Florida Roadside Attractions & Abandoned Places - 1920s General Store of Green Swamp & Gator Creek!

[Music] on this episode of Florida roadside attractions and abandoned places we begin along Kathleen Road here on the north side of Lakeland North End of P County Beyond this freshly plowed field this old farmhouse what a Beauty look at that old Florida structure the sun hidden it just right I see a lot of no trespassing signs all the way around the property so we can't really approach but you can't sit here and admire all the old woodwork several of the windows and doors wide open and it looks like on the other side there's an old barn there's a no trespassing sign on this power pole it looks like it may still have power also getting very Texas Chainsaw Massacre Vibes oh big [Music] truck saw this thing and definitely just had to stop and take a look I bet it's awesome on the inside too ooh that sun feels great Kathleen area Historical Society established 1991 8950 North Campbell Road including all these local communities check this out not open or at least open right now Kathleen area Historical Society Heritage Park gates are closed but we can take a peek inside looks like there's just a building over to the right and then several things out here like an old wooden choo choo tray and out Beyond it Beyond those trees there's a couple other things it's a nice little Park I'm sure they have a lot of community events out here and I was about to leave and then I looked over and I saw this 25 years of spaghetti suppers they make spaghetti out here I'm going to have to check that out and right across the street from the Kathleen Historic Society this beautiful Old Brick Church this is the bethl Baptist Church there's also a cemetery to the left the sun hit it and it gleamed over at me and I looked over I'm like wow that's a beautiful building and I was about to leave this church parking lot when I noticed this historic sign here not only called Kathleen this area called Socrum and it was settled in the 1800s by folks from Georgia and the Carolinas I'm going to paraphrase this it looks like they used to sit in old schoolhouse here before the church this church was built in the 1920s the settlers have been coming to socram since the early 1800s it also talks about uh Native Americans living here this Pond which you can't see I'll show you in a second right down here in this Ravine there's a pond it's called Indian Pond and it talks about the seminal Nation utilizing the pond and being here among the settlers back in the 1800s it looks like SRM was founded um in 1861 one heck of a fishing hole down here I believe this is Indian Pond I noticed a lot of uh no swimming no fishing no trespassing signs around it I'm sure there's a ton of alligator in there oh yeah there's several signs down here alligators and snakes in this area I see a lot of ripples in the water I may have spooked a couple of those Critters and now I stand before the entrance of Gator Creek Reserve just on the south side of green swamp 9725 US Highway 98 figured this would be a good spot to start officially begin the video Welcome welcome back to Florida roadside attractions and abandoned places happy New Year everyone just a couple days a brand new one a brand new year 2024 wow how fast did this year go today I'm exploring the green swamp right here in the heart of Central Florida there's a big Green Park I say green referencing the map if you look on your map go just above north of Lakeland in Florida of course this is Florida and you'll see a giant Park called green swamp there's a couple things I want to do here today we're going to experience nature maybe we'll see some alligators but the ultimate goal is to head up to a small town or a small area in green swamp called richlum The richm General Store is a Roadside Attraction I have been dying to visit for the past five maybe six years now it's been on my list and I've been putting it off but today is the day you're going to see an old timey 1920s General Store that is active and uh maybe we'll get some lunch there maybe we'll get some food I don't know we're going to see it when we get there I'm so stoked for that but you're going to see that today in this video I want to thank you all again for watching can't express that enough tomorrow I will be releasing a very very special video a project I've been working on for the last couple weeks I'm releasing that video tomorrow so I just want to announce that and inv you to come on back if it's your first time here subscribe below hit the notification Bell you'll get a notification of that video I just mentioned tomorrow on New Year's Eve but for now let's go hiking there's much ahead guys let's begin and We Begin by checking out this park Gator Creek Reserve it looks like this is part of the green swamp Wildlife Corridor looks like they have some complimentary maps in here I'll take one there we are right there there's a star so this park just this small portion the southeast portion of green