American Sugar Refinery is owner of Domino brand sugar, ca. 1915.
It is the largest cane sugar refiner in the United States.  The Chalmette
Refinery produces approximately 800,000 tons of refined sugar a year.
Construction began on this refinery in 1905 and was completed in
1909.  The Chalmette Refinery is situated in St. Bernard Parish,
just outside of New Orleans.
The movers and shakers of the region's sugar industry gather at the New Orleans Sugar Exchange, late 1800's.
Raising Cane on Baronne Street
New Orleans Sugar Exchange, early 1900's; this building was erected in 1882.
New Orleans Sugar Exchange, 1960's, just before demolition
Equipment for Testing Sugar, 1850's
American Sugar Refinery, 1913; Mississippi River is on the left.
Sugar storage sheds by the
Mississippi River, late 1800's
Above & below:  Godchaux Sugar Refinery, upriver from New Orleans in St. John the Baptist Parish.
The interesting story of Leon Godchaux, the refinery and his Godchaux-Reserve
plantation house - some rooms of which date back to 1764 - can be found here at the
Godchaux-Reserve House Historical Society.  Leon Godchaux was referred to as the
'Sugar King' in the 19th century.   The historical society is trying to raise funds
to restore the Godchaux-Reserve house
The link to this page is:
http://old-new-orleans.com/NO_Sugar.html

The Historic LeBeau Plantation on the grounds of the Domino Sugar Plant

Back to   Old New Orleans

The Past Whispers-Home
Cutting the cane on a sugar plantation near New Orleans.  ca. late 1800's
Wind damaged sugar cane near New Orleans.  ca. early 1900's
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Sugar cane imported from St. Dominque was first planted in Louisiana by Pierre Le Moyne d'Iberville
in the late 1600's.  However, it wasn't grown successfully until the mid-1700's, when Jesuit
missionaries raised it in what would become downtown New Orleans, on the site where the Jesuit
Church now stands on Baronne Street.  In the mid-1790's, Etienne de Bore was the first person who
successfully granulated sugar in the United States, on the plantation of his wife's family, where the
city's Audubon Park is located today.  From that time forward, Louisiana and sugar have enjoyed a
mutually rewarding relationship.  In fact, antebellum Louisiana accounted for 95% of the sugar
produced in the U.S.  The sugar industry in the state is still strong today.
Harvesting sugar cane, 1902, Vermillion Parish
The American Sugar Refinery building on old Levee Street
in 1920, after the company had moved to its new location.