Dummett Sugar Mill Ruins, Ormond Beach, Florida

 

“What’s old collapses, times change, and new life blossoms in the ruins.”

Friedrich Schiller

After visiting the Fairchild Oak in Bulow Creek State Park, we headed back to our condo, when Joe said, “Did you see that?” I said, “No. What did you see?” He told me he saw ruins out of the corner of his eyes so we turned around and headed back. We pulled over into the parking lot, where we saw a sign for the Dummett Sugar Mill Ruins.

We were the only ones at this historic site and we strolled down the path to the ruins. There is something about ruins that perks my curiosity and draws me in to learning more about their history. These ruins were built in 1825 out of bricks made of coquina, which is limestone formed from broken shells. Now all that is left is only two chimneys and a few walls visible. There is now a fence surrounding the ruins to protect it. These ruins have an interesting history.

John Moultre was awarded a land grant years before the Revolutionary War and was the deputy governor of eastern Florida. He built the plantation in 1777 that he named, “Rossetta”. He raised crops like sugarcane, rice, corn, and indigo. That was during the time frame before the British ceded Florida back to Spain in 1783. John Bunch was able to purchase the Rosetta land in 1804 and held onto it for 21 years. Colonel Thomas Dummett was a British Marine Officer who bought the John Bunch plantation, which had 2,175 acres and 200 slaves, in 1825.

During the time when Colonel Dummett owned the property, he had the first steam-powered cane crushing mill in the region that was sent from Barbados. Dummett, with the help of some local Indians and at least a hundred slaves, helped produce sugar and rum. The Indians made deals with Dummett to get sugar and rum in trade for fresh game. While he ran the sugar mill, his daughter, Anna, played with the salve children and taught them how to read.

Many parties were held at the Dummett plantation and they lived well. They named the plantation, “Carrikfergus” and it became one of the largest processing plants south of St. Augustine. During the Second Seminole War, the plantation was burned to the ground by the Seminole Indians out of revenge when the government ordered the Native Americans to leave under the Indian Removal Act. The mill was closed in 1835. The Dummett family moved to the St. Augustine area shortly after.

Some claim that the ruins are haunted. There have been written a few accounts of people walking around this wooded area and seeing white orbs in the ruins. I guess it is possible as so many worked this sugar mill and many as slaves.

This lush park is located a mile west of the present day Tomoka State Park. We were both glad Joe saw the ruins and we got to spend time exploring and taking pictures. I only wish we could have seen this mill up and running back in the day.

Till next time. Bye for now.

Old Florida Grill and Oyster House, Cocoa, Florida

 

“Feast on a delicious spread straight from the sea.”

Anonymous

We discovered this great restaurant on a visit to the Cocoa Beach area many years ago. We fell in love with this unique restaurant. So when we decided to vacation in Ormond Beach, we knew we had to go there for a great meal. This restaurant was just over an hour away from where we were staying, but that didn’t stop us. A great restaurant is always worth the drive.

This restaurant does not look like much from the outside but don’t let that fool you. As you walk inside, you instantly feel the old Florida charm in this rustic eclectic restaurant. The inside has a large bar and the walls are wood paneled which gives the place a homey feel. Then there is an outside patio connected to the restaurant with another bar that is 50 feet long. There is plenty of seating there with wonderful views of the Indian River. There is also a Tiki bar down on the water with wonderful views. They have a 300 foot dock to accommodate up to 10 boats so it is accessible even if you have been out fishing and playing all day.

This is a down to earth family run business. When we walked in, we were greeted by friendly wait staff who smiled and welcomed us to the restaurant. That makes a big difference in a restaurant if they genuinely are glad to have you stop by. We asked to sit outside and were told to just go out and find a seat. We did just that and stayed on the deck right off the restaurant. It was a chilly but sunny day and that deck gave us some protection from the wind.

Our waitress came right over to us with menus and asked what we wanted to drink. We gave her our drink which she went to get as we looked over the menu. They have a wide selection of food choices to chose from but their specialties are in fresh delicious seafood. They offer specials everyday and that day it was a special on raw or steamed Apalachicola oysters that are particularly sweet and flavorful. Joe ordered a dozen of those to go with the drinks. They have other food items if you are not a seafood person and would rather a meat dish or salad.

When our waitress came back, we ordered our meal. We choose the New England style clam chowder and some steamed fresh shrimp to share. Our waitress was super friendly and professional. We loved the laid back atmosphere of this rustic place. It was a fun place to hang out and enjoy the day.

When our meal came out, it was wonderful. There is nothing like fresh shrimp. The creamy chowder was to die for and perfect for a chilly day. We ate our grand meal and enjoyed our time relaxing and taking in the beautiful scenery. It was a lovely place to spend a couple hours.

After we finished our meal, we walked down to the Tiki bar near the water and strolled around the park like setting. The staff was also very nice there and we felt welcomed. We walked out on the dock where you could see the Kennedy Space Center across the river. This would be a great place to come during a launch.

We have been here quite a few times and this place never disappoints. It is a great experience since it is located at such a beautiful spot with friendly staff that make you feel right at home, and the food and drinks are outstanding. What more could you want? This restaurant is located at 5370 North Highway 1, Cocoa, Florida. It is located north of Cocoa and appears to be in Port St. John but the mailing address state Cocoa, Florida. They are open 11 am to 10 pm seven days a week. Check them out at http://www.oldfloridagrill.com.

Till next time. Bye for now.