Dutch Highlands was the first area in the region settled under Spain by Germans after the signing of a treaty by England and Spain. It was where the road began and included the site of Georg Kleinpeter, the original claimant. Kleinpeter was a leader in agriculture who successfully grew sugar cane on high land for the first time and built the first cotton gin in 1790. His son, John Baptiste, erected the first steam sugar mill on high land in 1832.