swamp right here by the end of the video we'll be way up there North that direction it looks like there's several Trails out here Cypress Loop Piney Wood Trail tortoise Trail Gator Creek Loop and deer run trail Deer Run is almost 3 miles I think I'm going to take the Gator Creek Loop it's the purple Mark Trail it's about a mile 3/4 of a mile and it goes across Gator Creek Canal that might be cool to see and so the adventure begins I'm just going to walk until I find the purple Trail it's so quiet out here it's the way I like it smile here on tree Camp camera check it out so a little ways back on that trail a little back in the woods there's more signs and also the beginning of pineywood Trail and it also points the way to Cypress loop trail this is Piney Wood Trail that looks fun I believe I find the gator Loop by going that way and thankfully I didn't get too far cuz I just realized I forgot my spare camera batteries in my car so we'll pick up right here I'm going to go grab those batteries not too far you can kind of make out the parking lot through the trees there whoops okay got my batteries back to where we left off going to head up this Loop here all right I think I'm looking at this map entirely wrong so this is the loop I'm on not going to get to where I need to go going in a circle so I'm going to go back and go to the big main trail whoopsie so the Piney Wood Trail looks like a shortcut over to the main Loop nice little Trail I like how they have these 4x4s to the left and to the right of the pathway oh look at that just shortly over there's the main trail f found it you are here this map here nicely colorcoded so we got to walk down the yellow Trail to get to the purple Trail I really just want to see Gator Creek which is right here we don't have to do the whole thing but as you can see this park is huge this is a beautiful walk back here and it's very quiet I'm all alone kind of creepy but definitely fun now at Trail marker 2 which was not a bad walk at all this is where tortoise Trail runs into Piney Wood Trail that ways tortoise Trail we're going to continue down Piney wood another map there in case you lost your way I'd say we're about a third of the way there here we come Gator Creek so peaceful out here so relaxing see what they call it the Pine Loop just doing a 360 for you you can hear the road noise way off in the distance but other than that dead quiet just the way I like it Trail marker number seven lucky number seven the first sign of Gator Loop Straight Ahead Piney wood continues to the left also this is just like a four-way stop here this is the way I came that's to the right that way to Gator Creek Gator Loop and that's Piney wood I know I have to show these stickers right some really cool ones I like them and I'm not so sure but I think I think this might be Gator Creek not so well it's not what I was thinking I would see this is definitely a creek not too much water flowing let me let me double check let me walk a little further this way but on the map it seems like you know what this isn't it false alarm there would be a trail to my right if it were it's got to be ahead aha much ahead okay so this right here this is Gator Creek not much different this one dry too this would be the south side and then over here would be the north side not a lot of water flowing through the swamp right now I hear something like way out there sounds like dogs barking and there is the beginning of Gator Creek Loop all right it's kind of hoping we might see some alligator but I don't think we're going to see any alligator there's not much water but still a beautiful walk and great exercise out here but before I start that 3/4 of a mile walk back just wanted to show you these Palm Meadows and these Pines this is so beautiful check that out there you go so you can take it all in thanks for watching guys there's still much to see and do beautiful I love Florida this Florida and look at these ducks as I was exiting the park over to the ride of the exit the driveway I saw this B of water and all these ducks just thought I'd stop to give you a look hello duckies hello and I don't seem to be a bother right now they're just like oh another human this is so cool trying to keep warm it's cold out here these two here all snuggled up looks like they're smooching where you guys smooching I swear I just saw you Smooch oh there he went again for it if you take a screenshot it'll last longer did you get it these ducks do not give a darn I could get so close I'm not going to get closer than this though don't want to scare them but they don't mind me here good thing I don't mind them and now headed north on 98 up here on the right we're going to enter Marine swamp there's a road that runs 30 miles right down the center North and South we'll actually exit P County and just a few miles north of 98 along 471 North which Cuts right through the heart of the green swamp right down the middle it's about a 30 m stretch stopped here just to show you Colt Creek State Park