Osowaw Junction

Established in 1914 along the Florida East Coast Railroad’s Kissimmee Valley Extension, Osowaw—a Seminole word meaning “bird”—began as a thriving citrus community north of Fort Drum and just south of Jackass Crossing (home to the historic Desert Inn). Fueled by the railroad, the town grew steadily, even opening its own public school by 1921. However, when the rail line was abandoned, residents left in search of better opportunities, and Osowaw Junction faded into history, its name becoming little more than a footnote to nearby Yeehaw.

When I visited in 2011, local farmworkers told me that strong winds from a passing cold front had collapsed the old farmhouse, prompting the property owners to clear away the remaining ruins of the ghost town. Though nothing stands today, Osowaw Junction remains special to me as one of the first locations I photographed using my entry-level Nikon D40, which inspired me to start photographing similar locations all across the state. I still vividly recall that crisp night, the chill in the air, the thick webs of banana spiders clinging to the walls, and the distant howling of coyotes echoing through the citrus groves.