Reef Bay Sugar Factory Historic District
Reef Bay Estate was established in the early 18th century as a cattle and cotton plantation. Combining with the Par Force Estate around 1800, the estate underwent a conversion to sugar cane production. The Reef Bay Sugar Factory Historic District represents the sugar production of the estate, and includes the best preserved sugar factory in the Virgin Islands. The factory building retains much of its original equipment. In addition to the factory, the district includes a horse mill, a free-standing bake oven, a cemetery and the remains of three small dwellings.
The Reef Bay Sugar Factory Historic District is accessed by a trail off Centerline Rd., on St. John Island, U.S. Virgin Islands. The district is bounded in the south by the Reef Bay Shoreline. The factory is open during daylight hours, and there is a hike available through the National Park Service for a fee. The Cruz Bay Visitor Center is open 8:00am to 4:30pm daily; closed Christmas Day. Regular ranger-led hikes through the Reef Bay area include the sugar factory; there is a fee for adults. For further information, call 340-776-6201, ext. 238 or visit the park's website. The Reef Bay Sugar Factory has also been documented by the Historic American Buildings Survey.
Information and photos courtesy of the National Register for Historic Places U.S. Virgin Islands Travel Itinerary, a subsidiary of the National Park Service.
