Hawkinsville

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

The Hawkinsville and Florida Southern Railway (H&FS) was founded in 1896 and by 1901 was operating 43 miles (69 km) of track from Hawkinsville to Worth, Georgia, United States, where it connected with the Georgia Southern and Florida Railroad. It also operated a 15-mile (24 km) line between Davisville and Fitzgerald, Georgia. In 1907, a portion of the H&FS was leased to the Gulf Line Railway However, in 1913, the H&FS took over operations and fully absorbed the Gulf Line resulting in a line from Hawkinsville to Camilla, Georgia. In 1922, the H&FS went bankrupt.

The on-the-ground condition of Hawkinsville 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 Hawkinsville 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.