Mary Point Estate, Historic estate at Mary's Point, Saint John, US Virgin Islands
Mary Point Estate is an estate on the north coast of Saint John with multiple colonial-era structures. The property contains an L-shaped factory building, a one-story Great House, servant quarters, farm buildings, and a cemetery.
Franz Claasen received the property in 1738 after warning authorities about the 1733 slave rebellion, becoming the first free Black landowner on Saint John. Production shifted from cotton to sugar in later years.
The property transformed from a cotton plantation to sugar production in the 19th century under the ownership of Governor Hans Hendrik Berg of St. John and St. Thomas.
The site is remote and requires hiking along unpaved trails through dense vegetation. Visitors should bring sturdy shoes, plenty of water, and allow time to explore the various structures carefully.
A stone ring-wall foundation from Claasen's original house still stands as evidence of the earliest settlement. Burial markers with European designs in the cemetery reveal the mixed social history of those who lived here.
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