ILLAHAW |
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NAME: Illahaw COUNTY: Osceola ROADS: 2WD GRID: 3 CLIMATE: hot in summer, moderate to cold otherwise BEST TIME TO VISIT: anytime |
COMMENTS:
Approximately 10 miles north of Kenansville along 441. About a mile further up the road the town name lives on in Forever Florida as Camp Illahaw, a horse and adventure camp for teens. REMAINS: railroad substation building, cemetery, possibly more on private property |
Illahaw was a small turpentine community with a station along the Florida East Coast Railroad Kissimmee Valley Extension. The name comes from the Indian word Yalaha, meaning �orange�. The Consolidated Land and Naval Stores Company owned and ran a turpentine operation in town. Illahaw�s post office opened in 1923, and in 1932 the town had an arsenic cattle dip vat to help combat the spread of cattle ticks, a major concern in those days. As the trees in the area were cut down the turpentine business wound to a close and the town began to disappear. In 1935 the post office closed, with the nearby community of Nittaw accepting Illahaw�s mail delivery. By the time the railroad service ended in 1947 Illahaw was a ghost town. Reportedly there is an Illahaw cemetery (also referred to as Tracy cemetery) somewhere near the town however have not been able to locate it. Submitted by: Jim Pike |
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