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Cathrineberg Excerpted from St. John Off The Beaten Track The Cathrineberg ruins are now the property of the National Park and may be visited by the public. Near Mile Marker 3 on Centerline Road there is a dirt road that goes north and meets the North Shore road near Cinnamon Bay, called John's Head Road. The Cathrineberg ruins are located just off of Centerline Road on John's Head Road.
The windmill has been restored, and it is in excellent condition. Beneath the windmill is an old stone warehouse with arched passageways. Across the road are the remains of the horsemill, the rum still, and the sugar factory. The windmill is an excellent place to take children, who will enjoy exploring the passageways and tunnels. A good time to visit the windmill is at night, especially during full moon; remember to bring a flashlight.
The horsemill, across the road from the windmill has been converted to a cistern and now serves as a fresh water pond containing attractive aquatic plants. Near the intersection of Centerline Road and John's head Road are the remains of the sugar factory. The rectangular shape indicates that it was built before 1790. After that time the factories were usually "T" shaped. Just past the sugar factory are the rum still ruins. Look for the small sensitive plants near the road in front of the windmill. They will react to your touch by closing their leaves. The Cathrinenberg plantation was founded in 1718 just after the Danish colonization of St. John. The 150-acre plantation was joined by the neighboring two 75-acre plantations, Jochumsdahl A and Jochumsdahl B which were started in the same year as Catherineberg and consolidated into one 300 acre property called Jochumsdahl/Cathrineberg, Cathrineberg or Herman Farm. By 1721, Cathrineberg was harvesting sugarcane and the following year a sugar factory was completed. In 1797, at the peak of the sugar boom 107 people lived on Herman Farm. One hundred and fifty acres were devoted to sugar and 150 acres to other crops. It was intensively cultivated and by the end of the eighteenth century, every single acre of the plantation was reported to be under cultivation. Sugar declined as an important crop during the nineteenth century and Herman Farm discontinued production in 1896. By then most of Herman Farm was devoted to stock raising and by 1915 Herman Farm had ceased operations. During the 1940s, an American, Cory Bishop, bought Cathrineberg and began the operation of a truck farm there. |
