This is what remains of the sugar mill at the Varner Hogg Plantation. The brick building was destroyed in the 1900 hurricane.

The alluvial soils of this Gulf Coast Plain were a source of great wealth for the sugar planters.
The Brazos and San Bernard rivers, Oyster Creek, and numerous meandering bayous, provided transportation.

Part of sugar production was the reduction process which requires a fire, a train of progressively larger kettles, and the flue chimney.
Heat was produced by a fire under the smallest of the kettles (usually about 6 feet in diameter).
The heat was then pulled by the height of the chimney through the flue under the kettles to where it exited up the tall chimney.
The molten sugar scum was repeatedly skimmed from the top of each vat as the liquid was passed on down to the smallest kettle.