Ben Wheeler, Van Zandt County
The tradition of making syrup from sugar cane and sorghum started in East Texas in the second half of the nineteenth century. Syrup production arrived along with migration from the Deep South to East Texas. Van Zandt County provided the ideal combination of fertile soil and abundant water for the farming of sugar cane syrup. Willis Jarrell Hale was the first farmer to gain notoriety for producing syrup in Van Zandt County. In 1884, Hale started farming and growing ribbon cane on what became known as the Hale Farm which was located two and a half miles east of Canton. Hale developed the land so that he could irrigate the cane using the flood method from a large spring on the property, frequently making 600 gallons of syrup to the acre. Hale Farm Syrup developed a reputation for superior quality all over Texas as well as nationally. Hale produced this famous syrup for 23 years. Henry D. Jones acquired the farm in 1915 from Metza Hale, son of W.J., and carried on the tradition of syrup making. Jones managed to expand the operation and create publicity over the next 45 years. He built a modern syrup mill with a gasoline engine and was farming 20 acres of ribbon cane. The sale of his Hale Farm Syrup reached from Missouri to California, as well as all over the State of Texas. The Hale Farm employed many members of the Van Zandt community during the Great Depression. Demand for ribbon cane syrup declined after WWII, but production continued until 1960. The ownership of the land still remains in the Jones Family.