Plaque Text for Florida Landmark #F-680:
The Three Chimneys, originally known as the Swamp Settlement, was a British period sugar plantation established c. 1768 on a portion of 20,000 acres granted by King George III in 1764 to Richard Oswald (1700-1784), a wealthy and influential Scottish merchant. The Swamp Settlement covered 300 acres. This site was the first successful and the oldest British sugar plantation of its kind in North America. The sugar making facility consisted of a long brick structure containing four separate furnaces feeding two chimneys which disappeared long ago. These ruins were restored in 2007. The run distillery had two furnaces feeding one chimney which stood until 1997. Mr. Richard Oswald went on to serve as the British representative for the Treaty of Paris in 1783 which ended the Revolutionary War. He helped obtain treaty terms favorable to the United States of America, including the establishment of the Mississippi River as its western boundary.
More about The Three Chimneys:
Mr. Oswald never actually set foot on his own plantation, or in Florida for that matter! Having made his fortune on slavery and freshly baked bread, in that order, he took advantage of the twenty years that Florida was in British hands and opened this sugar cane plantation all from the comfort of his home in Virginia! You could call it remote work, but he had overseers and about 50 enslaved folks doing the heavy lifting onsite.
How Can I #HelpTheHelpers?
- Become a member of the Ormond Beach Historical Society!
- Donate to Ormond Beach Historical Society!
- Be a responsible visitor! Please respect the signs and pathways, and treat all structures and artifacts with respect. They’ve endured a lot to survive into the present. They’ll need our help to make it into the future!
How Do I Get There?
715 W Granada Blvd
Ormond Beach, FL 32174
(Take Me There!)
When Should I Visit?
The park is open Tuesday through Saturday from 10:00 AM until 3:00 PM!
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