A government surveyor R.B. Ker discovered a lake on his birthday in 1835 he called it Lake Kerr. While surveying the area the Seminoles took shots at this surveying party chasing him back to Fort King for protection which is present Ocala today. Located 6 miles from the St. Johns River the settlement was platted in 1884.

The site was once a cotton plantation during the civil war which eventually was evolved into citrus crops. When the town grew it was one of the largest towns in the area. It had boasted a newspaper called the Ker City Advertiser, a dentist, saw mill, hotel, doctor, civil engineer, post office, cemetery, and one of the first Texaco Stations in the State Of Florida in 1925. It also had roughly 200 people living here along the beautiful Lake Kerr.  It had 26 blocks with over 250 acres of land! One of the first settlers to build a home was a Junis Terry a town doctor from Chicago and his wife which today is called the Lake Kerr House of 1885.

Kerr City became deserted when in 1894-95 the great freezes occurred. Unfortunately when these freezes happened across the county many other towns were deserted along with Kerr City. It is apparent that most probably left for Ocala abandoning their belongings even. But what makes a town become abandoned is it the vote of the people or is it the town that becomes so plagued that perhaps the Seminoles put a curse on the land which scared the settlers away. 

If you want to get deeper into the towns history the town had a hotel which was three stories high and was made out of virgin pine which is very flammable. The hotel eventually was burned down in 1907 due to arson. The post office operated until 1941 despite the town being abandoned. The founder of Kerr City George Smiley continued to live in Kerr City despite all his neighbors moving out.  He eventually bought all the abandoned surrounding properties around him and by 1955 his son Alfred owned all of Kerr City. Years ago their use to be a church and school which is gone most likely due to fire or vandalism. The old Texaco weigh and pump station is still here which pumps unleaded gasoline. It is the oldest Texaco Station in the state of Florida! Arthur Brennan which is Alfred's grandson is now the manager of the family holdings and town. He has renovated several of the homes with many of the antiques behind. The homes are even listed today on the National Register Of Historic Places.

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Although you can rent some of the old home sites, cottages or property in Lake Kerr the truth of the matter is I would not give this man one red cent. As harsh as it may sound our first investigation here we ran into alot of problems. We decided to drive into Kerr City pulling down the dirt road. We did not see any no trespassing signs at the town entrance it was real friendly with shady trees and historic sites. Also below you will read a news article below from the Ocala Banner-Star which technically in my opinion is a bunch of malarkey. But as you can see from the article it clearly welcomes visitors to take a ghost walk, drive around, check out the historical sites etc. There is nothing about trespassing it says please drive slowly when your passing through. 

Well anyhow point being we were visiting a few of the towns sites including the cemetery when Arthur Brennan was seen in my vehicle going through my glove box, back seat, and gear in my vehicle.  When I arrived back at the car my coffee was spilled, my bag was emptied out, glove box was left open and the truck  Brennan drives took on off. Well we finished off our investigation when he drove up to us swinging his cane accusing me of having an orgy in the cemetery. I did not even get a chance to say a word he blocked us in the town. So now he has is not only Vandal, Thief & Snoop he is also causing us criminal mischief. I went off roading and found a way out the sheriffs came and we remained unseen. Despite that Brennans finger prints were all over the inside of my vehicle the sheriffs would have not helped us in this matter. After what occurred to me near Christmas I did not want a repeat history.  They would have arrested us because we decided to visit a few historical sites listed in a public newspaper which stated that visitors are welcome to drive around.  

Sadly we were the victims in this matter not the cities owner. As the article states below many people visit Kerr City renting its cottages and looking for ghost. I would ass the community to reconsider cause its not the ghost you have to worry about its a nosey man that probably has snooped through many vacationers belongings. Yeah folks we got a real peeping tom anyhow with that said  I under that vandals and thieves have hurt this city but going ape at a bunch of paranormal investigators is ludicrous. 

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As you read in the history the town was once the site of a plantation. On these plantations deaths happen and in some cases some slaves were treated brutally. But even before the plantation or town was born it was an area full of Seminole Indians. It seems like the most populated Seminole land was areas eventually towns were built on, forts, houses etc and of course Kerr City is built on plantation and Indian ground so is it cursed? Haunted? Call it what you will its a really strange place. 

