Christmas in Orange County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

Cane Grinding-Syrup Making

— Fort Christmas Historical Park —

Photographed by Brandon D Cross, October 20, 2022

1. Cane Grinding - Syrup Making Marker

Inscription. To grind cane, a mule was hitched to the long shaft that turned the rollers as the mule walked around. The cane was fed through the rollers and the juice from the pressed stalks was collected in a barrel. Virtually every farmer had a patch of sugarcane in the 1800's, which provided syrup, brown sugar and rock candy.

The large kettle holds 60 gallons of cane juice. It took 4-5 hours for the juice to be cook down. As the juice boiled, a person stood by with a long handle dipper and skimmed off the foam. The skimmings, dumped in a barrel, were fed to the hogs. If left long enough to ferment, the skimmings turned into potent "buck", which made pigs squeal in drunken delight. Syrup was stored in earthenware jugs, bottles and tin buckets.

Cane grinding was more than an industry, it was a time for socializing as families and neighbors gathered about the boiler in which the cane was being "billed down" to syrup. There was always a party on the last night of cane grinding. A small amount of syrup was left in the kettle and cooked to the "hard ball stage". It was then dumped onto butter-coated pans as the children gathered

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around with buttered fingers to have a candy pull. The syrup was pulled into golden stands of candy. There would be plenty of good food to eat and usually music and sometimes dancing.

The hay rake was used by the Orange County Road Department for raking pine straw to stabilize sand roads. The cane press, syrup kettle and hay rake are compliments of Ralph Coward.

(captions) Polly Yates tending the syrup kettle, skimmer in hand

Erected by Orange County Parks and Recreation.

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

Location. 28° 33.671′ N, 81° 1.285′ W. Marker is in Christmas, Florida, in Orange County. It can be reached from North Fort Christmas Road 0.1 miles north of Christmas Cemetery Road, on the left when traveling north. Located within Fort Christmas Historical Park. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1300 N Fort Christmas Rd, Christmas FL 32709, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Greater Orlando

and in

Cane Grinding - Syrup Making Marker (right) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brandon D Cross, October 20, 2022

2. Cane Grinding - Syrup Making Marker (right)

Central Florida.

It is also in the American South.

Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region,

North America,

a Gulf of Mexico state,

the Western Hemisphere,

the Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain,

the territory of the Mississippian Culture,

one of the Confederate States of America,

and the Antebellum South.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Cane Grinding (here, next to this marker); Turpentine Tree (within shouting distance of this marker); Beehead Ranch House (within shouting distance of this marker); Dugout Canoe (within shouting distance of this marker); Woods House (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Cotton (about 300 feet away); Fort Christmas Picnic Pavilion (about 300 feet away); Florida Pioneer Gardens (about 300 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Christmas.

Also see . . . Fort Christmas Historical Park. (Submitted on October 21, 2022, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida.)

Long handle dippers image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brandon D Cross, October 20, 2022

3. Long handle dippers

Cane Juice Kettle image. Click for full size.

Photographed by Brandon D Cross, October 20, 2022

4. Cane Juice Kettle

Credits. This page was last revised on October 24, 2022. It was originally submitted on October 21, 2022, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 264 times since then and 26 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on October 21, 2022, by Brandon D Cross of Flagler Beach, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.