YULEE SUGAR MILL RUINS
HISTORIC STATE PARK

By  Mike Miller March 16, 2025

Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park, located in Citrus County, offers a fascinating glimpse into the state’s antebellum sugar industry.

This small but historically significant site preserves the remnants of a 19th-century sugar plantation once owned by David Levy Yulee, a prominent figure in Florida’s early development.

Visitors can explore the remnants of the mill, learning about its role in shaping the region’s economy and history. 

Homosassa Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins

The Yulee Sugar Mill was established in the 1850s as part of David Levy Yulee’s extensive sugar plantation. Yulee, Florida’s first U.S. senator and an influential businessman, built the mill to process sugarcane grown on his 5,100-acre estate.

Enslaved laborers worked the fields and operated the mill, producing sugar, syrup, and molasses for both local consumption and export.  

During the Civil War, the sugar mill supplied Confederate troops with sugar and other goods, making it a valuable resource for the Southern war effort. In 1864, Union forces raided the area, causing disruptions, but the mill was not completely destroyed.

After the war, the decline of the plantation economy and the abolition of slavery led to the mill’s abandonment. Today, its stone and iron ruins stand as a testament to Florida’s plantation past. 

Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins Historic State Park is located in Homosassa, Florida, along U.S. Highway 19. The park is open daily from 8 a.m. until sunset, and admission is free, making it an accessible and budget-friendly destination for history enthusiasts. 

While the park is small, visitors can walk among the ruins of the mill, including the large limestone chimney, iron gears, and cane press.

Informational signs provide historical context, allowing visitors to understand how the sugar-making process worked. There are picnic areas nearby, making it a great stop for a leisurely break while exploring the region. 

• David Levy Yulee was instrumental in the development of Florida’s first cross-state railroad, connecting the Gulf Coast at Cedar Key to the Atlantic at Fernandina Beach.  

• The mill's large iron gears and boiler were imported from New York and transported by sea to Florida.  

• Despite Union raids, the mill’s ruins remain remarkably well-preserved, offering a rare look at 19th-century sugar production technology.  

• No actual sugarcane is grown at the site today, but visitors can still see the original machinery used for processing the crop. 

WEBSITE FOR YULEE SUGAR MILL RUINS
HISTORIC STATE PARK