The sugar industry in the Caribbean traces its beginnings back to 1493 when Christopher Columbus introduced sugarcane to the region during his second voyage, bringing cuttings from the Canary Islands to Hispaniola (present-day Haiti and the Dominican Republic). In the 1640s, Barbados became one of the earliest and most successful sugar-producing colonies.
A significant sugar boom occurred in the 18th century when sugar became known as “white gold” due to its profitability. During this time, Caribbean colonies became critical to European economies.
Sugar cane cultivation began on St. Thomas around the 1680s, and later in 1725 on St John. St Croix was late into the industry although the French, by way of the French West India Company, had established sugar production at estates La Grange and La Grande Princesse until the colony was abandoned in 1695. It was with the acquisition of St Croix by Denmark in 1733 that sugar production accelerated.
To kick-start the industry, many of the newly established estates on St. Croix brought in experienced workers from the British colonies.
Examination of the Beck Map of 1754 shows the existence of 22 Windmills on St Croix.
This illustrates the initial stages of sugar processing development on St. Croix. Windmills represented a significant advancement in sugar production compared to animal mills. In contrast, the advent of steam mills coincided with a period of reduced demand for St. Croix sugar.
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