The Old Spanish Sugar Mill

Our Story

The Old Spanish Sugar Mill , sits beside the spring named for the legendary explorer Ponce De Leon. Originally constructed in the 1830’s to crush sugar cane utilizing the power of the 16 – 18 million gallons of water flowing from the spring daily, the mill features a 30 foot. undershot waterwheel. The mill was rebuilt around 1900.

A chimney, which remains on the site, was part of the original sugar mill operation, and displays a 1931 DAR plaque proclaiming the date of 1570 as the year of mill construction. This was based on inaccurate information.

The mill was destroyed twice over the years. It was destroyed during the Second Seminole War in 1835 and again during the Civil War in 1864 when the mill was being used to provide corn for the Confederate troops. Legend tells of mill stones being thrown into the spring although none have ever been recovered.