MARION COUNTY, Fla. – An idea proposed well over a century ago nearly caused the Sunshine State to be split in half for a shipping shortcut.
The concept — which later came to be known as “Florida’s Folly” — was originally brought up in the early 1800s: A canal that would stretch across the state to help ships get from the Atlantic to the Gulf more easily.
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But experts at the time said it would be too costly and difficult to even attempt.
In the 1930s, then-President Franklin Roosevelt implemented his New Deal program, which consisted of several job programs nationwide.
One of those was the canal project, though funding ran out within a few years, and concerns about the economic and environmental impacts soon brought it to a close.
The idea again gained traction during the Cold War amid national security concerns, though it was ultimately shut down yet again after environmentalists and other opponents stifled it.
According to the Florida Historical Society, by the time Nixon stopped construction of the project in 1971, $75 million had been spent, and it was only about 28% completed.
While the idea was scrapped, the scars are still there — including several towering structures on a secluded path along “The Island” in Ocala.
“The Island” is actually a 10-acre stretch of wooded area between the northbound and southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 301 in Ocala, though thanks to the thick foliage, it’s difficult for many drivers to spot these structures as they pass by.
However, visitors who know where they’re going can park by the sheriff’s office and walk a short distance to the trail entrance, which is marked by a large sign.
This is the Historic Barge Canal Trail: a path spanning just under half a mile that was reopened in 2016 after being swamped by overgrowth for years.
Visitors wandering along the trail can find several stanchions from the 1930s (playfully dubbed “Florida’s own Stonehenge” by state archivists) meant to support a massive bridge that would have gone over the Cross Florida Barge Canal.
But the project only last about six months, and with these stanchions being to heavy to move and too expensive to get rid of, project managers decided to leave them in place.
Four stanchions total line the trail, with placards along the route providing guests with information about the site’s history and wildlife.
The stanchions easily dwarf any visitor to the trail, and guests can even walk underneath one of them to get a better sense of the scale.
The trail eventually tapers off into a dead end, forcing trailgoers to turn back to the entrance.
Along the way, peeks through the foliage give travelers plenty of glimpses of the highway as drivers pass by.
Just be careful not to run into one of the many large spiderwebs lining the path.
Interested in reading up on the other strange places and people from across Central Florida?
If so, check out News 6′s Florida Fables page by clicking here.
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