Parmalee, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Parmalee, Florida
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 Parmalee, Florida
Location in Florida
Parmalee, Florida
Location in the United States
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| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| Counties | Manatee |
| Elevation | 66 ft (20 m) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area code(s) | 941 |
| GNIS feature ID | 294880 |
Parmalee, Florida was once a small community in Manatee County, Florida. It was a stop along the East and West Coast Railway. Today, the area is mostly undeveloped or used for farming. You can find where Parmalee used to be near the intersection of Betts Road and State Road 70.
Contents
What Was Parmalee, Florida?
Parmalee was a very small community that existed for a short time. It was never a big town. It served as a stop for trains traveling on the East and West Coast Railway. This railway connected different parts of Florida.
When Was Parmalee Established?
Parmalee was started in 1915. It was created to be a stop on the new railway line. The railway ran between two other places called Verna and Myakka City.
What Did Parmalee Have?
Even though it was small, Parmalee had a few important things. In 1917, a post office opened there. This meant people could send and receive mail. The community also had a rice mill and a grist mill. These mills helped process crops. There was also one store and a storehouse.
How Did Parmalee Make Money?
The main business in Parmalee was the lumber industry. A company called Updegraff Lumber Company had a mill there. They cut down trees and processed wood. This was the most important way the community earned money.
Why Did Parmalee Disappear?
Parmalee's time as a distinct community was short. Changes in land ownership and local development led to its decline.
The Land Sale in 1926
In 1926, the lumber company, which was then called Roux-Askew Lumber, sold a large piece of land. This land included the area where Parmalee was located. The buyer was a group from New York City called the Constructive Agricultural Syndicate. This group cleared the land. They then divided it into many smaller farming lots.
Parmalee's Post Office Closes
Just a few months after the big land sale, the post office in Parmalee closed down. Without the post office, the name "Parmalee" was used less and less. The area slowly became part of the nearby town of Myakka City, which was growing. Today, Parmalee is known as a "ghost town" because it no longer exists as a separate community.
