Homosassa Florida History


	Homosassa is home of the Yulee Sugar Mill State Park, Homosassa Springs State Wildlife Park, and Old Homosassa, a delightful fishing village. Homosassa has been considered a sports lover's paradise since the turn of the century and was a destination for wealthy and prominent Americans such as Grover Cleveland, Thomas Edison, John Jacob Astor and Winslow Homer.


	The sugar mill ruins in Old Homosassa include remains of the boiler, chimney and mill machinery that were used to process sugar cane before the Civil War. Interpretive signs explain the history of the site. The mill was built here in 1849 - 51 on the 5,100-acre plantation of David Levy Yulee, the first U.S. senator from Florida. One of the individuals who came here to build it in 1848 was Joseph Hale, who later became a pioneer settler of Brooksville.


	The mill helped to supply the Confederate army with sugar during the Civil War. It was built of limestone and the ruins include a nine-foot square chimney and forty-foot-long building which housed the boiler. The county's first citrus trees were likely introduced here in the early 1850s by Joshua Stafford. A sailing vessel brought the boiler, kettles and steam engine from New York. The mill ceased operation after a Union naval force captured ammunition and supplies at a home on Iathleo (Tiger Tail) Island in the middle of the river, and burned the home and plantation in 1864. The site was deeded to the state in 1953, and placed on the National Register of Historic Places on August 12, 1970.

A group of New England financiers purchased the riverfront property of the Homosassa River in 1886, and was made available to the public in 1921. Many famous and wealthy people have enjoyed the area ever since including Grover Cleveland (with Grover Cleveland Boulevard named in his honor), who came to fish and enjoy some r&r. Babe Ruth was a frequent visitor as was "Dazzy" Vance, a baseball Hall of Famer, who bought the Homosassa Hotel and resided there. Winslow Homer came in 1904 in the winter season and some of his noted art works were done in Homosassa.


	In 1887-1888, the Silver Springs, Ocala and Gulf Railroad Company constructed from Dunnellon to Homosassa an extension of its Ocala to Dunnellon line, which was built in 1885-1887. The train opened up trade and tourism between Ocala and Homosassa. The Silver Springs, Ocala and Gulf Railroad was consolidated into the Savannah, Florida and Western Railway Company in 1901 and in 1902 into the Atlantic Coast Line Railway Company. In later years the ACL became part of Seaboard which today is the CSXT.


	The train consisted of a steam locomotive, mail car, two passenger cars and a flatbed car. It would make a daily round trip from Homosassa via Crystal River and Dunnellon to Ocala. Travelers going west could switch at Dunnellon and those heading north would change in Ocala. The train would often stop at the springs to allow the passengers a look at the clear, 55 foot deep springs which form the headwaters of the river.

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