Jerome, Florida
| unincorporated area / community
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Plantation Island /
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unincorporated area / community
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Small community alongside of Big Cypress National Reserve on State Road 29. An estimated 15 residents remain in the town on the edge of the Big Cypress National Preserve in eastern Collier County. A lumber mill town began here in 1940, founded by C.J. Jones. The town's name came from the middle name of the town's founder (Jerome).
C. J. Jones leased the land from Barron Collier. Over the next 16 years, it grew to become the biggest producer of lumber in the state of Florida; the town's population reached approximately 1000. In 1956, as the old-growth forests became sparse, Jones sold the mill site, which was located just east of State Road 29. A few months later, the mill's grounds were destroyed by fire: Two separate sawmills, a planer mill, two large drying kilns and the lumber sheds burned to the ground. Eyewitness reports claim a large vat of creosote, a volatile substance used to treat wood, also exploded in the fire, causing it to spread the tarry substance around the town.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the ground water in this area is polluted with creosote, although this was not discovered until 1989. Many former residents moved away as a high incidence of cancer-related illnesses occurred over the following years after the mill's fire. As of the time of this writing, lawsuits were settled for undisclosed amounts; whether the state or federal clean-up efforts will take place are also unknown.
» www.naplesnews.com/news/2005/jan/02/ndn_pathologist_cla...
» www.marconews.com/news/2004/may/23/ndn_creosote__tainte...
C. J. Jones leased the land from Barron Collier. Over the next 16 years, it grew to become the biggest producer of lumber in the state of Florida; the town's population reached approximately 1000. In 1956, as the old-growth forests became sparse, Jones sold the mill site, which was located just east of State Road 29. A few months later, the mill's grounds were destroyed by fire: Two separate sawmills, a planer mill, two large drying kilns and the lumber sheds burned to the ground. Eyewitness reports claim a large vat of creosote, a volatile substance used to treat wood, also exploded in the fire, causing it to spread the tarry substance around the town.
According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the ground water in this area is polluted with creosote, although this was not discovered until 1989. Many former residents moved away as a high incidence of cancer-related illnesses occurred over the following years after the mill's fire. As of the time of this writing, lawsuits were settled for undisclosed amounts; whether the state or federal clean-up efforts will take place are also unknown.
» www.naplesnews.com/news/2005/jan/02/ndn_pathologist_cla...
» www.marconews.com/news/2004/may/23/ndn_creosote__tainte...
Wikipedia article: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome,_Florida
Nearby cities:
Coordinates: 25°59'44"N 81°20'52"W
- Islandia, Florida 120 km
- Brandon 242 km
- Thonotosassa 254 km
- Town 'N' Country 261 km
- Marion Oaks 353 km
- Nocatee, Florida 463 km
- Fleming Island, Florida 464 km
- Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida 474 km
- Navarre, Florida 742 km
- Venice, Louisiana 881 km
- Fakahatchee Strand Preserve State Park 8.2 km
- Four Stake Prairie 10 km
- Ochopee, Florida 12 km
- Turkey Prairie 13 km
- Collier County, Florida 18 km
- Picayune Strand State Forest 24 km
- Ten Thousand Islands 26 km
- Big Cypress National Preserve 26 km
- Everglades National Park 80 km
- Monroe County, Florida 96 km
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