Exploring Florida’s Forgotten Ghost Highway: The Old Red Brick Road

Deep in the forests of Flagler and St. Johns counties lies a forgotten stretch of history. The Old Red Brick Road, also known as part of the original Dixie Highway, was once a bustling route for tourists in Model T Fords traveling to the tropical wilderness of Florida. Today, this 10-mile path is a ghost highway, offering a rugged journey into the past.

Photo byMichael Warren

The Legacy of the Dixie Highway

The Dixie Highway was an ambitious project created to connect cities from Chicago to South Florida. Led by Carl G. Fisher, who also built the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, the highway linked ten states through 5,000 miles of paved roads. In the early 1900s, this highway played a crucial role in trade, tourism, and transportation.

A Forgotten Treasure

This stretch of the Old Dixie Highway in Flagler County, completed in 1916, once saw hundreds of tourists each day. Model T’s and "Tin Can Trailers" would drive down the road, making their way to Florida’s exotic landscape. Today, much of the road is hidden under sand, with potholes marking its faded glory.

A Scenic Drive Through History

The Old Red Brick Road is narrow, only 9 feet wide, allowing just one car at a time. Driving this scenic route, you’ll pass miles of slash pine and palmetto. The road’s history is rich, with old farming communities like Spuds, Byrd, and Espanola once thriving along its path. Espanola, now forgotten, was once a stop for travelers, offering services like a hotel, restaurant, and post office.

The Bricks of History

Many of the road’s red bricks are stamped with the words "GRAVES B’HAMALA," a mark from the Graves Brick Company in Birmingham, Alabama. These same bricks can also be found in the streets of St. Augustine, adding to their historic significance.

Obsolescence and Preservation

By 1926, just a decade after its completion, the Old Brick Road became obsolete. It was replaced by modern highways like US Route 1 and State Highway 100. Despite its short-lived importance, remnants of the Old Red Brick Road continue to offer a glimpse into Florida’s past, where history and nature meet on this forgotten highway.

This ghost highway, once a vital artery, now invites travelers to take a journey through time, exploring the beauty and history of Florida’s early roads.

Source: https://floridatraveler.com/florida-ghost-highway/