Fort Drum, Florida

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Fort Drum is a near ghost town in Okeechobee County, Florida, United States. It is located on US 441, between Yeehaw Junction and Okeechobee. A service plaza named after the town on the Florida's Turnpike is how many people are even aware of its location. It has also lent its name to the nearby Fort Drum Wildlife Management Area.

[edit] Geography

Fort Drum is located at 27°31′35″N, 80°48′25″W (27.5264, -80.8069).^GR1

[edit] History

After the end of the Second Seminole War in 1842, a network of forts was built across the central part of the state, with military roads that connected them. Of those roads, one was roughly east-west from Fort Bassinger to Fort Vinton, north of present-day Vero Beach. The other ran approximately north-south from Fort Kissimmee to Fort Jupiter, and came to be known as the 'old wire road'. Where the two roads crossed, a fort was built, and named Fort Drum. It was active for only a short time before being abandoned.

Settlers began to make their way here some time after the Civil War, in the 1870s. The area was considered to be potentially excellent cattle country. The area slowly grew and in 1914, the Florida East Coast Railroad completed the Kissimmee Valley Extension of the railroad. They built a small depot in Fort Drum, as well as one to the north, named Osawaw, and south, called Hilolo.

The town later shrank due to economic and road changes, and is now little more than a name on a map.

[edit] External links

• Fort Drum at Ghost Towns and History of the American West
• History Of Okeechobee County at lamartin.com
• History Of Old Fort Drum at RootsWeb.com
• Fort Drum Wildlife Management Area at Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission
• Fort Drum nature areas at Out in the Boonies
• Maps and aerial photos Coordinates: 27.5264° -80.8069°
  • Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
  • Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
  • Topographic map from TopoZone
  • Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA

Cities and communities of Okeechobee County, Florida
County seat Okeechobee Incorporated places Okeechobee Unincorporated places Barber Quarters | Basinger | Basswood Estates | Cypress Quarters | Dixie Ranch Acres | Fort Drum | Hilolo | Mildred | Sherman | Taylor Creek | Up the Grove Beach | Whispering Pines Adjacent Counties Indian River | Martin | St. Lucie | Palm Beach | Glades | Hendry | Highlands | Polk | Osceola