Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park

This site was once part of a 5,000-acre sugar plantation owned by David Levy Yulee.
Listed on the National Register of Historic Places, this site was part of a sugar plantation that was operated with the labor of enslaved people during the 1800s. The park features remnants of a steam-driven mill that processed sugarcane into syrup, molasses and rum. Remaining structures include a 40-foot limestone masonry chimney, iron gears and a cane press. The mill operated from 1851 to 1864 and served as a supplier of sugar products for Southern troops during the Civil War.
The site offers a picnic pavilion, tables for picnicking, and grills.

On one side of the street lie the ruins of the historic sugar mill, abandoned at the end of the Civil War, while on the other is a pleasant, open grassy area with tables and a pavilion.

After perusing the interpretive signs along the short path and learning the story of the mill, you may be tempted to cross the road (carefully) to have a relaxing picnic lunch at the abundant tables and grills. It is a great place to watch the people and cars of small-town life go by, and taking the time to contemplate the complex story of the mill.

How did this spot in the middle of a beautiful and nostalgic little town get its origins in the labor of over 100 enslaved people?
Close your eyes and imagine the sprawling plantation that existed here, with rows of sugarcane and slave houses, and the stories of the people who lived and worked here. You may smell the boiling juice of the sugarcane on the light breeze or feel the heat of the fires that burned inside the mill. Envision the air filled with the steam billowing out of the stone chimney and the sound of song from those who labored here.
A stone building with a chimney and low walls sits in front of trees
This area has seen many stories, from those of people long ago to the more recent celebrations that regularly take place here today.

Lunches, birthdays, family reunions - all have unfolded under the spreading oak trees draped in Spanish moss. So if you need somewhere to hold your next party or event with friends and family, or if you just want a quiet spot to sit for an hour, Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park is your place.