Hassel Island Historical Archive

Cowell's Battery / Signal Station

Cowell's Battery was constructed by the British army during their occupation of the Danish West Indies beginning in 1802. It sits on the southernmost prominence on Hassel Island. Together with a fortification at the base of the hill and one across the mouth of the harbor where Frenchman's Reef Hotel is now located, the entrance to the harbor was completely covered by guns. In later years, the Battery came to be used as a station to signal the arrival of ships to the harbormaster, and in fact was so used until the 1960s. A series of black balls was hoisted on the signal yards to communicate.