Sumica, alternatively written as SUMICA, was a mill town in

Polk County, Florida Polk County is located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. The county population was 725,046, as of the 2020 census. Its county seat is Bartow, and its largest city is Lakeland. Polk County comprises the Lakeland–Winter Ha ...

. The

ghost town Ghost Town(s) or Ghosttown may refer to: * Ghost town, a town that has been abandoned Film and television * Ghost Town (1936 film), ''Ghost Town'' (1936 film), an American Western film by Harry L. Fraser * Ghost Town (1956 film), ''Ghost Town'' ...

is commemorated by a historical marker off S.R. 60. There is also a Southwest Florida Water Management District preserve in the area named for the former logging settlement and mill town. Goods from a company store in the town could be purchased with company issued currency, including 25 cent and 5 cent scrip. Sumica was developed to exploit the

long leaf pine The longleaf pine (''Pinus palustris'') is a pine species native to the Southeastern United States, found along the coastal plain from East Texas to southern Virginia, extending into northern and central Florida. In this area it is also known as ...

and slash pine forests in the area. Sumica had rail built to bring timber to its mill and was connected by rail lines to turpentine factories. The railway connected to a

Seaboard Airline Railway The Seaboard Air Line Railroad , which styled itself "The Route of Courteous Service," was an American railroad which existed from April 14, 1900, until July 1, 1967, when it merged with the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, its longtime rival, t ...

branch line. "Sumica" is an acronym for the French company Société Universelle des Mines, Industrie Commerce et Agriculture. The company built the town's sawmill and turpentine plant.Sumica historical marker A Sumica post office was opened on March 19, 1917. Sumica included 50 houses, a commissary, church, and school. The

Kissimmee River Railway Kissimmee River Railway was an American single-track standard gauge steam rail line in Polk County, Florida stretching 7.26 miles from Walinwa to Nalaca, an area that developed with logging, sawmill, and turpentine industries. The rail line exten ...

, a branch line of the

served the area with service to

Walinwa Walinwa was a community by Lake Weohyakapka, Florida. The lake's name is translated as walk-in-water, and the settlement's name is a condensed form of those English words. Turpentine was produced in the area. In 1910, a Seaboard Air Line Railroa ...

on Lake Weohyakapka and Nalaca in Highlands County. The area was

deforested Deforestation or forest clearance is the removal of a forest or stand of trees from land that is then converted to non-forest use. Deforestation can involve conversion of forest land to farms, ranches, or urban use. The most concentrated d ...

by 1927 and abandoned. Some foundation ruins remain in the area. A hiking trail is located in the area.

References

Ghost towns in Florida Former populated places in Polk County, Florida {{PolkCountyFL-geo-stub