pioneer history

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

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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

500 Silent Souls: Camp Springs Cemetery, Henry County, Alabama

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Historic fenced burial plot at Camp Springs Cemetery in Henry County, Alabama, with weathered headstones and rural Wiregrass landscape under an overcast sky.

There are places that announce themselves the moment you arrive—grand gates, bold markers, legends whispered before you even step out of the car. Camp Springs Cemetery isn’t one of those places. It sits quietly in Henry County, Alabama, surrounded by open sky and Wiregrass soil, asking nothing more than that you slow down. Nearly 500 … Read more