the entry that way going to save that for another time that looks like a cool Park just wanted to stop here and show you before we get back on 471 and head to Richland says it's about a 22 minute drive and a very Scenic [Music] Drive Suter County Highway 788 right here in the heart of the with Luchi state forest now/ green swamp that way that dirt road that will take us straight to the General Store I stopped popped over here this sign right here Florida bass Conservation Center in richm state fish hatchery I think I'm going to check this out and check this out out beyond the sign right out here in the trees an abandoned structure whoa I love this didn't think I'd see this today hello is anyone home take a Peak oh wow looks like there's some sort of a scale in here this must have been an old way house check it out old scale I think that's the scale yeah Fairbanks mores yeah this is an old scale whoa abandon scale house in the middle of green swamp some good weather up there okay still got the glass in the window there you can hear there's Highway 471 North right there this looks like the old entryway to the [Music] scale that's so cool yeah right before the fish hat I can now cross off abandoned scale house in the middle of the woods never thought I'd see one of those oh wow there's a giant complex back here check it out welcome to the Florida bass Conservation Center okay might as well go take a look Florida bass Conservation Center at richm state fish hatchery so the Hatchery is all the ponds around here this is the Conservation Center visitor parking 9 to3 wow this is a big building let's do it several birds flying up there above the Hatchery building or the bass Conservation Center visitor entrance past the visitor parking over to the right as you can see I'm the only visitor here at the moment Florida bass Conservation Center I have no idea what I'm about to get into the adrenaline is till 11: I'm excited no office will be closed the 25th and 26th and also the 29th which is today first and second well done take a peek in the window oh this looks fun okay much ahead guys I will come back I will come back what an oasis of bass back up at 471 and 788 right across the street here I'll be sure it'll look both ways but down that road check it down that dirt Gravel Road is where we're going that should lead us to the Richland General Store more of a sand dirt road check it oh yeah beautiful out here someone left a wheelchair what you don't want to go too fast down this road reminds me of the road that Chris the girl and I took last uh winter in the Everglades a lot of gators don't know if there's any Gators out here just going slowly down this road noticing a lot of Hunter orange I think there's a lot of hunters out here I think they're hunting with a bow see some up ahead there see the orange yeah hunting this is a beautiful drive looks like a campsite over here here look at that little camper cool and for you map heads out there like me this is richm clayy Road it runs right in to the general store oh there's a motorcycle joy riding that looks fun richm this is the site of former Schroeder land and Timber Company Clubhouse John Schroeder owner of the sltc purchased large tracks of land in Hernando and Pasco counties including the area later known as richm built around 1916 the clubhouse served with both the company headquarters and the home of its Foreman Lucius Sydney Sid Brenson while sltc used much of its land for logging and turpentine production other parts were sold to the phosphate Farmers the company brought buyers to the area on a train nicknamed the goat there's the road I just drove down saw the sign this is the beginning of the richm trail head through the forest some picnic tables over here just to set this up you can see right through there you see that Red Roof looks very busy over there that is the richm general store that's where we're headed also I see a tower over here looks like a Florida forestry Tower see one sec yeah there you go observation tower you can make it out right there like to climb up there but that's a great view okay I'm going to get back in my car we're headed to the store looks like there's a lot of people stopping to do the same thing richm General Store 38219 is the ad address this is so cool a lot of Americana stuff going on which I love Dr Pepper machine several folks stopping got a nice sign over here let's take a look this is a functioning Dr Pepper bottle machine it looks like we have to go inside and buy a token to access this but first I just want to show you they got Coke Dr Pepper Frosty uh herbs we've got RC Cola Double Cola Mountain Dew all kinds of flavors my dad actually used to have an old Pepsi bottle machine like this in our garage we made it work off of pennies looks like it's 250 today old 10 signs on the 10 facade the wall before the main doors got some moon pie also decorated for Christmas yeah there's an old RC Cola advertisement up there next to the doctor every one 10 to 4 all right I