Chetwynd

Florida's ghost towns are railroad towns Flagler built, 1920s land-boom subdivisions that busted, and phosphate and turpentine camps.

Chetwynd is a ghost town in Lake County, Florida just north of Fruitland Park, Florida. It was settled in 1883 by a group of British land company run by Granville Bryan Chetwynd-Stapylton, who was twenty-two years old at the time. The majority of settlers were English bachelors, sons of landed gentry, who came to make their fortune by growing and selling citrus. The Great Freeze resulted in the town being abandoned by many settlers. All that remains of the town is the Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Fruitland Park founded in 1886.

The on-the-ground condition of Chetwynd is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Chetwynd is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.