Fort Lonesome (Hillsborough County, Florida)
Hillsborough County · Florida
History & Significance
Fort Lonesome began as a remote location in southeastern Hillsborough County with naval stores and turpentine operations in the early 1900s. Between 1920 and the early 1930s, a steam-driven sawmill operated by F.M. Carter and H.P. Mickler drew workers and spurred commercial development.
By the 1930s, two competing general stores—one run by Gus Haywood and another by "Runt" Carter—served the community alongside a gas station. Settlers like Mrs. Keen built homes from recycled lumber and farmed cattle and vegetables, while children earned supplemental income picking strawberries.
The settlement earned its name in 1929 when a National Guardsman assigned to a Mediterranean fruit-fly inspection station allegedly posted a sign reading "Fort Lonesome," a wry comment on the post's isolation. The sawmill's destruction by fire in the late 1930s signaled the community's decline; most commercial enterprises closed, and the area reverted to scattered farmland.
Phosphate mining emerged in the late 1960s and early 1970s, transforming agricultural lands. Today the site remains unincorporated and sparsely developed, retaining a convenience store and power substation at the State Road 674 and County Road 39 intersection.
Key Facts
Map
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🧳 Visiting
What you’ll see when you visit:
- Rural historic community site in Hillsborough County
- Minimal visible ruins from early 1930s sawmill era
- Agricultural landscape typical of inland Florida
- Limited infrastructure; primarily accessed by locals
Sources
- https://www.floridastateparks.org/sites/default/files/inline-files/HILLSBOROUGH_COUNTY_Historic_Resources_Excerpts_Fort%20Lonesome.pdf
- https://www.floridamemory.com/items/show/274878
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fort_Lonesome,_Florida