Pine Level

Florida's ghost towns are railroad towns Flagler built, 1920s land-boom subdivisions that busted, and phosphate and turpentine camps.

Pine Level is a ghost town in DeSoto County, Florida, United States. In 1866, the site of what became Pine Level was chosen as the new county seat of Manatee County to replace the village of Manatee (now the eastern section of Bradenton). Ostensibly Pine Level was chosen for its more central geographic location, but it may have been chosen to punish Manatee for its Confederate sympathies in the Civil War.

The on-the-ground condition of Pine Level is unverified — it's listed here with unknown status. That could mean standing buildings, or an empty field. Go prepared for either, and consider sharing what you find so the record improves.

Nobody has confirmed the access situation, so treat any visit as reconnaissance: verify land ownership first, and be ready to admire from the road.

Here's the honest truth: access to Pine Level is unverified. We couldn't confirm whether the site sits on public land, private property, or something in between — so verify land ownership and local rules before visiting, and respect private property at all times.

Ghost-town etiquette is simple: take only photographs. Removing artifacts is illegal on public lands and disrespectful everywhere else — and on federal land it can be a serious offense.