Shortly after the Danes conquered Saint Thomas, they established sugar cane plantations during the late 17th and early 18th centuries. At first they used convicts and then slaves to plant and harvest the fields. Windmills were built to press the juice from cut cane stalks. Today there are only about 150 historic windmills on the Virgin Islands and most are in ruins. Only four are located on St. Thomas plus this reproduction at the Crown Bay Center next to the cruise ship port.
