Sumica

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

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. 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.

The on-the-ground condition of Sumica 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 Sumica 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 Sumica is roughly 27.8581, -81.3748 — 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.