Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park

Homosassa, Florida: This small state park in Homosassa sits on what was once a thriving sugar plantation during the Civil War era. The plantation and mill were owned and operated by prominent Floridian David Levy Yulee. Today the park has what remains of the sugar mill along with picnic facilities.

Yulee practiced law in St. Augustine and became the delegate to the United States Congress for the Florida Territory prior to Florida becoming a state. Once Florida was admitted to the Union in 1845, Yulee became the Democratic representive for Florida in the United States Senate. Yulee served one term in the Senate before being voted out of office in 1850. He was later reelected in 1855 and served until 1861 when Florida seceded from the Union.

Once he was voted out of the Senate, Yulee began a 5,100 acre sugar plantation in Homosassa, Florida. The plantation in which Yulee called Margarita, was operated by over a thousand slaves and produced sugar, syrup and molasses.

In 1851, a sugar mill was built on the plantation. Using 69 workers and expensive machinery brought in from New York, the mill was put into operation and remained in operation until 1864.

In addition to agriculture, Yulee had a fond interest in railroad transportation. In 1851, Yulee dedicated federal funds to form the “Internal Improvement Act.” With the grants and public stock, the Florida Railroad was charted in 1853 and a railroad from the Atlantic to the Gulf began construction in 1855. The line ran from Fernandina Beach on the east coast of Florida to Cedar Key on the Gulf Coast of Florida and was completed in 1860.

Yulee joined the Congress of the Confederacy when Florida seceded from the Union in 1861. During the Civil War in 1864, Union troops burned down Yulee’s plantation but the mill escaped damage from the troops. Yulee was later captured by the troops and held captive for aiding the flight of Confederate President Jefferson Davis and his Cabinet.

Although the mill spared damage from the war, it never resumed operations after the war and fell into ruins. The ruins were deeded to the State of Florida in 1953 by the Citrus County Federation of Women’s Club. Work began to excavate the ruins and stabilize what was left of th limestone structure. The ruins were added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1970.

Today the ruins and six acre park are part of the Florida State Park system. Visitors can take a self-guided tour of the site with the use of interpretive plaques describing the mill and the processes that took place here over a hundred years ago.

For more pictures, click on the photo above or visit my Yulee Sugar Mill photo page.