Hey there! It's me Penelope Anne, your favorite traveling, author, actress dog! 🤗
It's been a while since I've done a blog post on my website, did you miss me? Well let's get this story started!
Yesterday my Dad and I went to Bulow Plantation in Flagler Beach, FL. No traveling to Montana or Utah or California for this story, it's right in our own backyard! The ruins you see behind me is all that is left of this once thriving business.
Charles Wilhelm Bulow was born about 1778 in South Carolina to a German Lutheran minister. Charles purchased a 4,675-acre plantation for $9,944.50 in 1821. His son John Joachim Bulow inherited it when his father died in 1823 and built the sugar mill.
Bulowville, which is what this plantation was called was one of the largest sugar plantations in East Florida until the Seminole Indians burned the plantation at the beginning of the Second Seminole War.
Sugar cane was planted in January and February and was ready for harvesting by mid-October. Did you know that before the 1800's sugar mills were largely operated by animal power? Horses or oxen turned the gears that moved the large rollers used to crush cane. This mill was built in 1831. By this time steam-powered mills were available and that is what powered this mill.
Will you be able to learn more about this mill and the process of sugar cane? Well, maybe? Who knows it might be one of my book stories.
After we explored the ruins we continued walking through the property and ended up meeting some nice people that were fishing on this dock you see me on. If you are wondering what got my attention in this picture, not only were the fish jumping, but there was bright little balls attached to thin string bobbing in the water. 😂
After we left the plantation ruins we went for ice cream at 1st Street Ice Cream. But to my surprise I didn't get any ice cream, because I'm still on a diet. 😕 My Dad however got a black cherry milkshake, which he said was yummy!
Well I hope you enjoyed this little bit of history and fun. Until next time, have fun, explore often and love with all your heart!