Central Guánica was a sugar mill located in
Ensenada Barrio in the municipality of
Guánica, Puerto Rico
Guánica (, ) is a town and municipality in southwestern Puerto Rico, bordering the Caribbean Sea, south of Sabana Grande, east of Lajas, and west of Yauco. It is part of the Yauco metropolitan statistical area.
The town of Guánica, also kn ...
. It was one of the largest
sugar mills
A sugar cane mill is a factory that processes sugar cane to produce raw or white sugar.
The term is also used to refer to the equipment that crushes the sticks of sugar cane to extract the juice.
Processing
There are a number of steps in prod ...
in the
Caribbean
The Caribbean (, ) ( es, El Caribe; french: la Caraïbe; ht, Karayib; nl, De Caraïben) is a region of the Americas that consists of the Caribbean Sea, its islands (some surrounded by the Caribbean Sea and some bordering both the Caribbean Se ...
, and until
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, it was one of the largest mills in the world.
It ceased operations in 1982.
History
Its owners, the South Puerto Rico Sugar Company of
New Jersey
New Jersey is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern regions of the United States. It is bordered on the north and east by the state of New York; on the east, southeast, and south by the Atlantic Ocean; on the west by the Delaware ...
, began construction of the Central Guánica sugar mill in 1901. The Central Guánica was one of the first corporations to organize a
company town
A company town is a place where practically all stores and housing are owned by the one company that is also the main employer. Company towns are often planned with a suite of amenities such as stores, houses of worship, schools, markets and re ...
in Puerto Rico around the sugar mill. The town included a hospital, school and housing facilities.
In 1967, South Puerto Rico Sugar Company was acquired by
Gulf and Western Industries, which later sold the sugar mill during the 1970s.
In 2002, the government of Puerto Rico declared the two chimneys of the sugar mill as historic monuments.
Gallery
File:South PR Sugar Co.jpg, South Puerto Rico Sugar Company common stock certificate
File:Carloads of sugar cane.jpg, Carloads of sugar cane at the mill (1942)
File:Freight train used in hauling cane.jpg, Freight train used in hauling cane to the mill from loading stations (1942)
File:Sugar cane worker.jpg, Sugar cane worker in the vicinity of Guánica, Puerto Rico (1942)
File:Inside central.jpg, Inside the mill (circa 1910 and 1935)
See also
*
Central Coloso
Central Coloso, also known as Coloso Sugar Cane Refinery, was a long-running sugarcane refinery in Aguada, Puerto Rico. The refinery was established in late 19th century becoming one of the biggest sugar emporiums in the island. It remained oper ...
*
Central Cortada
Central Cortada, also known as the Cortada Sugarcane Refinery, was a sugarcane plantation and refinery located in Descalabrado, Santa Isabel, Puerto Rico. The area where the refinery is located has been used for the growth and processing of suga ...
*
Central San Vicente
References
External links
Sugar refineries
Guánica, Puerto Rico
Sugar industry in Puerto Rico
Sugar companies of the United States
1901 establishments in Puerto Rico
1982 disestablishments in the United States
Industrial buildings completed in 1901
Industrial buildings and structures in Puerto Rico
Gulf and Western Industries
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