Around 1916, the Tidewater Cypress Company of Lukens, Florida (near Cedar Key) founded a new company called the Osceola Cypress Co. They built a self-sufficient town on the St. Johns River, about a mile north of Lake Harney, in 1916-18.

They built the town in an area habituated for centuries, once known as King Philip’s Town, during the Spanish period when the Timucuans settled it. Nearby, a ferry crossing over the St. Johns River called Cook’s Ferry had been built. The Florida East Coast Railway built a train trestle crossing the river a mile south, just north of Lake Harney, around 1912.

The Osceola Cypress Company cut trees in the Lake Okeechobee area, hauling them by railroad to its large mill in the town. Large cypress trees also came from Bithlo, 18 miles south. At its peak, the mill cut 55,000 to 60,000 board feet daily.

The mill provided benefits not found in most settlements. The mill’s generator provided electricity for every home until 9 p.m., and sidewalks were made of cypress. The fine mahogany homes had indoor toilets. The town had dozens of houses, a doctor’s office, a commissary, two schools, a boarding house, electricity, running water, bathrooms, and a sewer system.

This cypress mill town prospered from 1916 until 1940. Due to its prime location, some in the 1920s expected it to become Seminole County’s largest town. The company began to wind down operations in 1939, moving much of its equipment to Port Everglades. All of the town’s buildings were dismantled and relocated—except one: the bank vault.

The brick structure at the back of the company store held the town’s wealth (including a large amount of company scrip). Of course, unlike the wooden structures, it was too heavy to move and was left behind. To this day, it remains a landmark and popular destination for the curious. However, it is now fenced in on private property.

Related Links:

• Memories of Osceola – A first-hand account by Mary (Riley) Henderson, who was born there.
• GhostTowns.com Visits Osceola