Yulee
Sugar Mill Ruins State Park
A
testament to the brave men and women who pioneered Florida in the
days before air conditioning and modern medicine, Yulee Sugar Mill
Ruins was the site of a 5,100-acre sugar plantation, which operated
from 1849 to 1862. Operated by over 1,000 slaves, the mill was abandoned
during the Civil War and the plantation house burned. The most imposing
feature of the plantation, the sugar mill, was located near the Homosassa
River.
Still standing today are the steam
boiler, crushing machinery, and cooking kettles used to process
the sugar cane, as well as the stonework chimney, well and foundation.
A pathway leads visitors around the ruins to interpretive signs
that explain how the system worked. Across the street from the ruins,
the park's picnic area features tables, grills, and a pavilion.
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