Ortona

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

Ortona is an unincorporated area and a populated place in Glades County, Florida. One of the area's attractions is the Ortona Indian Mound Park, which preserves part of the Ortona Prehistoric Village, and the hiking trail through that area. The prehistoric mounds, canoe canals and earthworks were constructed by Native Americans across a five-square-mile region along the north side of the Caloosahatchee River. The site is located on SR 78, north of LaBelle.

The on-the-ground condition of Ortona 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 Ortona 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. The mapped point for Ortona is roughly 26.8131, -81.3156 — use it as a starting point and cross-reference a current topographic map before leaving pavement.

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.