In the early 1900's, the newly founded town of Sugar Land attracted a stable population largely made up of German and Czech immigrants.
As craftsmen and sugar experts arrived, the Imperial Sugar refinery was rehabilitated and launched year- round operations using raw sugar imported
through the Port of Galveston. ISC set up a support system for employees including building 500 new homes, providing medical care, and establishing
the Imperial State Bank, the Imperial Mercantile Company, a company store, various retail stores, a cotton gin as well as feed and paper mills. ISC also paid
for graveled streets with concrete curbs, gutters and sidewalks, a modern hospital and school system, as well as churches.
The company furnished electricity, gas and water to the town. In 1925, ground was broken for an immense "Char House” a structure of steel,
concrete and bricks rising to a height of 150 feet and costing the unheard of sum of $1 million.

About the Char process - Vegans beware
Bone char—often referred to as natural carbon—is widely used by the sugar industry as a decolorizing filter,
which allows the sugar cane to achieve its desirable white color. It is made from the bones of cattle.
The European Union and the USDA heavily regulate the use of bone char. Only countries that are deemed BSE-free can sell the bones of their cattle for this process.
Other types of filters involve granular carbon or an ion-exchange system rather than bone char.