I walked down to Cinnamon Bay Monday morning, and I was surprised to see that the old Danish warehouse was fenced off. I walked a little closer, and I learned that the building – one of the oldest Danish buildings on St. John – is undergoing historic preservation.
Some history…
The first inhabitants of Cinnamon Bay were the Taino. It is believed that they lived at Cinnamon Bay from about 1000 AD until the end of the 15th Century. The Danes settled St. John in 1718 and soon began building sugar plantations. The warehouse that is being preserved is part of a sugar plantation that was once located at Cinnamon Bay.
Cinnamon Bay was originally named Store Caneel Bay, which means Big Cinnamon. Caneel Bay used to be Klein Caneel, or Little Cinnamon. They were named due to the abundance of cinnamon trees (bay rum) in the area. The bays were then translated into English and became known as Cinnamon Bay and Caneel Bay.
Cinnamon Bay was devoted to sugar production in the 18th and 19th centuries. Production ceased, however, due to the emancipation of slaves in 1848, the depletion of the soil and increased competition. Once sugar production ended, the land was used mostly for cattle production. Cinnamon Bay was sold to the Jackson Hole Preserve in 1955 and later donated to the National Park.
Crews are expected to complete a variety of tasks including clearing vegetation around the structure; rebuilding some of the stone structure; fixing cracks; and more. Work is expected to be complete next month. Here is the scope of the work in its entirety:
And here are a few more pics:
I will share photos once it’s done. Have a great day, everyone!
Want to learn more about St. John? Take an island tour with me!
Learn more here –> www.explorestj.com/tour
See the island of St. John with a resident. See the nooks and crannies that many visitors miss. Explore the beaches, historical sites, perhaps a tiki bar or two, and much more. Full & half days available. Rated “Excellent” on TripAdvisor.