 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
| American Sugar Refinery, Chalmette, LA, owner of Domino brand sugar, ca. 1915. American Sugar Refining 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 the community of Arabi, in St. Bernard Parish, just outside of New Orleans. It's called Chalmette Refinery in honor of the nearby Chalmette National Battlefield, where the Battle of New Orleans took place. |
 |
| The movers and shakers of the region's sugar industry gather at the New Orleans Sugar Exchange, late 1800's |
 |
| 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 on the left. |
 |
| Sugar storage sheds by the Mississippi River, late 1800's. |
| Barrels of sugar on a New Orleans wharf waiting to be loaded aboard ships. |
| Above & below: Godchaux Sugar Refinery, upriver from New Orleans in St. John the Baptist Parish. |
| The very interesting story of Leon Godchaux, the refinery and the 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. To see the refurbished Godchaux Engine #3, mentioned in the story above, click here. And, for a current photo of the Godchaux-Reserve house, click here. The historical society has been trying to raise funds to restore the Godchaux-Reserve house, seen as it looks today, in the aerial view below. |
 |
| "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 |
| . |
| ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ |
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 |
 |