Kissimmee in Osceola County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

Home Sweet Home

— Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek —

Photographed By Brandon D Cross, August 19, 2022

1. Home Sweet Home Marker

Inscription.

Home Sweet Home. . Pioneers grew and produced sugarcane to use as sweetener for cooking and baking. The sugarcane grew in small "cane patches" alongside other crops. This perennial plant was harvested once a year in the fall and often processed in community get-togethers during which the cane was made into sugar, syrup, and molasses., A Sweet Grass , The Spanish explorers brought this tropical plant to St. Augustine, Florida in 1565, and it has been grown in Osceola County for centuries. There are many different species of cane, some growing between 6- to 12-feet tall and others to a staggering 19-feet high. These bamboo-like plants have tough stems and sharp leaves and were cut using large cane knives. After a harvest, the cane will sprout again for several more seasons., Grind and Boil , At harvest time, neighbors often got together to process sugarcane as a community. These events were likely plenty of fun, with adults and children taking turns to help. To process the sugarcane, the stalks (or stems) were put into a large metal-toothed grinder that crushed them, releasing the cane juice. The mill, connected to a long pole, was turned around and around by mules or men. The juice was then collected and taken to a boiling area. There, it was put into a large vat and boiled until sugar crystals formed. These crystals were sifted off, and the liquid that remained was called "molasses.", (captions) , Cane Grinder circa 1890 , Early settlers in Osceola County may have grown Ribbon cane, a species that is no longer used commercially. It is still cultivated on small farms as a heritage crop. Courtesy Jamie Vanns/Agnew Family Archive , Grinding Sugar Cane , This watercolor by James Calvert Smith illustrates cane stalks being fed into a grinder, while a horse drives the gear. The cane juice was then funneled into a barrel. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory . This historical marker was erected by City of Kissimmee and Osceola County, Kissimmee Utility Authority. It is in Kissimmee in Osceola County Florida

Pioneers grew and produced sugarcane to use as sweetener for cooking and baking. The sugarcane grew in small "cane patches" alongside other crops. This perennial plant was harvested once a year in the fall and often processed in community get-togethers during which the cane was made into sugar, syrup, and molasses.

A Sweet Grass
The Spanish explorers brought this tropical plant to St. Augustine, Florida in 1565, and it has been grown in Osceola County for centuries. There are many different species of cane, some growing between 6- to 12-feet tall and others to a staggering 19-feet high. These bamboo-like plants have tough stems and sharp leaves and were cut using large cane knives. After a harvest, the cane will sprout again for several more seasons.

Grind & Boil
At harvest time, neighbors often got together to process sugarcane as a community. These events were likely plenty of fun, with adults and children taking turns to help. To process the sugarcane, the stalks (or stems) were put into a large metal-toothed grinder that crushed them, releasing the cane juice. The mill, connected to a long pole,

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was turned around and around by mules or men. The juice was then collected and taken to a boiling area. There, it was put into a large vat and boiled until sugar crystals formed. These crystals were sifted off, and the liquid that remained was called "molasses."

(captions)
Cane Grinder circa 1890
Early settlers in Osceola County may have grown Ribbon cane, a species that is no longer used commercially. It is still cultivated on small farms as a heritage crop. Courtesy Jamie Vanns/Agnew Family Archive
Grinding Sugar Cane
This watercolor by James Calvert Smith illustrates cane stalks being fed into a grinder, while a horse drives the gear. The cane juice was then funneled into a barrel. State Archives of Florida, Florida Memory

Erected by City of Kissimmee and Osceola County, Kissimmee Utility Authority.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Agriculture • Settlements & Settlers.

Location. 28° 19.049′ N, 81° 27.313′ W. Marker is in Kissimmee, Florida, in Osceola County. Marker can be reached from Babb Road, 0.2 miles north of Princess Lane, on the right when traveling north. Located in the Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek.

Photographed By Brandon D Cross, August 19, 2022

2. Home Sweet Home Marker

Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 2491 Babb Road, Kissimmee FL 34746, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. Cattleman’s Barn (a few steps from this marker); A Working Yard (within shouting distance of this marker); Raymond V. Lanier: A Progressive Farmer (within shouting distance of this marker); Lanier Legacy (within shouting distance of this marker); Cow Camps (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Radcliffe Cadman Bros. Packing House (about 300 feet away); Cadman Kitchen (about 400 feet away); Bunk House (about 400 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Kissimmee.

Also see . . . Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek. (Submitted on September 5, 2022, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)

Cane Grinder image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Brandon D Cross, August 19, 2022

3. Cane Grinder

Credits. This page was last revised on September 10, 2022. It was originally submitted on September 5, 2022, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 100 times since then and 51 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on September 5, 2022, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.