Sumica, alternatively written as SUMICA, was a mill town in Polk County, Florida, United States. The ghost town is commemorated by a historical marker off S.R. 60.[1] There is also a Southwest Florida Water Management District preserve in the area named for the former logging settlement and mill town. Goods from a company store in the town could be purchased with company issued currency, including 25 cent and 5 cent scrip.
Sumica was developed to exploit the long leaf pine and slash pine forests in the area. Sumica had rail built to bring timber to its mill and was connected by rail lines to turpentine factories.[2] The railway connected to a Seaboard Airline Railway branch line.
"Sumica" is an acronym for the French company Société Universelle des Mines, Industrie Commerce et Agriculture. The company built the town's sawmill and turpentine plant.[2] A Sumica post office was opened on March 19, 1917.[2] Sumica included 50 houses, a commissary, church, and school.[2] The Kissimmee River Railway, a branch line of the Seaboard Airline Railway served the area with service to WalinwaonLake Weohyakapka and NalacainHighlands County. The area was deforested by 1927 and abandoned. Some foundation ruins remain in the area.[2] A hiking trail is located in the area.[3]
|
Municipalities and communities of Polk County, Florida, United States
| ||
|---|---|---|
| Cities |
|
|
| Towns |
| |
| Village |
| |
| CDPs |
| |
| Unincorporated communities |
| |
| Ghost towns |
| |
| Footnotes | ‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties | |
| ||
27°51′29″N 81°22′29″W / 27.858079°N 81.374798°W / 27.858079; -81.374798
This article about a location in Polk County, Florida is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. |
