National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior Alexander Hamilton: Estate Grange and Other Sites Special Resource Study / Boundary Study St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands ALEXANDER HAMILTON: ESTATE GRANGE AND OTHER SITES SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY / BOUNDARY STUDY St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands Lead Agency: National Park Service The Department of the Interior, National Park Service (NPS), has prepared the Alexander Hamilton: Estate Grange and Other Sites Special Resource Study / Boundary Study to evaluate the potential of four sites associated with Alexander Hamilton’s childhood and adolescence on St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands to be included within the national park system. As directed by Congress, this document includes a special resource study that evaluates four sites for their inclusion in the national park system as new, independent units. The boundary study portion of this document evaluates the potential of one of the sites, Estate Grange, as an addition to an existing unit of the national park system (Christiansted National Historic Site). The other three sites were not analyzed in the boundary study because they either did not possess extant resources or the resource type and associated interpretive theme is currently sufficiently represented at Christiansted National Historic Site. The boundary study evaluated several factors to determine the feasibility of adding the area to Christiansted National Historic Site, whether other options for management were available, and how the area would enhance visitor enjoyment of Christiansted National Historic Site related to park purposes. i SUMMARY INTRODUCTION significance at the national level. For cultural resources, national significance is evaluated The Department of the Interior, National by applying the National Historic Landmarks Park Service (National Park Service), has (NHL) nomination criteria contained in 36 prepared this special resource study / CFR Part 65. None of the four properties boundary study to evaluate the potential analyzed was determined to possess national of four sites associated with Alexander significance, and therefore none is eligible for Hamilton’s childhood and adolescence on inclusion in the national park system as a new, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands to be included stand-alone unit. within the national park system. As directed by Congress, this document includes a special Estate Grange. Located approximately 1.5 resource study that evaluates four sites for miles from Christiansted, this former sugar their inclusion in the national park system as plantation changed hands several times, but new, independent units. The boundary study was owned by Alexander Hamilton’s uncle analyzes one of the sites, Estate Grange, as from 1738 to 1764. Alexander Hamilton’s an addition to an existing unit of the national mother was married at Estate Grange and park system (Christiansted National Historic is believed to be buried there. Evidence Site). indicates that Alexander Hamilton never lived at Estate Grange. The property features several historic structures, including a main house and slave quarter ruins, and cultural LEGISLATIVE HISTORY landscape features. In 2009, Congress directed the Secretary Lot 34 Company Street. A building once of the Interior (Secretary), in consultation stood in this now vacant lot in downtown with the governor of the Virgin Islands, to Christiansted that was the home of Alexander evaluate the potential to establish a unit Hamilton, his mother, and his brother for of the national park system that would nearly two years. Alexander Hamilton’s commemorate Alexander Hamilton’s time on mother ran a store on the ground floor and St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands. Section 7203 of the family lived upstairs. the Omnibus Public Land Management Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-11, signed March Lot 23 Company Street. Alexander Hamilton 30, 2009) directs the Secretary to evaluate and his family rented a residence at this “Estate Grange and other sites and resources location from late-1767 until just before associated with Hamilton on St. Croix.” The New Year’s Day 1768. The building that the legislation specified that this special resource family lived in was later removed and the lot study, containing the study findings and the is presently a landscaped garden. Very little is Secretary’s recommendations, be submitted known about the ownership of the property to Congress within three years of the study and no information was identified regarding funding. the construction or style of the former residence and outbuildings. SPECIAL RESOURCE STUDY AND Lots 7-8 King Street. The Beekman and SUMMARY OF FINDINGS Cruger store and warehouse complex where Alexander Hamilton worked was located on The special resource study addresses four Lots 7-8 King Street. The extant structure has properties, including Estate Grange. National undergone several episodes of remodeling Park Service Management Policies 2006, and its history is uncertain. Section 1.3.1 directs that proposed additions to the national park system must possess ii Summary Conclusion. The four sites were individually Estate Grange was considered as an addition evaluated and not found to possess national to Christiansted National Historic Site based significance. Therefore, none of the sites on its potential to enhance opportunities for qualifies as a new independent unit of the public enjoyment related to park purposes. national park system. The purpose and significance of Christiansted National Historic Site is to preserve the nationally significant historic structures and BOUNDARY STUDY AND SUMMARY OF grounds in the Christiansted waterfront/ FINDINGS wharf area and to interpret the economy and way of life during the Danish colonial era. Preparation of the special resource study led to a decision to analyze the potential for Estate Grange is geographically separated including Estate Grange within the national from the Christiansted waterfront/wharf area park system through an addition to the and CHRI resources. Furthermore, although boundary of an existing national park unit, Estate Grange would provide an opportunity Christiansted National Historic Site (CHRI). to interpret the economy and way of life Therefore, this document also includes a of a historic Danish sugar cane plantation, boundary study. Boundary studies can be the property has not been identified as an initiated without an act of Congress, although outstanding example of this resource type. actual changes to park boundaries do require Therefore, the Estate Grange property congressional approval. is not strongly connected to the purpose and significance of Christiansted National National Park Service Management Policies Historic Site and the potential for public 2006, Section 3.5 directs that boundary enjoyment related to park purposes is limited. adjustments to existing units of the national park system meet at least one of the following The National Park Service also found criteria: the proposal to add Estate Grange to • Protect significant resources and values, Christiansted National Historic Site infeasible or enhance opportunities for public for several reasons. Factors that would hinder enjoyment related to unit purposes. potential NPS management of the property include the following. • Address operational and management • Access — although connected to a major issues, such as the need for access or the road, the property is about 1.5 miles from need for boundaries to correspond to Christiansted. A proposed highway across logical boundary delineations such as the southern portion of the estate property topographic or other natural features or would present access and resource roads. management issues. • Otherwise protect unit resources that are • Current and potential uses of the study critical to fulfilling the unit’s purposes. area — tenant occupation of the site and lease agreements present potential Additionally, all recommendations for encumbrances to NPS acquisition. additions must meet all of the following criteria: • Costs — the substantial costs for property acquisition, research, preservation • The added lands will be feasible to treatments, and site development could administer, considering their size, exceed NPS funding feasibility during this configuration, and ownership; costs; the period of fiscal constraint. views and impacts on local communities and surrounding jurisdictions; and other factors such as the presence of hazardous Conclusion. The Estate Grange study area substances or exotic species. does not meet the criteria to be included as an addition to Christiansted National Historic • Other alternatives for management and Site. resource protection are not adequate. iii A GUIDE TO THIS DOCUMENT This special resource study / boundary study Chapter 4: Evaluation of Estate Grange is organized into the following chapters. Each as an Addition to Christiansted National chapter is briefly described below. Historic Site evaluates the potential of adding Estate Grange to an existing unit of the Chapter 1: Purpose and Background national park system. This chapter provides provides a brief description of the study the analysis and evaluation required in a area and an overview of the study’s purpose, boundary study. background, and process. This chapter also summarizes the NPS findings on the special Chapter 5: Public Involvement, resource study and the boundary study. Consultation, and Coordination describes the history of public and agency coordination Chapter 2: Historical Background and during the planning effort