The Historic Estate La Grande Princesse
A place steeped in rich Crucian history
History
Progressive Veterinary Hospital is located at Estate La Grande Princesse, a historic estate in St. Croix’s Company’s Quarter. The estate dates to the 18th century, when St. Croix was part of the Danish West Indies and sugar production shaped the island’s landscape through the labor of enslaved Africans.
Estate La Grande Princesse appears on several important Danish era maps that document the early development of St. Croix.
The mid 18th century Beck maps show the estate as an active plantation with sugar processing infrastructure, including windmills and an animal powered mill. Later maps by Peter Lotharius Oxholm from 1778 and 1799 depict two windmills on the estate. The 1856 Parsons map again shows two windmills at the site, confirming its long agricultural use.
​
By 1770, ownership of the estate is attributed to Heinrich Carl von Schimmelmann, one of the most influential slave traders in the Danish West Indies. Human trafficking and enslavement of Africans built Schimmelmann's empire, and his descendants comprise one of the wealthiest families in Denmark today.
​
In 1820, Anna Heegaard, in a relationship with Schimmelmann's plantation manager Capt. H.C. Knudsen, resided at the La Grande Princesse site. Heegaard, a mixed race free woman, herself a slave holder, is believed to have later become instrumental in the road to Emancipation on St. Croix. It was through Knudsen, that the affluent and resourceful Heegaard gained access to Peter Von Scholten, the Governor General. Heegaard's relationship with the Governor is legend, as she lobbied tirelessly for the equality of free coloreds, and for improved working conditions for the unfree.
​
The Mill
One of the estate’s stone sugar mills remains standing today, along with an adjacent historic structure. These buildings are among the surviving physical reminders of the estate’s early agricultural history and its role in sugar production on St. Croix
A Creative Chapter
In more recent history, the estate has had many chapters and many owners. One notable modern figure associated with Estate La Grande Princesse was interior designer Carleton B. Varney, widely known as “Mr. Color” for his bold style and exuberant personality. Varney was the esteemed designer of numerous cruise ships, The Grand Hotel on Mackinac Island, The Waldorf NYC, and the White House (during the Carter administration) among others. He operated Carlton Varney at The Mill - a boutique and restaurant. Locally, he left his mark on numerous private residences, the Villa Madeline, and in the hearts and minds of the many Crucians that he entertained at The Mill.​
A Living Site Today
In 2008, the veterinary facility was added as a new stand alone building on the property designed by Mark Crootof, DVM and constructed by Ken Mashburn. Some of the older damaged buildings were repaired for kennel use. The facility was constructed with energy efficient materials and methods, around a prefabricated aluminum structure. It operated as Sugar Mill Veterinary Hospital until 2024, at which time the property was purchased by Progressive Veterinary Hospital. As the patron behind the venture, Dr. Canton spearheaded a renewal of the property. Large grassy dog runs have been added to complement comfortable air conditioned kennels. Historical remnants were preserved as the estate was carefully manicured. 4220 Estate La Grande Princess is one of the only former plantations that, today, is in stewardship of a descendant of the slaves that built it. Local ownership marks an important chapter in the site’s history, continuing a long relationship between the land and the community it serves. The estate has evolved from its cruel origins to a center of care and service, focused on the health and well being of animals and the families who love them.