Restoration of the Steam Powered Sugar Mill at the Hacienda La Esperanza
Schematic showing recommended placement of interpretive displays
Sponsoring organization: Para la Naturaleza
Team members: Kathryn Bumila, Michael Gifford, Zachariah Lovett, Andrew Portera
Abstract: Para La Naturaleza, a division of The Conservation Trust of Puerto Rico, owns the Hacienda La Esperanza estate, which contains an historic sugar mill located in Manatí, Puerto Rico. This mill displays the impact technology and slavery had on the Puerto Rican culture. This WPI project team recommended an exhibit design displaying the social context of the Hacienda and the evolution of steam power in mill machinery, and determined the steam requirements for restoring the mill’s engine to historical accuracy.