Croom, Florida facts for kids

Croom, also known as Pemberton Ferry, is a ghost town in Central Florida. It's located near Brooksville, Florida, and Ridge Manor, Florida. A ghost town is a place where people used to live and work, but now it's mostly empty or has very few people. Croom became a rail stop in 1884. It was right by the Withlacoochee River. Today, you can find this spot just north of where the I-75 bridge crosses Croom-Rital Road and the Withlacoochee State Trail.

What is Croom Today?

The Croom area is now part of the beautiful Withlacoochee State Forest. It's also home to the 20,000-acre Croom Wildlife Management Area. This means it's a protected natural space.

You can still find many interesting things in Croom from its past:

• The old Thomas House, built around 1900.
• Foundations of old buildings.
• A brick vat, which was like a large container.
• Parts of an old iron railroad bridge.
• Family cemeteries.
• Pits from when people used to mine for phosphate.

Today, Croom is a popular place for outdoor activities. People enjoy turkey hunting and riding mountain bikes on the single-track trails.

A Look Back: Croom's History

Croom, or Pemberton Ferry, was once a busy place because of the river and the railroads.

River Travel and Trade

In 1886, people worked to clear the Withlacoochee River. This made it easier for boats to travel all the way to Pemberton Ferry. This helped move goods and people.

The Post Office Years

Croom had its own post office. It was open from 1902 until 1935. This shows that many people lived and worked there during those years.

The Railroad's Role

Railroads were very important for Croom. The town was on the west coast route of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. This line went all the way to Tampa. Croom had its own train station. A special branch line also went from Croom to Brooksville. An iron bridge in the area was a trestle bridge. It was used by trains carrying logs from the forests.

Industries in Croom

Many different businesses operated in Croom. These included:

• A turpentine still, which made products from pine trees.
• A sawmill for cutting timber.
• A sugar mill.
• A railroad switch out, where trains could change tracks.
• The railroad bridge and a ferry for crossing the river.

These industries helped the town grow and thrive for a time.

Nearby Oriole

Just south of Croom, also within the Withlacoochee State Forest, is another ghost town called Oriole. An old cemetery from the Oriole settlement can still be found there today.