Many people that visit here have sighted ghost on the stairwells, odd creaks, footsteps, cold chills, and strange noises in some of the old cottages. Psychics who have visited here said that they there are spirits within the town. People have seen ghost here perhaps some keep coming back for the thrill of it all. I am sure what you need to be scared of lurks not inside but rather outside the town in such  a wooded secluded area. The cemetery which is very scattered containing many early settlers of Kerr City is said to be haunted by a girl named Grace a 19 year old buried here. We did not get to see to much of the cemetery due to Brennan searching our vehicle.  

There is ALOT of energy walking down the dirt roads here at night. You can see areas where once houses were and of course many historical structures like the Texaco Pump. I felt ghost here but I also felt something else close by Bigfoot? Panther? Something big and loud was moving just outside the town is their more to the story that the Brennan's are not sharing? Did something else scare these people out of this town? Or was it already destined to fail? and so we give you the cursed Kerr City (Ghost Town, Historic Site, Home To A Crazy Old Man, and Mystery)

 So we broke a few vacationers hearts PGS brings you the truth.....embrace your freedom and leave the land to the unseen!

Above Photos Courtesy Of Florida State Archieves & Mike Woodfin

Kerr City
Some believe the area is haunted

BY DINAH MARIE LECHNER
Neighbors Feature Correspondent

Arthur and Gwynne Brennan are permanent residents and care takers of Kerr City.

JAMES E. ZOLLMAN/SPECIAL TO THE STAR-BANNER

In 1884, Kerr City, the second town in Marion County, was platted. By 1905, it was deserted. What started out as a 205-acre, 26-block town bustling with nearly 100 people was nearly empty in 20 years.

Benjamin Swan, the founder, continued to winter in Kerr City until his wife became ill and the couple moved. Then Swan's sister, Lillian and her husband, George Smiley moved to Kerr City. After the bitter killing freezes of 1904-1905, Smiley began purchasing vacant land until his death in 1945. His son, Alfred Fletcher Smiley, continued buying property and by the time 1955 rolled around, the Smiley family owned the old town.

Today, Arthur Brennan, the great grandson of George Smiley has been entrusted with the family holdings. He and his wife, Gwynne, live on the property full time, as well as several other relatives.

Brennan enjoys taking his guests back in time. He explains, "The town in 1884 was complete with a hotel, sawmill, general store, pharmacy, school, church and a post office. This site had once been a cotton plantation, then later an area for growing orange trees."

He adds, "The hard freezes of 1904-1905 ended a way of life for those hardy folks. They had no choice but to move to other towns in order to make a living."

Beulah Avenue is the main street of this quaint town. Notables such as Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings have strolled down this path now covered with pine needles and oak leaves from trees possibly over 250 years old. Several of the town's people are buried in the cemetery on the outskirts.

Folks have whispered for years that the old wooden houses are "haunted." This doesn't seem to be a problem, as they still keep returning for vacations in Kerr City.

Each year the Brennans are given reports concerning the strange sounds heard in the old houses. Folks have claimed to see apparitions. Psychics report chills and feelings of other-world presence in certain parts of the town.

Some suspect that Grace, a girl of 19, who is buried in the cemetery, might still be looking for her family. Her grave, encircled with a rusted, ornate iron fence, is easily found.

Brennan has never seen or heard anything unusual. He credits the creaks and groans to simply old age in old wooden structures. He feels that nests of squirrels or mice would logically explain the scratching and squealing noises in the attics.

People from all over the world have come to stay in the cottages near the lake. Some are here just to see a ghost. For some a walk through the old two-story post office would conjure up visions of specters roaming down the stairs.

There are times that even Brennan has to admit that, just maybe, something other than earthly situations might be happening.

To enjoy a true trip to the past, come and visit Kerr City located off CR 316 between Salt Springs and Fort McCoy. In fact, as you stand on Beulah Avenue, you can actually feel and sense the history of this old town. Please drive slowly when entering. For more information call Arthur at 685-2557.