Florida has a rich history as an early settlement in the New World. Some traces of its past remain. Industries such as logging, mining, and turpentine production brought economic prosperity, but some towns collapsed when resources ran dry. Other towns lost their relevance when economic trends shifted. Either way, what was once a booming town, its residents relocated, turning it into a ghost town. Here are 10 former Florida towns that you never knew existed.
Fort Dade (Egmont Key)
Fort Dade was established in 1898 by the U.S. to protect Tampa Bay from the Spanish during the Spanish-American War. Over the years, combat styles changed and the fort became obsolete. Fires, erosion, and hurricanes destroyed the structure and the U.S. couldn’t find anyone to buy the land. Today, part of the fort still stands and remains a part of Florida’s rich history.
Ellaville
Ellaville was once a booming sawmill town with 1,000 residents at its peak. Although the main sawmill was rebuilt after a fire, a combination of factors contributed to the town’s abandonment. Flooding, resource depletions, and the Great Depression led to Ellaville’s decline, until it was entirely abandoned. Today, nature has reclaimed the land, covering up the small remnants of the town that remain.
Centralia
Much like Ellaville, Centralia was a thriving Florida logging town. In 1910, the town was established with a large sawmill that processed cypress trees. Once all the trees were cut down, the town’s economy collapsed and its residents moved away. Nature reclaimed most of the town, but some traces of its existence are found in the Chassahowitzka Wildlife Management.
Brewster
Brewster was a company town for American Cyanamid involved in a different industry: mining. The once lively town’s economy relied on phosphate mining, but as resources depleted and demand for the material plummeted, so did the town’s fortunes. Most of the homes were demolished and their residents were relocated. A lonesome smokestack stands as a stark reminder of the town’s industrial past.
Coleman
An important distinction is to be made. Coleman is still a community of less than 600 residents, but it experienced a significant population decline after the economic landscape changed. Originally, citrus was cultivated, but after a freeze, farmers went in search of jobs elsewhere. Then, cabbage was a significant export. Transportation advanced, but it failed to incorporate the town and now some buildings remain vacant after the town lost its economic draw.
Orleans
Like Coleman, citrus farming was a significant economic driver, but following the late 19th-century freezes, farmers left to find work elsewhere. During that time, influenza was prominent and also decimated the population. The town’s old cemetery is one of the few traces of human settlement, alongside evidence of turpentine production, which provided some work for farmers during that difficult time.
Alto
Located in the Half Moon Wildlife Management Area in Sumter County, you will find an eerie cemetery. Most of the graves are those of small children, a morbid reminder about the hardships faced by early pioneers. Unfortunately, documents and records of the town are virtually non-existent, but it was believed to have been inhabited by farmers.
Osceola
Like many Florida ghost towns, Osceola was a company town that faded when the industry changed. Known as a thriving community built upon the success of the Cypress sawmill, the operation relocated, and the town followed. Board by board, buildings were moved. The Seminole County landfill now occupies the town’s original site.
Croom
The forgotten town of Croom is now a part of the Withlacoochee State Forest and the Croom Wildlife Management Area. Some remnants of its existence are present. Old foundations, a brick vat, a former railroad bridge, and cemeteries remain as reminders. The once-booming town built its economy around turpentine, mining, and logging. Now it’s a ghost town.
Markham
Our last Florida ghost town, Markham, followed the fate of the other forgotten towns. Once an economic hub for turpentine and logging, the settlement lost its significance when resources were depleted. The town had a large African-American community but abandoned it in search of other opportunities. The town cemetery is one of the few traces of its past remaining. Which Florida ghost town were you the most fascinated by?
