax records. Prior to 1803, however, names of estates appeared in slave lists, inventories, maps, surveys, and various official documents of the Danish government.

Olasee Davis
Olasee Davis (Submitted photo)

Some estates had several names due to the planter ownership and the selling of properties, or the spelling of names changing, such as Bottlers Bay or Butler’s Bay or Buttler Bay, which all appeared on the earliest maps of St. Croix. The estate that is today named Butler’s Bay, located in Northside A Quarter, was one of the most magnificent estates on the northwest side of St. Croix during the 1800s.

In 1803, estate names became standardized and continued to appear in church records, inventories, and other Danish documents, before the United States purchased the islands in 1917 from Denmark.

Today, estate names remain in the official Virgin Islands government record. Occasionally, the official name of an estate in 1803 changed during the 19th century of the Danish era of the Danish West Indies. Nevertheless, the official maps of the Virgin Islands follow the estate names of 1803. On the other hand, some newcomers to the Virgin Islands changed estate names without regard to the culture and history of the Virgin Islands. These names are not officially recorded in Virgin Islands government documents.

For example, Grassy Point on the southeast coast of St. Croix was changed by a new owner to Elizabeth Point. In my opinion, that is disrespectful of local culture and history. Newcomers to the Virgin Islands should respect the historic names that grace the landscape of these islands. Another good example is Williams Beach, west of Frederiksted town, now called “Rainbow Beach.” Behind the beach is Estate Williams. One of the owners of the property during the 1750s was named Williams Chimney. Thus, the beach was called “Williams” or “The William” culturally for donkey years.

One of the owners of the property during the 1750s named Williams’ Chimney. Thus, the beach was called “Williams" or “The William" culturally for donkey years. Not rainbow Beach as it called today. (Photo by Olasee Davis)
One of the owners of this property during the 1750s was named Williams Chimney. Thus, the beach was called “Williams” or “The William” culturally for donkey years, not rainbow Beach as it is called today. (Photo by Olasee Davis)

Believe me, some of us are so ignorant of our history that we have become part of changing the landscape of the Virgin Islands’ culture. On the cultural level of the Virgin Islands’ history, “Cross Road,” which falls within Little Northside Quarter on St. Thomas, is now called Four Corners. There is no such thing as Four Corners road culturally describing the north shore road of St. Thomas. Our history and culture of these islands has been becoming slowly dissolute, generation after generation.

Estate Mount Washington (West) old animal mill built in the 1750s. There is a possibility that Estate Mount Washington could have been named after George Washington. According to historical document that stated, “In 1758-1766, the Estates Mount Washington, Bulter Bay, and Prospect Hill were owned and operated but the same Family ( McDonnough-Dunbavin). Capt. James Hanson and his brother John then acquired Bulter Bay and Prospect Hill. John Hanson was the first president of the Continental Congress and a friend of George Washington; hence we suspect the origin of the naming of Mount Washington.” (Photo by Olasee Davis)
An old animal mill, built in the 1750s in Estate Mount Washington (West) on St. Croix. It is possible that Estate Mount Washington was named after George Washington, according to a historical document that stated, “In 1758-1766, the Estates Mount Washington, Butler Bay, and Prospect Hill were owned and operated by the same Family (McDonnough-Dunbavin). Capt. James Hanson and his brother John then acquired Butler Bay and Prospect Hill. John Hanson was the first president of the Continental Congress and a friend of George Washington; hence we suspect the origin of the naming of Mount Washington.” (Photo by Olasee Davis)

Following is a list of estate names from 1803 within the quarters of St. Croix’s historic landscape. These names appear on our government’s official road maps.

Bear in mind that there are estates on St. Croix with the same name but located in different quarters. For example, Estate Concordia is in West End Quarter and a Concordia estate is in Queen Quarter, which is located on the northeast coast of St. Croix.

Part 1 of this continuing series was published on Jan. 31.

— Olasee Davis is a bush professor who lectures and writes about the culture, history, ecology and environment of the Virgin Islands when he is not leading hiking tours of the wild places and spaces of St. Croix and beyond.