Central Florida history

We Found a 150-Year-Old Ghost Town Hidden in a Florida Wilderness

by
Weathered entrance sign for Ethel Cemetery, established in 1880, standing beside a grassy field within Rock Springs Run State Reserve in Florida.

Some Places Refuse to Be Forgotten Most people visit Rock Springs Run State Reserve for the hiking trails, wildlife, and beautiful Florida wilderness. We came looking for a ghost town. Hidden beneath towering pines and miles of sandy trails lies the forgotten community of Ethel, Florida. Once home to pioneering families, a railroad stop, a … Read more

Fort Armstrong: The Forgotten Fort Built After the Dade Massacre

by
Historic monument and interpretive map marking the site of Fort Armstrong near Dade Battlefield in Florida, surrounded by palmettos, moss-draped oaks, and dense Florida wilderness beneath a bright blue sky.

Florida doesn’t always reveal its history easily. Sometimes it hides it beneath pine needles, roadside traffic, and stretches of land that seem too quiet to have witnessed anything terrible at all. The road near Dade Battlefield Historic State Park looks ordinary now—just another patch of rural Florida where palmettos sway beneath the morning sun and … Read more