just came inside the doors check this out welcome back in time holy cow all kinds of goods sweets snacks things to look at you got barrels full of pickles no way this reminds me of Big Top peee there's pickles in there whoa so cool and looks like this is also the Richland Florida post office off love that the old music SP ooh old rock candy to get some of that for Chris the girl that's her favorite yeah there you go shout out to Mark M they've got your boiled peanuts my friend they've got Cajun and regular look at this yummy several homemade cantens hanging here for sale like this one it's made out of some sort of a gourd in the far back wall soda galora a lot of oldfashioned sodas pick your favorite see some dad's root beer over there red ribbon soda really liking the soda over here this is cool I quit soda the beginning of this year but I might make an exception for being here at the Richland General store I might have to take advantage of that Dr Pepper machine for nostalgic purposes I might I might bend the rules today hey everyone gets a cheat day right ooh some cream soda there cane sugar old fashion candy jars looks like uh candy is 75 cents an ounce all kinds of stuff thank looks like they have antique cookware dishes plates pans cast iron it's like a blacksmith made that yeah cast iron skillets Hershey's chocolate whoa also some more candy over here some canned goods look Richland General Store sweet pickle relish they have their own canned goods smoked bacon country ham free range eggs looks like there's one left $3 a dozen oh wow one egg I don't know what I'd do with one egg I guess I'd fry it right all kinds of things in here blankets we've got old razors pocket watches we've got Orange Blossom looks like orange blossom honey there those are gel candles those are gel candles oh okay I see it now swamp shine that burns 100 hours wow I might have to pick one of these out smells great going to take this home to somewhere some homemade hatchets candles got utensils Fork butter knife spoon they got it all here even homemade soap yep I make the soap you make the soap mhm okay all right so here's a photo right next to the cash register which is awesome looking by the way look at that I thing I think it still works huh it does MHM that's the building we're standing in let me oh it's out of focus there you go it's Focus now that's the building we're standing in what year was this this this picture was taken in 1940 but the building's in 1928 oh wow that's the train depot there so cool they even have toys in here for the kids oh wow check out the cowboy guitar also a Hawaiian ukulele oldfashioned bike Bell bike horn we've got an old Ant Farm who had an ant farm I did and look at this adorable looking tea set in the picn ni Basket oldfashioned store oldfashioned toys duck on bike saw some ducks earlier not on a bike though beans in a barrel yep there's real beans in there Great Northern beans Navy beans black ey peas oo I need those for New Year's Eve I'm going to grab some of those or New Year's Day and cranberry beans so as a tradition in my family to always eat black ey peas cabbage and something else that's escaping me can't remember I'll have to text Mom going to fill up a bag here you know I was going to go to the store later today and get some blackeyed peas everything happens for a reason I think one more cou will do it actually we'll just fill it up why not who I missed man this is fun can't remember the last time I filled a bag full of beans this might be this might be it they're also selling hand dipped ice cream they got waffle cones cake cones an oldfashioned cup do they have my favorite in there ooh it kind of looks like it Superman no it's just vanilla but same thing vanilla love it birthday cake ooh yeah birthday cake shop and dine richm General Store at Florida's famous historical store in Cajun Southern Restaurant there's a restaurant around here at the corner 30150 okay we'll have to check that out so this was the original sign hanging in the Richland post office and this came out of it too this probably this letter sort oh this is the actual post office this is so oh someone's wanted here I think her name was Dina Nicholas and a giant barrel full of coffee oh that smells so good so this is the coffee grinder where you can actually grind the beans after you pick them out of the barrel you said1 1873 mhm that's amazing we you put them in the top there yes that comes off and then it grinds there and it falls in the bottom okay there's the handle right there grind your coffee 75 cents an ounce you can get the full experience here this is so cool behind the candy here it's an old fireplace with a radio that's where the it sounds like that's where oh the music's coming from that radio uhhuh that's so cool decorated for [Music] Christmas General Store all right so I'm going to pick out my pickle got the tongs got the paper we got the barrel go with in this always makes me think Peewee big top peewee when he gets the pickle at the General