Inside the Florida ghost town that was abandoned for strange reason but is now attracting visitors again
A mysterious Florida ghost town - where residents abandoned their homes 62 years ago - has suddenly attracted visitors once again.
The lost town of Yukon - which was once full of paved streets, a bustling downtown, and its own streetcar line - met an unusual fate in 1963 when the vibrant community fled and most of the town was erased into oblivion.
The town's history began in 1787 when Spanish authorities granted a piece of land to English settler Timothy Hollingsworth, who established the prosperous Mulberry Grove Plantation between the St. Johns and Ortega rivers.
After the Civil War, the plantation's final owner, Arthur M. Reed, sold part of the property to formerly enslaved individuals, establishing what became known as the Blackpoint Settlement.
This would later evolve into Yukon during World War I.
At its peak, Yukon was a thriving community complete with a 300-unit subdivision named Dewey Park and convenient streetcar connections to nearby Ortega, Avondale, and Riverside.
But everything changed in 1939 when the US government began constructing Naval Air Station Jacksonville on neighboring land.
Not too long after in 1963, the US Navy made a shocking announcement, telling the entire community that the beloved town was now a flight and safety hazard - due to its proximity to a Naval Air Station.
The lost town of Yukon - which was once full of paved streets, a bustling downtown, and its own streetcar line - met an unusual fate in 1963 when the vibrant community fled
At its peak, Yukon was a thriving community complete with a 300-unit subdivision named Dewey Park and convenient streetcar connections to nearby Ortega, Avondale, and Riverside
Their concerns frighteningly came to life over the years.
In the following decades, the area witnessed several terrifying incidents.
First in 1983, a Navy transport plane plunged into nearby waters.
Then a Navy jet crashed near the former town during a 2005 rainstorm.
And in 2019, a commercial jetliner carrying 143 people slid right into the St. Johns River.
But nonetheless in 1989, with the support of Councilwoman Tillie Fowler, the area started to transform into a public park.
Today, people are flocking to the old town of Yukon, now known as Tillie K. Fowler Regional Park.
Everything changed in 1939 when the US government began constructing Naval Air Station Jacksonville on neighboring land
In 1963, the US Navy made a shocking announcement, telling the entire community that the beloved town was now a flight and safety hazard - due to its proximity to a Naval Air Station
And in 2019, a commercial jetliner carrying 143 people slid right into the St. Johns River
In the following decades, the area witnessed several terrifying incidents
It's a popular spot among hikers who can enjoy improved and expanded trails and off-road bike areas as well as added a dog park and kayak launch.
In addition to six miles of hiking and biking trails, the park also offers picnic shelters, grills.
But visiting the park is not all sunshine and rainbows.
Eerie traces of the town's sidewalks still peek through the undergrowth, including a historic brick road that still stands from before 1917.
Most spine-chilling is the preserved Mulberry Grove Plantation cemetery, where the graves of enslaved people and others remain.
The former post office and Yukon Baptist Church shockingly still stand as well.
Two modern businesses - J.L. Trent's Seafood and Grill and Murray's Tavern - have sprung up nearby to serve the history buffs and curious tourists drawn to the ghost town's mysterious past, as reported by TheTravel.com.
Today, people still visit the old town of Yukon, now known as Tillie K. Fowler Regional Park
The former post office and Yukon Baptist Church (pictured) shockingly still stand as well
Two modern businesses - J.L. Trent's Seafood and Grill and Murray's Tavern - have sprung up nearby to serve the history buffs and curious tourists drawn to the ghost town
Eerie traces of the town's sidewalks still peek through the undergrowth, including a historic brick road that still stands from before 1917
It's a popular spot among hikers who can enjoy improved and expanded trails and off-road bike areas as well as added a dog park and kayak launch
In addition to six miles of hiking and biking trails, the park also offers picnic shelters, grills. But visiting the park is not all sunshine and rainbows. Most spine-chilling is the preserved Mulberry Grove Plantation cemetery, where the graves of enslaved people
The park also boasts a nature center and classroom and observation tower.
In addition to the Naval Air Station Jackson, the park is surrounded by the Ortega River and Ringhaver Regional park.
Visitors can witness the modern amenities built atop an old skeleton of a once-vibrant community that vanished simply because it stood in the wrong place at the wrong time.
