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Through hurricanes and periods of drought, St. Croix's agricultural history has weathered hard times and extreme prosperity. Before Columbus landed at Salt River, the indigenous inhabitants cultivated small plots of land, hunted, fished and gathered wild fruits for food, clearing very little of the forest. Later, European settlers cleared and cultivated the land using a slave-based plantation system geared to export markets. |
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| During the 18th century commerce was based on the export of sugar and cotton. By 1800, St. Croix boasted over 200 sugar plantations and had become the fourth largest producer in the Caribbean. As sugar expanded, cotton declined and by 1810 cotton cultivation had ceased. Sugar continued as the island's economic mainstay until 1966, when the last crop was taken off. Today, cattle raising, particularly the red Senepol cattle, is the primary agricultural activity. The Agricultural Fair, held in February, is the feather in the crown of Crucian festivals. Any visitor to St. Croix whose vacation coincides with this event should consider themselves lucky. |
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| Map |
Sites of Agricultural Interest |
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| 1 |
Estate La Vallee Homestead Houses |
| 2 |
Estate Grove Place |
| 3 |
Estate Annaly |
| 4 |
Cruzan Rum Distillery |
| 5 |
Estate Lower Love Chimney |
| 6 |
Estate Bethlehem Central Factory |
| 7 |
Estate La Grange Factory |
| 8 |
Smithens Garden Market |
| 9 |
Estate Anna’s Hope |
| 10 |
Estate Longford |
| 11 |
Estate Castle Nugent |
| 12 |
Estate Petronella |
| 13 |
Dept. of Agriculture |
| 14 |
UVI Agricultural Experiment Station |
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 Limited Access |
 No Access | |
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Photos © Diane Butler
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| | © 2013, St. Croix Landmarks Society. All rights reserved. |
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