The Ruins Of This Florida Sugar Mill Are Hauntingly Beautiful
The town of New Smyrna Beach is one of the oldest settlements in Florida. This area is awesome for travelers who seek out historic sites, like the Cruger-dePeyster Sugar Mill. It was built in 1830, and only five years later it was destroyed. The Cruger-dePeyster the mills and other structures around the plantation were burned by Seminole Indians, aided by the plantation’s slaves, in the Second Seminole War. The ruins here are larger than many you’ll find in the area, and several arches remain, leading to the long-held belief that these were actually the ruins of a Spanish mission.
Today, you can visit the blackened coquina and the crumbling ruins and walk back in time. The historic site is on the National Register of Historic Places and managed by the Florida Parks Service. Here, you can walk a short trail around the ruins or have lunch at one of the shady picnic tables. Signs around the ruins explain the plantation’s history and the sugar-making process.
Have you ever visited the New Smyrna Beach Sugar Mill Ruins? Want to learn more about Florida’s history? Here are 8 More Incredible Ruins You Can Explore In Florida.
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