Architectural Description of 2017

Richmond Prison, which today stands in ruin, is located just west of Christiansted town on the island of St. Croix.

The original prison buildings from 1836 were drawn by the Danish architect Albert Løvmand, in collaboration with several unnamed architects. The building is constructed with coral blocks supplemented with brick linings at the windows and brick quoins, all of which are stuccoed in a dark red color.

The old prison building is organized in several buildings, all connected to a perimeter wall, encircling two outdoor spaces. For the detailed architectural description, see appendix 1: Value Assessment.

Latrine 1836

Hospital 1880 Stable 1836

Jailers Residence 1836 (removed 1950)

Cistern 1836 Cell Block 1836

Kitchen 1836 Cells 1950

Hospital 1880

Womens block 1950 Keepers House 1836

Plan drawing of the site, as measured in February 2017 1:500

The cell block has a simple and distinctive plan organized with a high ceiled central corridor and symmetrically placed cells on each side.

The high ceiled corridor provides the cell block with natural ventilation and light, through openings close to the monitor roof. The corridor today stands mostly without roofing.

Each cell is about 6m 2 and has a barrel vaulted ceiling.

Picture of a cell, February 2017. Showing human scale nature interfering - root growing into wall

Original and current openings of the cell block. Openings were modified between 1900 and 1950

Keepers house is a 140m 2 one story building attached to the east gable of the cell block. Today, the roof is partly demolished by storms and termittes.

Originally, the building was lime washed in red and white, with classisistic detailing with tooth cornice, triangular pediments and corner detailing. The hip roof was traditionally a wooden construction layed with wooden shingles.

The house was originally used as housing for the keepers. Richard A. Schrader, former assistant warden, tells that the keepers house was used as wardens office from 1950s and forward. (See the full interview in Appendix 2: interviews).

The jailers residence is represented in the original drawings of the complex, and was placed symmetrically to keepers house, in the west end of the cell block. According to Richard A. Schrader, former assistant warden in Richmond Prison, the jailers residence was removed before 1960.

Jailers residence was a home for the jailer and his family, and therefore distinguished from the keepers house by a light colored lime wash and a residential plan. During archive research, only one photo and a plan drawing has been able to find. Therefore, the reinterpretation of jailers residence will be made on the basis of measuring of keepers house.