Store caught a good one whoa that's a big pickle checking out the store here I'm going to buy my token to get a soda out of the vending machine in the back nice sticker this is a great experience all right I got my coin this is the coin they gave me this is 250 I just pop it in here right there and then I mash down the lever and I pick my soda haven't done this in a long time insert oh decisions decisions I think I'm going to go with an RC got it there we go hey I wonder if they have moon pies inside H see if I can get it oh almost had it there went ah what oh and I just saw that sign over there I'm going to read that as soon as I'm done with my pickle it's hard to hold a camera a pickle and an RC Cola oh my gosh all right first bite that's a good pickle I got a pickle I got a pickle I got a pickle hey hey hey hey for not drinking soda for a while RC Cola really hits the spot several folks coming and going enjoying the Americana this beautiful gym out here I can see this is uh a good spot to stop for several motorcyclists tourist really enjoyed it old gas pumps there on the left and the right I check out the history on that sign in 1921 the Atlantic coastline decided to relocate its Depot in Riverland to Richland soon after in 1922 postmaster Lucius Sydney Sid Brinson remember that name moved the Riverland post office to the growing community of Richland and open the General Store at the 20s where a chaotic time in Richland the 1926 Pasco County deputy sheriff William oerry was shot and killed east of the store while attempting to arrest Charles Davis a worker at the local turpentine still over the theft of a dog and I was reading on the sign and I also was chatting with the young lady that worked in the store the Brinson family is the current owner of the store and they've owned it all of these years and they have reopened this in 2016 so not too long ago the store was reopened very cool spot this is one of my favorites here on this series a Florida roadside attractions and abandoned places this is what you're hoping to find down every road in America when you're out exploring this is so cool really glad I could come here today and enjoy it and also support a small business I bought a lot of goods inside and uh yeah so thanks for having us out here and if you want to come check it out it's not too far off of Highway 75 Interstate 75 and I4 out here in the middle of with Luchi green swamp area so come check them out get a pickle get a RC Cola or whatever you want as you saw inside have fun tell him Tampa J sent you going to miss this place I'll be back look forward to stopping here every now and then just to check back in all done almost forgot to show this gas pump not full of gas still cool to see City service oils Richland General Store right there's the logo there's two pumps one on either side so yeah this was in fact the post office and the old General Store it's been here for over a 100 years and recycling that was good very popular spot a lot of people coming and going as they should that's why they call it a Roadside Attraction this is a fun one all right Richland see you next time a lot of motorcyclists today warning live honeybees apiary lease location W Fisher B Farm no trespassing all right we won't go too far but I stopped here right before you can see the truck up there 471 North going to make a right head back to the Tampa Bay Area across the way that wheelchair just kind of left out here I thought that'd be a good spot to end it not gonna lie it's kind of comfy thanks for watching Florida roadside attractions and abandoned places I am Tampa J and I love exploring the back roads of Florida the nooks and crannies today Richland we started off down south towards Lakeland was a great day the weather was great got some exercise and we got to hang out happy New Year everyone I'll see you tomorrow I have a very special video dropping tomorrow on New Year's Eve and I hope to see you all there thanks for watching this one give it a thumbs up subscribe below come on back know you're awesome know you're loved no matter who you are what you're going through just know that there's always much ahead bye guys be safe out there drink responsibly make sure you get an Uber if you go out and party please be safe I have to say that cuz it's almost New Year's Eve I feel like I've heard that a lot lately which is smart be safe I don't know I'm just rambling now

Channel: Tampa Jay

Views: 13,383

Keywords: florida roadside attractions and abandoned places, lesser known Florida, Richloam general store, 1920s general store Florida, roadside America, abandoned, abandoned Florida, haunted house, biggest alligator, Green Swamp Florida, Florida Wildlife, Old time general store near me, explore, travel, vlog, tampa jay, Ghost towns in Florida, Florida ghost town, Abandoned places, old Florida, Abandoned factory, green swamp skunk ape, Sumter county Florida, Forgotten town, Scary, home

Id: GUFy4FPJ13M

Length: 34min 11sec (2051 seconds)

Published: Sat Dec 30 2023