Exploring Cumpressco in The Green Swamp

Trailhead

This is an interesting place to explore in the Green Swamp with lots of history. I've been covering various areas here to see what I can discover. On this adventure I hiked a forest road known as Cumpressco in the East Tract. This used to be an old railroad that went through the old town of Cumpressco. It's long gone and the town site is somewhere along this area. 

The dirt road goes on for miles so I hiked it from the trailhead several miles out and along the way I found railroad spikes embedded into the ground, a giant piece of steel by an area that I think used to be a stop along the railroad. Further down the same dirt road in the woods I found a few small abandoned cabins and I am not sure what they were used for or how old they are. 

I headed back to the trailhead once I was done checking out the cabins. It was a long walk back along the same dirt road I came in on. Surprisingly I found an old abandoned truck that I missed on the way in. It was in brush and I walked back to check it out.

I also saw a lot of wildlife on this hike and that always adds to the experience! I got to see a lot of alligators big ones and baby ones along the swamp. I saw a few deer, a couple of owls in the trees high above and even a bobcat. 

Each time I go this area to explore I come away with something different each time. It's history and beautiful wilderness always draw me back. I posted some photos and videos I did below along with some helpful links to help you find out more about this place. If you have any questions or some insights on this place please feel free to comment to below. 

My Videos

Small Cabins in The Green Swamp

Finding Small Abandoned Cabins in The Green Swamp

Abandoned Truck in The Green Swamp

Resources

Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve 

History of Compressco 

Green Swamp Interactive 

Abandoned Trucks in The Green Swamp

I've always enjoyed hiking in The Green Swamp not only is it a big place to explore but their is a lot that can be found.

On this particular adventure I came across a couple of old abandoned trucks. They were rusting away in the woods off some forest roads. I couldn't make out how old or what kind of trucks they were. One of them was just about all stripped away and the other was more intact but seems to be a popular shooting target for hunters. I posted some photos here and my videos below. Get out there and explore the swamp!

My Videos
Abandoned Truck in The Green Swamp
Finding an Old Truck in The Green Swamp
Old Truck in The Green Swamp

Resources
Green Swamp Wilderness Preserve

Abandoned Farmstead in Seminole State Forest

Vacant Wooden House

I had been exploring in a part of the Seminole State Forest where I found this abandoned farmstead area. It seems the place is used more for hunting but I found it is really nice to walk the trails and roam around the place. I just made sure to check that hunting season wasn't going on at the time. I walked through old pastures and pine flatwoods with not a soul around...

Vacant Barn

I hiked back to an area where I found a couple pole barns and a vacant wooden house. Upon entering the area I was a little nervous because I wasn't sure who could be back there. My research indicated that the place should be abandoned and was on wildlife management land but you never know. I entered into a big pasture area where you could see the barns and house in the distance. I scoped it out with my binoculars and saw that it was clearly empty except for a bunch of cows up by the treeline. The area is nice and open surrounded by forests. I thought to myself how nice it must have been to live out here!

Vacant Barn

I first approached the house and began hearing booming sounds coming from inside which spooked me some. Just as I turned off my video camera to go inspect it I saw three baby cows run out of the house! I continued filming and photographing the surrounding area and buildings. There was nothing in the house really just debris from what I could see. It had one bathroom, one bedroom, front room and enclosed porch. Across the way were a couple empty barns and more cows. You could see old telephone poles with ripped out wiring where the place once had power.

The place is vast and you can find all sorts of neat stuff out here in this wilderness! I posted some of my videos and helpful links below.


My Video
Abandoned Farmstead

Resources
Seminole State Forest
Seminole Forest Wildlife Management Area

Old Van in The Woods at Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area

Recently I explored some of Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area. You can roam many miles of trails and see all kinds of neat sites there. One of the most interesting things I saw was an old "Harvester Metro Van" rusting away in the woods. I am not positive if it is that kind of van but looks like it based on other pictures I've seen. It must have been abandoned sometime ago, my best guess is it could be from the 1940's or so but am unsure.

Old Harvester Metro Van

When I found the van I looked around the area and wondered how could this get here out in the middle of the woods? Who drove it and what's the story behind it? I had walked in on an old road by this old ranch site called "Taylor Creek Ranch". The ranch was here going back to at least the 1940's and maybe the van was left there from that time to rust away in the woods. I am unclear but it's mysteries like these that inspire me to learn more about these places.

Taylor Creek Ranch Remains

I posted a couple of my videos

below and a some very informative websites on this place that were very helpful for me when exploring this place. I ask that if you find sites like these that you please leave things as you see them. I find it just as rewarding to take photos and videos rather than artifacts. I always keep in mind that once things like this are gone, they are gone forever. I was very happy to see what was left of this old van in the woods...

My Videos

Old Van in Tosohatchee WMA

Old Van in The Woods

Resources

Florida Hikes and Other Outdoor Information

Out in The Boonies

Tosohatchee and The Florida Trail

Tosohatchee Wildlife Management Area

Old Car in The Woods

I found this old car in the woods while hiking at Charles H. Bronson State Forest. This is a vast area to explore and finding this car was a great adventure! I walked a good ways through pasture lands until I eventually reached a small wooded area where I saw this old car. It appears to have been rusting away here for quite sometime.

My Video

Old Car in The Woods

Links

Florida Hikes and Other Outdoor Information

Abandoned Osceola Bank Vault

Osceola Bank Vault

I found this old bank vault from the ghost town of Osceola in Seminole County that once was existed here. In 1916 the Osceola Cypress Company built a large sawmill and a complete town here. The company and the town were named after the famous Seminole Indian Chief. Osceola covered 350 acres and had nice houses, a general store, bank, gas station, post office, school, and office buildings. The town was based around the sawmill which employed over 200 people and generated the town's electricity. In 1939 the Osceola Cypress Co. began moving its operations to Port Everglades. In 1940 the last residents moved out and this is all that remains.

Osceola Bank Vault

I am still trying to find an original photo of the vault that would be really fascinating to see. I posted my video and other useful links below. If you do visit this site please take care to leave it as you found it so that others may also experience this remaining piece of history for a long time to come.

My Video
Osceola Bank Vault

Resource
Florida Ghost Towns Site - Osceola

Map

Old Victory Bridge

Checking out The Old Victory Bridge

On banks of The Apalachicola River I found the ruins of the old Victory Bridge that was built in the 1920's. Just off of the new Victory Bridge crossing over the river are the remains of the old bridge. There are remains on both sides of the river on the border of Gadsden and Jackson Counties. On this visit I saw the ruins on the Jackson County side.

Modern Day Victory Bridge

Old Victory Bridge Built in 1922

Old Victory Bridge Built in 1922

Old Victory Bridge Built in 1922

Where the Bridge used to span The Apalachicola River

Link to Original Photo of Victory Bridge

My Video of Victory Bridge Ruins