old florida railroad track??

[malady]

I just got a MD, found a site that had florida ghost towns, one was near me so took a drive. Found the area of the ghost town but stumbled up a side road that led to the woods. there was some fishing and frogging signs up and it was some kind of wildlife park of somekind. I spotted some tents and old campers trailers, looks like no one has been in them for years, kept driving a little further. Looked like a rangers shack. no one there. the rickety road went further into the woods but parked, took out my gear and saw some trails. the trail i took was like on a hill with gulleys on either side. my md was picking up something and pulled out a railroad spike. found several along the path. ventured down in the gulley and md picked up a rectangle shaped peice of metal. havent cleaned it yet to see what it is. all of this area is very heavily wooded. I am assuming the so called trail is an old railroad track. the gulleys was maybe once water the way it looked and saw a huge clam laying among the fallen branches and brush. also ran into a family of boars. mom, papa and quite a few babies. pretty scary place to me especially the spiders hanging in the trees. I would like to go back there, but would like to know about that roalroad line more. who built it, when was it in use. I am hoping maybe to find so old coins from the crew that built it and what i read there should be old campsites from the workers but dont know enough about this to know what to look for. also found some huge bolt along with the big metal thing and a peice of metal with an eye. anybody live near here that can go with me next time? its located near the van fleet trail in polk city, florida.
thanks,
malady ps, also been trying to research old maps of that area or railroads that used to go through there but havent found them yet.

 

[DR]

Hi Malady, after reading this thread I think that you found the east entrance to the Green Swamp Wildlife management Area.
It's open all year to fishing and frogging hence the signs and there is a camping area there and some slob hunters do abandon trailers from time to time leaving the wildlife guys to get rid of them. Also there is an old logging tram not too far inside the gate that heads west through the head waters of the withlacoochee river. I used to turkey hunt that tram for many years. beautiful woods in there.
Hers's the map of the place showing the tracks that are now the Van Fleet Trail and the Green Swamp entrance just west of there. The map calls the road Rock Ridge not Green Pond, but if you look on Google Earth they become one and the same.

 

[malady]

Thank DR.
That is it! Thanks for posting the map. I didnt know the name of it or what it all was about. So im assuming we can go there metal detecting, seems more harmless than those abandoned campers out there. I didnt know there was a river in there but I guess there should be since it did mention fishing but i didnt venture too far back in there. Do you think there is anything out there worth detecting since you have already know somewhat of the area you might know.
thanks again.
malady

 

[DR]

Your quite welcome Malady, glad to be of service.
I have no clue if there is anything there but my motto is YA NEVER KNOW.
The rule book for the area does not mention metal detecting, but the property is state owned so chapter 267 of the FL statutes applies.
Good luck in your adventures. Here is the link to the area rules.http://myfwc.com/hunting/wma/2006-07/Southwest/Green_Swamp_letter_20060209.pdf
DR

 

[neo2868]

malady, this is the long haired guy you met at the beach party back in august with deepsix, I was the one that found the russian coin, I was just wondering ... the ghost town you were refering to would it be green pond? I live in Lakeland and have thought of hunting that one as well as a couple of others we have around here. like the old Indian town tolopchopko about 1/2 mile south of lake hancock, I know of several in the area and even a couple not published (the mines own the property now) Even have a map of the original as well as the second fort in fort meade overlaid on a somewhat modern map... im just waiting to get the gas money to go to some of these sight , oh and I have to recooperate from neck surgery in mid january (down for six to eight weeks and not allowed to lift more than 5 lbs... my md weighs alot more than that) but anyways if you are in this area and your husband and you wouldnt mind a little company on one of your hunts I wouldn't mind sharing some of my info in exchange.

 

[malady]

Hi there,
Yes it is Green Pond, in fact I was near there last weekend end on the van fleet bike trail. I havent been to the tracks though lately where I found the old railroad spikes. Let me know when your in the area and I can try to work it where we can be there too.
malady