Okeelanta (ghost town)

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Okeelanta was a planned community, started in 1913 by Thomas Will and ostensibly owned and operated under the business name Okeelanta Corporation. The name itself was derived from a combination of Okeechobee and Atlantic. It was meant to become a model example of how the Everglades could be made into successful farming land.

Despite many problems such as floods, freezes, wild animals and mosquitoes, by 1920 Okeelanta had 200 residents, a school and town hall. Irish potatoes, corn, beans, tomatoes, and eggplant were grown and shipped out. After surviving more problems through the 1920s, Okeelanta was flooded and destroyed by the 1928 Hurricane.

The Okeelanta Corporation still owns the land, and the sugar mill, located just southwest of this location is named Okeelanta. Okeelanta owns several patches of farmland in this area for farming sugar cane.

www.ghosttowns.com/states/fl/okeelanta.html