A Founder’s Story in Haulover, East End in St. John

There are homes.
And then there are homes built by hand, by story, by grit.

Overlooking Round Bay from the East End of St. John, the combined parcels of 2-3, 2-4, 2-5 and 2-7 Haulover are known simply as The Davidson House — originally owned and partially built by Arthur Davidson, one of the founders of Harley-Davidson.

Still held within the family, the memories shared today come directly from Arthur’s own recorded interview — preserved by his granddaughter in 1998 — and from stories passed down through generations.

This is not just a property.
It is a first-person account of falling in love with St. John — and building a life here.

Falling in Love with the East End

Arthur and his wife, Francesca — affectionately called “Peter” by her brothers — lived near Milwaukee, where Arthur’s father and uncles had started a motorcycle company with their friend Bill Harley.

In their 50s, Arthur and Peter began looking for a winter home somewhere warm. A friend told them about a house on the East End in St. John.

As Arthur recalled:

“She said, ‘It’s very dull, there’s no one there, it’s way out on the end of the island, remote as can be.’
And Peter said, ‘Gee, it sounds great.’”

They came.
They saw.
They fell in love with the remoteness.

They purchased a site with stunning views — remote, rugged, and without a road. In 1973, there was only a donkey track leading to the property.

Building the House by Hand

Peter came from a family of architects. Together, they decided to build the house themselves.

“The entire house was shipped from Milwaukee in crates on a boat,” Arthur said.
“The lumber, the steel, the screens… and we also shipped a 22-foot boat.”

That boat became their lifeline.

Arthur used it to transport materials from town — cement, steel, nails, screws, paint.
“I had a big engine, and I could fly to get there,” he laughed, “but I usually bounced coming back.”

He excavated the site himself with a jackhammer alongside a neighbor.

“I dug the hole, excavated this entire thing… the two of us hauled all the rock out of here — which subsequently was built into Carter’s house next door. And we erected this thing.”

This was not development.
This was determination.

Island Stories You Cannot Invent

Arthur loved telling the story of painting the cistern.

The structure was 20 feet square with a divider in the middle. It required special sealant paint. It was hot. Brutally hot.

They worked inside in minimal clothing just to survive the heat.

Then came the familiar call from a neighbor.

“Hello the house!”

Captain Moses Harley often arrived that way — announcing himself before walking up.

Arthur scrambled up the ladder and called out, “Hold it for a minute!”

They quickly dressed.

Captain Harley then added:

“I brought you a visitor. This is the governor.”

They nearly greeted the governor island-style — mid-cistern, mid-construction.

It is stories like these that cannot be staged. They are lived.

A Life Woven Into the Landscape

From this hillside retreat, Arthur and his family brought grapefruit and limes — from the only citrus trees of their kind on the island — to Vie Sewer’s snack shack “two hills over.” The fruit was traded for access to her beach.

Vie, a beloved East End figure, built her livelihood serving conch fritters, garlic chicken, and coconut tarts — reportedly putting her children through school through her native cooking.

The Davidson family was not separate from East End life.
They were part of it.

Adventures from Round Bay

Below the home, a small Boston Whaler rested in Round Bay — launching countless family adventures:

• Fishing Caribbean waters
• Snorkeling vibrant reefs
• Assisting locals diving for lobster

Friends from Coral Bay would sail over in their catamaran and take the family to Tortola, Norman Island, Peter Island, Virgin Gorda and The Baths, and The Indians for diving.

These were not curated excursions.
They were the rhythm of everyday island life.

A Gathering Place for East End

The Davidson House became a meeting place.

Game nights for Coral Bay and East End.
Artists from Cruz Bay climbed to the rooftop to paint the landscape — declaring the views among the finest in St. John.

During Desert Storm, even the military briefly became part of the story, deploying an Army communications team just west of the house. One evening, Arthur’s backfiring GMC startled the group into diving for cover before realizing there was no threat — only island life continuing as usual.

Even history brushed up against this hillside.

The Property Today

Now offered for the next chapter, the property spans approximately 1.18 acres across multiple parcels in Estate Haulover.

The 3-bedroom, 3-bath Caribbean-style residence offers:

  • 3,201 total square feet
  • Expansive great room and dining area
  • Stone patio designed for gathering
  • Natural tropical landscaping
  • Solar power
  • UV triple water filtration system
  • Elevated views across Round Bay and beyond

Built in 1979, the architecture remains timeless — open, breezy, and oriented toward the horizon.

A Rare Continuation of Legacy

Properties built by hand, still held within the founding family, and accompanied by recorded first-person history rarely become available.

To own The Davidson House is not simply to purchase real estate in the East End of St. John.

It is to step into a story that began on a donkey track in 1973 — a story of independence, craftsmanship, community, and devotion to place.

Now presented by Islandia | Christie’s International Real Estate, this offering represents a rare opportunity to carry that legacy forward — preserving both the home and the history it holds.