Old Cemeteries and Unfinished Towns: Pine Level Cemetery and Arcadia, FL.

In search of some interesting sights, we headed to Arcadia, Florida which numerous articles have referenced as a ghost town. Arcadia itself is not a ghost town. We have the homemade cinnamon bun from Yellow Deli - the down-to-earth bakery. Across the bridge and a five minute drive from Arcadia though, we found the Pine Level Camp Grounds and Cemetery, with some graves dating back to the 1850s. Many of the old graves are shaded by oak trees and billowy sails of Spanish Moss, creating a very scenic, peaceful setting for the mix of old and new headstones. I'm sure that in the dark though, they would make for some pretty frightening shadows.

Heading South from Arcadia, towards Port Charlotte, we found an area in Port Charlotte that looks like a neighbourhood, but no houses, just roads, complete with street names. Here is what Google's aerial view looks like:

This is what the streets look like. It's a scene out of the Twilight Zone.

It was interesting to see part of Florida's historical sites, and prompted me to get started on this book that I had checked out on the history of Florida: Hidden History of Florida by James C. Clark. Although the cover and promise of learning about mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park is what tempted me originally, this book is succinct and doesn't get too deep into the weeds, giving a concise history of Florida that touches on some interesting locations.

Here's hoping this inspires you to travel to some new and old towns wherever you live.