Park Summary for Print - Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park

Welcome to Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park

This site was once part of a thriving sugar plantation owned by David Levy Yulee. Yulee was a member of the Territorial Legislative Council, and served in the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate after Florida statehood. The park contains the remnants of the once-thriving 5,100-acre sugar plantation: a forty-foot limestone masonry chimney, iron gears, and a cane press. The steam-driven mill operated from 1851 to 1864 and served as a supplier of sugar products for southern troops during the Civil War.

Contact the Florida Park Service Information Center for general inquiries.
For Information about Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park, please call 352-795-3817.

Hours of Operation

Florida state parks are open from 8 a.m. until sundown 365 days a year.

Driving Directions

The park is located in the small town of Homosassa, which is located about 3 miles west of the city of Homosassa Springs. Take U.S. Hwy 19 (northbound or southbound) to the town of Homosassa Springs, then turn west onto C.R. 490 West (Yulee Drive). Proceed for approximately 2.5 miles to the park. There are brown and white highway signs that will lead you to the park. The Ruins of the Mill are situated within five feet of the road and can be easily seen.

Park Fees

Admission Fee:

No entrance fee is required to enter this park.

Activities at Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park

Pets

Well-behaved dogs are welcome at Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park. They must be kept on a 6-foot leash at all times and can not be left unattended for more than a half-hour.

Picnicking

Across the street from the ruins is the park's picnic area. A six-table pavilion is available to groups on a first-come-first-serve basis. Grills and picnic tables are also scattered throughout the picnic area. Restrooms are available. There are no fees charged to visit the park.

Special Events for Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park

There are no events listed at this time. Please call our park for more details on possible future events.

Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park Ranger Programs

RANGER GUIDED TALK & TOUR
Upon Request. This program provides the park visitors with the basic history of the site, the associated 1850 plantation and David Levy Yulee, Florida's first U.S. Senator, and a brief discussion of how the sugar making process occurred. The program lasts about 1 hour including time for questions and answers. To request this program or for more information call the park at (352) 795-3817.

Participation Requirements

Call for more details.
RANGER TALK - 'MAN OF MANY FIRSTS'
Upon Request. This program provides insight into the man, David Levy Yulee, and includes such topics as his railroad from Fernandina to Cedar Key which was the first into peninsular Florida, and many other things that are related to Florida's first United States Senator. It takes about 1 hour and may be requested for an on site or off site program. To request this program or for more information call the park at (352) 795-3817.

Participation Requirements

Call for more details.
RANGER TALK - 'SWEET & SOUR'
Upon Request. This program looks at the use of slave labor at the Yulee plantation "Marguerita" at Homosassa. It is geared toward the understanding that for the plantation to operate as an agricultural concern producing the sweet things like sugar or citrus, required the use of the sour - slave use. This program lasts about 1 hour and may be requested. To request this program or for more information, call the park at (352) 795-3817.

Participation Requirements

Call for more details.

Frequently Asked Questions about Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park

Question: Form.Q
Answer: Form.A

Question: Where was the Plantation House located?
Answer: The Plantation House and a small settlement were located on Tiger Tail Island about four miles down the Homosassa River from the mill. The house was ransacked and burned during the Civil War. On May 29, 1864 Union troops came up the river in attempts to destroy the plantation. They destroyed the house and associated buildings but were unable to locate the sugar mill.

Question: Where were the sugarcane fields located with relation to the mill.
Answer: It is not clear where the cane fields were, however, some speculate that they were located in the rich moist soil of hundreds of low-lying islands located in the coastal marshes. Additional research is needed to define the fields actual location.

Question: How did Mr. Yulee get his crops to the cities for sale?
Answer: The crops would be loaded onto boats and taken to Yulee’s railroad terminus at Cedar Key where they would be put on railcars for the trip to Fernandina and markets to the north. The majority of the molasses that was collected during the sugar making process was shipped to the islands and used in the manufacture of rum.

Question: What other type of crops were grown at Marguerita?
Answer: The primary crops grown for commercial income at the plantation included sugar cane, cotton and oranges. Yulee is credited with the development of a hybrid sweet orange known as the Homosassa Sweet. It is still used as a stock orange in the industry today.

Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park History

Approximately 1,000 slaves operated the 5,100-acre sugar plantation. Crops grown included sugar cane, citrus, cotton, and produce just to name a few. Spain deeded most of the plantation to Yulee during the Spanish occupation. The most imposing feature of the plantation was the sugar mill located near the Homosassa River. The mill operated for 13 years, producing sugar, syrup and molasses. (Molasses was used to make rum.) The mill was abandoned during the Civil War and Yulee’s plantation home, located down the river, was burned. The plantation and mill never recovered from the war. During a visit to this small park you will see the ruins of this once prosperous mill. Still standing are the steam boiler, crushing machinery, and large cooking kettles (all shipped to Florida from New York) used to process the sugar cane. Also remaining are the stonework chimney, well and foundation all quarried and constructed by the slaves. A small oval pathway leads visitors around the ruins to interpretive plaques that explain how the system worked.

Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park Volunteer Information

Volunteers can do many things -- greet visitors, conduct tours, help rangers remove exotic plants or maintain the natural beauty of a beach, waterway or trail.