Guiding Through History: New Panels Illuminate Hamilton Estate Sugar Mill's Past
The Panels ready to be installed and get to work!
Echoes of Sugar
Time stands still in Nevis, where the remnants of a once-thriving sugar cane industry quietly endure. Remnants of plantation houses and weathered sugar works dot the island's landscape, bearing silent witness to an industry that shaped the island for centuries before coming to a halt in the 1950s. Massive steam-driven machinery sits frozen in time, and enormous copper bowls now lie rusting, overtaken by nature. While some estates, like the Hamilton Estate Sugar Mill—situated right next to our vanilla farm, Vanilla Paradise Nevis—remain in ruins, others have been transformed into the island’s most renowned luxury hotels, blending historic charm with modern comfort.
The Hamilton Sugar Mill: A Neighbouring Landmark
At the Sugar Mill at the Hamilton Estate, part of the Nevis Heritage Trail, visitors have been able to roam its grounds to uncover its history, but the dense vegetation and humid climate of Nevis have gradually obscured the machinery, making it harder to envision how it all once worked. These enduring relics tell a complex story of heritage, decline, and change—something we were excited to bring back to life for our historic neighbour.
Panels in Place
A key milestone in this journey was the installation of beautifully designed informational panels that bring the story of the Sugar Mill to life. The text for the panels was written by our friend Douglas Mowat, a passionate engineer, and refined with the meticulous input of Nevis Historical & Conservation Society colleagues—David Rollinson, Christine Eickelmann, David Small, Phil Jennings, and Tina Bates—now stand proudly along the self-guided walking trail.
“As an engineer, it was a privilege to collaborate with local experts in the creation and installation of these panels. This joint project has made the mill, it’s history and its place in the heritage of Nevis shine brightly again after more than 70 years hidden by Nevis’ lush vegetation. ”
Built to Last
Expertly designed by John Wedderburn and Nhekelon Nesbit, crafted by Hossein Ottley and framed in durable metal by Sam Webbe, these panels are built to withstand the elements, ensuring that visitors can explore the mill’s history for years to come.
Enhancing the Visitor Experience
To further enrich the experience, we are constructing a wooden platform near the Long Wall and the Crystallization and Curing Area. This will allow visitors to safely peer down into the five large hearths that once concentrated and refined sugar, making the story of the mill even more accessible.
Nevis was once the source of very high-quality sugar to the world and we look forward to writing more in depth in a future blog about the Hamilton Sugar Mill, its history, the resilient people who worked there and the formidable machinery they used.
For now, if you tour our vanilla farm, why not take the time to also visit the Hamilton Sugar Mill, and let us know what you think of the panels! 😀
