The Fort Gates Ferry ferry landed us near Salt Springs, another place I had not been since I was a kid, but that was not our destination. Instead we stopped at a ghost town known as
Kerr City. Now private property, Phil knew the owner from a previous tour and was familiar with the site. No trespassing signs are prevalent throughout the small hamlet in an effort to discourage visitors and prevent vandalism.
An overgrown dirt road takes you to a collection of wooden houses and what is said to be the state's oldest gas station.
Kerr City, a former stagecoach stop, was platted in 1884 at the site of a former Civil War cotton plantation. The town was a prosperous citrus farming community with a population of 100, until the legendary freezes of 1894 and 1895. Today the entire town is owned by the great grandson of its founder, 14 buildings in all. On the
National Register of Historic Places, some of the buildings are well cared while others look to be slowly melting back into the soil.
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According to wikipedia, the Kerr House Hotel was built by Junis Terry, a well-to-do doctor from Illinois. Opened in 1885, the hotel burned to the ground in 1907.
Image from the State Archives of Florida. |
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| The post office was in operation from 1884 to 1942 (wikipedia). Photo by Ebyabe. |
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| View of the site of the new town, 1885 from the State Archives of Florida |
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| Here's view from 1886 of the Robert B. Henley home from the State Archives of Florida |
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| Here's a great view from 1884 of a double pen Florida Cracker cabin. The open area in the center is known as the dogtrot. State Archives of Florida. |
Kerr's City's founder, George Smiley, continued to live in the Marion County Community after the disastrous freezes at the end of the 19th century, and by 1955 the entire town was in the possession of his son Alfred. Today Alfred's aging grandson Arthur is heir to the town and he does his best to keep it intact. On our visit we ran into neighbors who acted as volunteer caretakers, doing their best to keep the forest from finishing off the remnants of Kerr City.
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| Dating back to 1925, this may be the oldest gas station in Florida |
nice piece
ReplyDeleteGreat piece of Florida history.
ReplyDeletenever knew of this city. my Aunt lived near Salt Springs. Very good memories there. glad to hear of this place.
ReplyDeleteWe visited it back 5 years ago and thr owner showed us all around even offered us to stay in one if the homes however I understand it has since been fenced off to keep people out.
ReplyDeleteis there a way to get ahold of the owner of this kerr city? my best friend and I are HUGE into history and we traveled all the way from new York to get a view of this beautiful place, we have been searching for a way to get ahold of him for 2 weeks. it would be greatly appreciated!
Deleteis there a way to get ahold of the owner? my best friend and I are HUGE into history and read on this ghost town, and have traveled from new York to florida to get a view of this beautiful place. we have been looking for ways to get ahold of him for 2 weeks now. if you have any information can you please email us at sammwood22@gmail.com
DeleteHello. My girlfriend and I are planning to drive up from Miami in two weeks to do a Florida tour. If you have any information, could you please also e-mail me at mike@radio-active-records.com ?
DeleteThanks in advance!
Hello. My girlfriend and I are planning to drive up from Miami in two weeks to do a Florida tour. If you have any information, could you please also e-mail me at mike@radio-active-records.com ?
DeleteThanks in advance!
Hello. My girlfriend and I are planning to drive up from Miami in two weeks to do a Florida tour. If you have any information, could you please also e-mail me at mike@radio-active-records.com ?
DeleteThanks in advance!
Hello. My girlfriend and I are planning to drive up from Miami in two weeks to do a Florida tour. If you have any information, could you please also e-mail me at mike@radio-active-records.com ?
DeleteThanks in advance!
When they said the people froze to death from a freeze in 1894 and 1895 is a lie.i check on it and there was never no freeze here in salt springs in 1894 and 1895.ive live all of my life here in fort mccoy and salt springs.there was a rail road in fort mccoy and a fort where,the library Sats today.ans the stage coach ran to Kerr City.ive been out there to Kerr City.and most of the houses have been tore down.theres a cemetery out there.back in the 1800 they didn't have gas.when I was out there last year there wasn't that many houses.theres a school house and another house.but there isn't no place where the doctors house burned down.
DeleteMy family use to spend a week in the summer at the post office. Fantastic time. There was an old school with desks with ink wells. There was an old saloon round tables and all. There was an old pump organ. Some beautiful dream from my youth
DeleteThis piece inspired me to write a book about this small ghost town I't;s called, Dancing With Jackson" by Kentucky Scarlet Rose
DeleteMy husband I visited here about 5 years ago and the owner was very nice showed us around, let us roam the property and enjoy its history, a shame that it has been fenced off. I really regret not taking my parents out there before it was fenced off. I still laugh when the owner gosh guessing in his late maybe 80's offered one of his homes to us because he thought we could use a nooner. LOLOL I am glad we took the drive through that thick brush to capture a piece of history.
ReplyDeleteWould love to visit there...im so into the history of florida...born and raised here...how would i get ahold of the owner to go visit... Can reach me at cgirl6976@yahoo.com
ReplyDeleteI am also looking to get on property and document it. I am a photojournalist from Orlando area. If anyone has any information, please email me at dancerjuly22@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteSamm wood. I also have been trying for about a month to locate owner. I am a photojournalist from Orlando and I am documenting "florida ghost towns" . So, if you know, please email dancerjuly22@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteAnybody know what happened to the owners of course City or get hold of anybody
ReplyDeleteAnybody know how to get a hold of the owners of Kerr City
ReplyDeleteis this part of little and big Lake Kerr,, I,d think??
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know how to get ahold of the new owner? Email or phone? We run a Paranormal group and would love a tour if at all possible. Please email us
ReplyDeleteTeamghost333@gmail.com
I never knew of this city and I've lived in Florida all my life are you allowed to go and visit the place I would love to go and see some old history. Does anyone know how to get a hold of the owner
ReplyDeleteThank you
I love history. The pictures are wonderful. Takes me back in time.
ReplyDeleteMy father and his friends spent Easters and Thanksgivings at Lake Kerr so they could fish. They took their families along on these trips, and we would stay in either the Post Office or the house called the Bee Hive. In the early years, we had to go to the outhouse to use the restroom, and get water from the pump on the porch. At some point they put in running water in the Post Office and then we could cook, wash dishes, and shower. I cannot remember if the Bee Hive had running water, but both houses had electricity. I am glad that I did not know that the Post Office was thought to be haunted because I would have been afraid to sleep upstairs. We never encountered any ghosts, but the night sounds were creepy. As kids we explored the area and found the old schoolhouse and some of the other structures. The first trip I remember to Lake Kerr was when my sister was a baby. She is now 73 years old. I would love to see what is left of the old town. We visited throughout the 1950s and early 1960s.
ReplyDeleteMy father and his friends loved to fish at Lake Kerr during the 1950s and into the early 1960s. Our families went along each Easter and on some Thanksgiving breaks. We stayed in either the Post Office or the house called the Bee Hive. As kids we explored the area, and I do remember finding the school house. When we first started going we had to get water from the pump on the porch of the Post Office and bathe in the lake. There was even an outhouse. However, at some point they installed running water so we could cook, shower, and use the restroom. If I had heard the stories about ghosts in the Post Office as a child, I probably would have been afraid to sleep upstairs. However, we never encountered any spirits although the night sounds were often creepy. The first time we went to Lake Kerr, my sister was a baby. She is now 73 years old. I will always have fond memories of those simpler times when thought we were “roughing it” when we went to Lake Kerr.
ReplyDelete