If you’re not careful, you might drive right past it near Crawfordville on your Northern Florida road trip. “Hey, were those a bunch of rusty old cars and trucks lined up beside the road?”, you might even ask as they quickly fade in your rear view mirror. If you’re like me, the urge to photograph these beauties will likely override your previous schedule and you’ll just have to stop to see them for yourself. Finding the old Ford truck graveyard isn’t easy, but for antique car buffs and photographers it’s definitely worth a stop when exploring the back roads of US Highway 319 in Northern Florida.
The Pat Harvey family owns these antique beauties left to guard the highway in quiet wood-side retirement as they rusted away. All of these Ford cars and trucks have been used on the family farm from the early 1900’s to the mid-1970’s. The oldest could even have been one of Henry Ford’s first factory assembled Ford pickups, with a price tag of $281 in 1925!
Lined in a semi-circle in chronological order, this collection of rusted bodies and still-gleaming chrome fenders evoke an eerie watchful feeling to the visitor. A graveyard of ghostly mechanics. Imagine the changes these now cracked and cloudy headlights have seen. If you look closely, the weed-choked grilles may become faces – evil machines or benign spectators? You’ll have to decide. Though I wouldn’t recommend exploring these woods after dark.
Finding the old Ford truck graveyard from US Highway 319, between Crawfordville and Medart – go 1/4 mile north of Emmet Whaley Road on the west side. Use 4204 Crawfordville Highway, Crawfordville Florida in your GPS. The pull-off can be high in spots, so watch your car’s undercarriage as you drive in.
That’s sad. Those are collectible items and expensive rides now.
So true! It’s truly a ghostly collection of collectible cars…you almost expect them to come alive while you’re looking in