SALT SPRINGS, FL (352today.com) – Tucked between pine forests and long-forgotten wagon trails in the Ocala National Forest lies Kerr City, a rare Florida ghost town that once buzzed with ambition, industry and Southern optimism.
Founded in 1884 by George Smiley, Kerr City was strategically located along a stagecoach route and near Lake Kerr. The town quickly grew into a promising settlement in eastern Marion County. A post office, schoolhouse, church, hotel, sawmill and general store soon followed, laying the groundwork for what many hoped would become a thriving hub in Central Florida.
Courtesy: State Archives of Florida/Florida Memory
Kerr City’s early prosperity was largely tied to Florida’s booming citrus industry. Residents planted groves and shipped fruit across the region. At its peak, the town supported around 100 people and was well-known enough to be included on contemporary state maps. It even boasted one of the first automobiles in Marion County – at a time when much of the surrounding region was still rural and undeveloped.
But Kerr City’s promising future was short-lived.
In 1894-1895, back-to-back freezes devasted citrus crops throughout Florida in what became known as the Great Freeze. Entire groves were destroyed, and Kerr City’s economy collapsed almost overnight. Many residents left, seeking opportunities elsewhere. The post office closed in 1942, marking the final blow to the town’s viability.
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Unlike many ghost towns that decay into rubble, Kerr City remained remarkably preserved thanks to the stewardship of the descendants of George Smiley, who have been entrusted with the family holdings and live on the property full time.
Though not open to the general public without permission, Kerr City still exists today as a privately owned ghost town. It is one of only eight Florida towns listed on the National Register of Historic Places as an entire town, not just for individual buildings. The area around it is largely reclaimed by nature, and nearby Salt Springs now holds the community’s population and activity.
Photos of Kerr City show rusting bed frames, weathered porches and gas lamps frozen in time. Visitors fortunate enough receive a tour describe it as a surreal glimpse into Florida’s past – one untouched by modern tourism or commercialization. Its stillness, they say, is both beautiful and haunting.
While Kerr City no longer appears on many modern maps, its legacy is quietly preserved by those who recognize its historical value. In a state constantly reinventing itself, Kerr City stands as a rare reminder of the boom, bust and resilience that shaped much of Central Florida’s past.