Filmmaker Bob Bailey began his career in still photography, but shifted his focus to industrial and educational filmmaking of the Houston area by the 1930s. The subjects of his many films include the gas and petroleum industry, real estate business, natural disasters, and sports. In this 1968 film, Bailey captures the 125th anniversary celebration of the Imperial Sugar Company. A small crowd watches as company president William H. Louviere speaks.

The city of Sugar Land now occupies the site that was once the Oakland Plantation. It was there that in 1843 Samuel May Williams installed a commercial sugar-grinding mill on his land, leading to a rapid shift from cotton to sugar cane as the area's dominant crop. In 1905, the area's sugar plantations were acquired by the Kempner family, who dubbed their company the Imperial Sugar Company. Though sugar has not been refined at the original plant since 2003, the company's headquarters remains in Sugar Land, making it the oldest extant business in Texas.

Fort Bend County Sugar Land

TFC 16mm Sugar Land Heritage Foundation Imperial Sugar Imperial Sugar Company 1960s 1960’s Sugar Land Fort Bend County American flag

Texas flag anniversary anniversary celebration podium microphone speaker speech crowd audience

train gathering celebration anniversary man men women woman children memorial

plaque historical marker William H. Louviere Louviere, William H. W. H. Louviere Louviere, W. H. factory worker