During the 1830s, a sugar and saw mill were built on some open land in what is now New Smyrna Beach, Florida.
As indicated by the name, the mill was used to process refined sugar granules from raw sugar cane in the nearby fields.
War and Strife at New Smyrna Beach
Updated 2/10/2020 – For five years business boomed, until a local Native American tribe destroyed several buildings of the saw mill.
Soldiers were then sent in to patrol the area against Seminoles, and further changed the landscape of the buildings.
As a result, the sugar mill was beyond repair, and was altogether neglected.
In 1970, the New Smyrna Sugar Mill Ruins were listed on the National Register of Historic Places, and remain there to this day.
A few locals with an interest in history have theorized that the sugar mill ruins are important beyond mere antiquity; they believe it is the former site of a chapel built by Christopher Columbus.
However, one Smyrna resident has a different theory altogether.
“During the mid to late 1800s, it was common for traveling circuses to set up their tents in large fields, such as where the old sugar mill lies today,” explained John.
“My family has lived in the area for generations, and my great grandmother gave me some family heirlooms before she passed away.
“I discovered a journal of one of my relatives who was a young girl in 1820,” John said, quite animated.
“In it she described a circus that came into town, and the field sounded a lot like where the sugar mill was built ten years later.
“Anyway, a few days after my discovery, I had lunch with a close friend of mine, who has since asked me to keep him anonymous,” he added.
“I told him all about the journal and the traveling circus, when all of the sudden my friend grew dropped his fork and became extremely pale.
A Scary Game of Hide and Seek…
“’Did you say this circus you read about was at the old sugar mill ruins?’ my friend asked in a whisper.
“’Well, yes, why?’ I asked—I was astonished by his sudden change in behavior.
“He wouldn’t answer me at first, but I slowly coaxed him into telling me,” John nodded.
“’This is going to sound crazy, but I was out there just the other day taking pictures of the ruins,’ my friend began.
“The sun was setting, and I was packing up my things to go when I saw someone dart behind one of the old brick walls,’ he continued.
‘I called out to the person, and they responded back with a long, drawn out laugh.’
“My friend told me he took a couple steps forward, when the figure suddenly popped up where a window once was.
It was a strange man, wearing thick clown makeup all over his face.
He had red paint on his nose, and large black details painted around his eyes.
“My friend knew it sounded like the man looked ridiculous, but the man was pressing his mouth up into a demented looking smile with his fingers.
Frankly, it scared the crap out of my poor friend,” John said, dismayed.
“’I’M GONNA GET CHA!’ the clown bellowed, and started to run toward my friend with his hands outstretched.
My friend began to run, but tripped and hit his head on a rock.
He woke up at the local hospital in New Smyrna Beach, and he tells everyone he knows to never again visit the old sugar mill ruins.”
