Photos of the Arcola Sugar Mill, Fort Bend County, Texas

PHOTOS OF THE BRICK BARN AND THE SURROUNDING AREA

1840 Steam Engine Base

The above view is the east side of the 1840's Hartwell Iron Works Steam Engine foundation.

Steam Engine base shows notches where [first] the sugar juice and [second] the crushed cane were channeled.

Viewing the south side shows notches where [first notch] the sugar juice was channeled and [second notch] where the crushed cane was channeled.

The steam engine base raises the steam engine to allow room for the flywheel.

The steam engine base raises the engine to allow room for the flywheel.

Steam engine base showing flywheel slot and Carriage for boiler.

Brick foundation to support steam boiler and firebox.

Top of the steam engine foundation [The cradle was for the steam boiler]

Steam Engine Name Plate

Steam Engine name plate.

Engine was manufactured in Houston, Texas by HARTWELL IRON WORKS.

Entrance to firewood crawlway. Note the side entrances to the fireboxes.

These crawlways enabled a worker to the keep the bottom end of the bolt from turning while tightening the top nut.

Two views of the same bolt. The left view is inside a crawlway and the right view is on top where the steam engine was bolted down. It took one man in the crawlway to keep the bolt from turning while another man on top tightened the steam engine down.

Entire Steam Engine Foundation

Directly behind the steam engine foundation is Oyster Creek. There was a 'low water dam' to keep ample water in the creek for barge shipping. There was a bridge over the dam making a road for crossing Oyster Creek. Below are photos of what is left of the dam and bridge.