Abandoned Florida

09/03/2026

The Jackson Rooming House in Tampa this morning. After years of failed efforts to restore it, work is finally moving foward... hopefully.

The Jackson Rooming House was a historic boarding house that became an important refuge for Black travelers during the Jim Crow segregation era. Located near Tampa Union Station, the house was originally built around 1901 by Moses and Sarah Jackson and was eventually expanded into a roughly 24-room boarding house. Because Black travelers were often denied lodging at white hotels and boarding houses, the Jackson House provided a safe and welcoming place for Black railroad workers, travelers, and entertainers to stay. It became closely connected to Tampa’s historic Central Avenue business and entertainment district, and famous performers such as Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, James Brown, Count Basie, and Cab Calloway are known to have stayed there. The Jackson family operated the rooming house for generations before the business eventually closed. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 2007 because of its importance to Tampa’s Black history. Today, the Jackson House is especially significant because it is one of the few remaining physical reminders of Tampa’s historic Black community and the segregation-era businesses that once surrounded the area.

08/31/2026

Regency Square Mall in Jacksonville, Florida, once stood as one of the most successful and thriving retail hubs in the nation after opening its doors in 1967. Originally anchored by major department stores like JCPenney and May Florida, the complex underwent a massive $30 million expansion in the 1980s to double its size, adding Sears, a food court, and a movie theater. However, the 1990s and 2000s brought severe challenges, as rising local crime rates and shiny new shopping centers like St. Johns Town Center siphoned away traffic, leading to plummeting occupancy and the departure of major brand names.

After years under ownership plagued by maintenance issues, roof leaks, and legal disputes, the mall's long decline reached its end when the main interior officially closed in June 2025. Today, the site is slated for demolition to clear the path for a new mixed-use community named The Nexus at Regency, which will transform the historic retail footprint into modern housing, office space, and retail units.

https://abandonedfl.com/regency-square-mall/

08/30/2026

This weekend, Saturday and Sunday, I will be peddling art prints, antiques, and oddities at this year's Tabernacle of Oddities in Tampa at the Cuban Club. There's gonna be food, vendors, music, and a showing of Gummo in the theater with special guests Jacob Reynolds and Nick Sutton. I've been busy getting everything ready and hope to see you all there!

Sept 5th 12-8pm
Sept 6th 12-6pm

2010 N Avenida Republica de Cuba, Tampa, FL 33605

08/26/2026

These underground tunnels in Jacksonville run underneath the old Union Station, now the Prime F. Osborn III Convention Center. Even though the station has since been renovated, the tunnels which were built to bring passengers safely under the platforms to board trains on far tracks, have been buried and forgotten. Each platform had its own ramp which connected with the main tunnel which led to the main building.

The University of Florida currently has plans to turn the former train station, now the Prime Osborn Convention Center, into a graduate campus. As part of the deal, a new platform will be added, allowing the relocation of the city's Amtrak station and bringing passengers back to this historic landmark. As far as I know, the tunnels will remain buried.

08/20/2026

The River Preserve is an abandoned condo development in Sebastian, Fla., where tragedy occurred a few weeks ago. On the evening of August 8, 2026, a 16-year-old girl died after falling through a hole in the roof of one of the abandoned four-story buildings while trespassing with a group of her friends. Having fallen nearly 30 feet onto concrete, the girl was flown to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne, where she later died due to her injuries. This is a tragic and increasingly common incident happening at abandoned properties throughout the country, and I will reiterate, not trespass onto these properties, not only due to the legal ramifications, but also due to the serious dangers and severe safety hazards these places pose.

08/19/2026

Built in 1911 for lumber and turpentine magnate John Wesley Dutton, this Classical Revival home featured Corinthian columns, tiered verandas, and exotic woodwork. Over the decades, it evolved from a grand family mansion into the Griffith-Stith Funeral Parlor, later becoming the Colonial Guest Home and apartment rooms for visiting tourists.

After falling into disrepair and facing potential demolition in the 1990s, local preservationists fought to save it. UPDATE: Thankfully, a new owner stepped in and began proper steps towards its restoration, with construction nearly complete. Thank you all for the updates!

https://abandonedfl.com/john-dutton-house/

08/18/2026

While not in Florida, this is a tragic reminder of why urban exploration carries real danger. A teenager recently fell to their death after entering an abandoned high-rise in New Orleans. Venturing into these decaying structures poses a severe risk of serious injury or death. Stay safe, everyone.

NOPD Superintendent Anne Kirkpatrick and Deputy Mayor Michael Harrison said a group of teens were inside the building and coming down a stairway when tragedy struck.

08/18/2026

Long before modern funeral homes existed in Jacksonville, the story began in 1851 with a man named Calvin Oak. Diagnosed with tuberculosis and given just six months to live, Oak moved his family from Vermont to Florida, hoping the sunny climate would heal him. Not only did he survive another 30 years, but he became one of the city’s most prominent figures, building Jacksonville’s first gun factory, opening a jewelry shop on Bay Street, and establishing the city's first mortuary business in 1856 alongside his son, Byron.

Local legend has it that Calvin used to stand at the docks when steamboats arrived from Charleston. Holding a tall rod, he would gauge the height of incoming passengers from afar to estimate coffin sizes for anyone he suspected wouldn’t make it through the winter, having their caskets constructed ahead of their death.

His business laid the foundation for what eventually became the Moulton & Kyle Funeral Home.

https://abandonedfl.com/moulton-kyle-funeral-home/

08/17/2026

Thanks to the popularity of last week's post, here is a bit more history on the Crystal Ice House in Pensacola!

According to Guy Spearman's son, this station was built in 1940 and was likely modeled after an ice cream parlor in Birmingham, Alabama, where Spearman grew up. (Note: The historical photo included here isn't a Crystal Ice station, but rather the Polar Bear Ice Cream Shop in Birmingham. Notice the polar bear atop the building, which was also a feature of the Crystal Ice Company stations.)

Along with the Crystal Ice Company, Spearman founded the Spearman Brewing Company right next to the main ice manufacturing plant on Government Street. The idea came following the end of Prohibition in 1933; shortly after Spearman became a local distributor for Budweiser and Schlitz, he was one of the few places in the area equipped to properly store draft b**r.

While the brewery has since been demolished, the old ice manufacturing plant still stands abandoned at the corner of Government and Barrancas. The Crystal Ice House on Davis Highway, however, remains one of the final visual remnants of Spearman's local legacy.

https://abandonedfl.com/crystal-ice-house/

08/14/2026

A lot of you have been reaching out about safe, public places to explore, and can't recommend Fort Pickens within the Gulf Islands National Seashore enough. Entrance to the park is $25 per vehicle.

Designed by French engineer Simon Bernard and constructed between 1829 and 1834, this massive pentagonal fort was built using more than 21.5 million bricks. Despite its location in the deep South, Fort Pickens held a vital place in the American Civil War by remaining under Union control for the entire conflict—making it one of only four Southern forts that never fell to Confederate forces.

As the decades progressed, the fort served diverse roles and continuously adapted to changing military needs. From 1886 to 1887, the famous Apache leader Geronimo and several of his warriors were held captive within its brick walls. Later, during the Endicott Era and into World War II, the structure was modernized with concrete gun batteries and reinforced bunkers to defend Pensacola Bay against potential threats, including German U-boats.