Location: 17°46’48.67″N 64°47’17.51″W
Rest after work, strife, struggle, or toil. Estate Rust op Twist, located in Northside B, stands as an iconic representation of the sugar industry on St Croix. Whether one’s traveling east or west on North Shore road between Salt River and Cane Bay, one cannot miss this adorable sugar windmill standing atop the hill. Signage since December 2022 clearly states “Private Property”.
Interestingly, there are four types of mill represented here: The obvious sugar windmill; the base of an animal mill (indicated by the castellations that held the mill frame); a steam mill and a water windmill. There is also an old hospital.
The sugar windmill is a picture perfect presentation of the type, including the traditional location of the openings known as “slots”.
Just visible on the right is the tall “machine slot”, and just visible through the main slot, on the left, is the “bagasse slot“. (see sugar mill painting)
If you are feeling adventurous, you could trek through the bush behind the mailboxes (where the road meets North Shore Road) and you can find the water windmill. You will get “feet wet” so wear appropriate footwear. Sadly, hurricane Maria in 2017 did significant damage to this beautiful Water Windmill.
Their website says a museum and restaurant are coming soon.
Above are two stock images of the Rust-op-Twist steam mill.
To the left, while not a picture of the steam mill, this is a schematic of the Rust-op-Twist steam mill so you can place the above images in context.