Peace Hill is aptly named. Located on a hilltop at the end of the headland separating Hawksnest and Denis Bays you can enjoy an absolutely spectacular view of the north coast of St. John and beyond. Years ago, a windmill was powered by the constant tradewinds that passed unimpeded over the hill. The semi-restored ruin now provides a dramatic backdrop to the unique tranquility of the hilltop.

The trail to Peace Hill begins at the small parking lot located about a half mile east of the main beach at Hawksnest Bay. This well maintained trail is short, about a tenth of a mile, and only involves a moderate incline to reach the top.

About 20 yards up the Peace Hill Trail, there is a narrow and sparsely maintained trail that goes to the beach at Denis Bay. It will be on your right if you're going up. The trail leads to a secluded section of beach on the western extreme of the bay.

In the 1950s, the Wadsworths donated a seven-acre tract of land to the Virgin Islands National Park including the area known as Peace Hill, where the remains of the old windmill still stand.

The deed of gift to the park asserts:
"The grantors have for some years maintained Wadsworth's Peace Hill as a place where the public is invited to enjoy great beauty and quiet. It is their wish that Wadsworth's Peace Hill be perpetually dedicated as a place where people might meditate and find inner peace, in the hope that in some way this might contribute to world peace."

In 1953, Col. Wadsworth commissioned St. Johnians Terrence Powell and Thomas Thomas to construct the Christ of the Caribbean statue on the summit of Peace Hill. For many years this statue was a landmark for passengers and crews of vessels passing through the Durloe Channel who were treated to the dramatic spectacle of this likeness of Jesus Christ with outstretched arms looking out over the Atlantic waters with its implied message of peace and harmony.

In 1995, Hurricane Marilyn destroyed the Christ of the Caribbean which was, by this time, showing signs of decay. Even without the impressive statue, the summit of Peace Hill is a peaceful place to relax and enjoy the cool Atlantic breezes and magnificent vistas.

The Dedication
When the Christ of the Caribbean statue was finally completed, Col. Wadsworth decided to christen it. He joined Terrence Powell and Thomas Thomas at the building site and produced a bottle of rum for this purpose. The colonel had forgotten his bible and went back to his house at Denis Bay to get it. The builders saw no reason to waste a good bottle of rum in this way. The rum was transferred to a different bottle and the monument was christened with what, some may say, was a more devout and more appropriate substance, seawater. (Story courtesy of Jimmy Powell)

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