Category Archives: Buildings (Commercial) Galleries

Bulow Plantation Ruins Historic State Park, Palm Coast, FL

The Bulow Plantation grew sugar cane, cotton, rice and indigo until 1836 when the Second Seminole War swept away the prosperous plantation.  Ruins of the sugar mill, a spring house, and the crumbling foundations of the plantation house remain. The mill ruins are listed on the National Register of Historic Sites.

Park website: https://www.floridastateparks.org/park/bulow-plantation

Dunlawton Sugar Mill, Port Orange, FL

The Dunlawton Sugar Mill was established in 1832, was pillaged during the Second Seminole Indian War, restarted again in 1847, and then soon failed again.  The Mill was left in ruins.  From 1948 to 1952, the land was operated as Bongoland, which included a baboon (the namesake of the park), a replica Seminole village, a miniature train that took visitors around the park, and “prehistoric monsters” (dinosaurs) of concrete.  The land is now operated as a botanical gardens, and includes the Mill ruins and the remaining concrete dinosaurs.

Information about Bongoland:  http://www.abandonedfl.com/bongoland/

Botanical Gardens website: http://www.dunlawtonsugarmillgardens.org/index.html

Location:  Google Maps

782-788 Main Street, Poughkeepsie, NY

This commercial property dates to approximately 1880 according to the Town of Poughkeepsie Reconnaissance-Level Historic Resource Survey (September 2011).  A one-story section of the building collapsed and was demolished, revealing an old painted sign indicating the store held “Staple and Fancy Groceries.”  The line above it is unfortunately not legible.

Property cards for the property are difficult to interpret due to multiple buildings being on one lot.  The cards appear to indicate the mansard roof was installed in 1982 (it is unknown if it was a replacement roof or a new roof style). The cards also indicate Breyer Ice Cream was present in 1955, a good store in 1981, and a bakery at an unknown time.

Location:  Google Map