Sion Hill, U.S. Virgin Islands

Sion Hill, United States Virgin Islands
CDP
Sion Hill, United States Virgin Islands Sion Hill, United States Virgin Islands
Coordinates: 17°44′28″N 64°44′50″W
Country	United States
Territory	United States Virgin Islands
Time zone	UTC-4 (AST)

Sion Hill is a settlement on the island of Saint Croix, in the United States Virgin Islands.

History

The Sion Hill estate, a former sugarcane plantation, was the economic center of the area. The stone Danish colonial era plantation house, windmill base, and sugar processing factory buildings are now in ruins.

The windmill was used to power a sugar mill for crushing the sugar cane harvested on the plantation.

Sion Hill estate

Sion Hill
U.S. National Register of Historic Places
Nearest city	Christiansted, Virgin Islands
Area	10 acres (4.0 ha)
Built	1758 (mill) 1765 (house)
Architectural style	Classical Revival
NRHP reference No.	76001850
Added to NRHP	July 19, 1976

The sugar plantation and rum distillery was established in the 18th century. The estate passed through several owners while it was in operation. The great house, the main residence on the plantation, is a one-story Classical Revival limestone building completed in 1765. The factory and grinding mill, the two primary buildings used for sugar production, were also made of limestone; the distillery is located within the factory building. The property also includes a cookhouse and a stable.

The plantation was added to the National Register of Historic Places on July 19, 1976.

See also

• Sugar production in the Danish West Indies
• Sugar plantations in the Caribbean

External links

• Media related to Sion Hill Estate (St. Croix) at Wikimedia Commons
• U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Sion Hill, U.S. Virgin Islands
• Historic American Buildings Survey documentation, filed under Sion Hill, St. Croix, VI:
  • HABS No. VI-64, "Sion Hill Estate", 4 photos, 1 photo caption page
  • HABS No. VI-64-A, "Sion Hill Estate, Great House", 15 photos, 1 data page, 29 photo caption pages
  • HABS No. VI-64-B, "Sion Hill Estate, Factory (Ruin)", 11 photos, 7 data pages, 19 photo caption pages
  • HABS No. VI-64-C, "Sion Hill Estate, Mill", 4 photos, 1 data page, 1 photo caption page
  • HABS No. VI-64-D, "Sion Hill Estate, Cookhouse", 1 photo, 1 data page, 1 photo caption page
  • HABS No. VI-64-E, "Sion Hill Estate, Stable", 1 photo, 1 data page, 1 photo caption page
  • HABS No. VI-64-F, "Sion Hill Estate, Privy", 1 photo, 1 photo caption page