Yeehaw Junction FL

[Bob Dylan]

On our way back north to Sanford, we took US 27 to Okeechobee, then 441 north to Yeehaw Junction to get back on the turnpike and on to Orlando. Except for the lights going through a few of the towns, I think it was a better ride. However, I think it is slower overall, though that didn't bother us, as we were satying overnight in Orlando rather than trying to rush and make the train the same day we left Maimi.

Is that a Real Junction? Sounds like something from Green Acres?

 

[MARC Rider]

Is that a Real Junction? Sounds like something from Green Acres?

It's a real place.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yeehaw_Junction,_Florida

 

[blueman271]

Is that a Real Junction? Sounds like something from Green Acres?

It is a real junction in that several roads meet there. It is also a pretty famous roadside attraction/tourist trap. When I was a kid there were funny billboards all along the turnpike advertising Yeehaw Junction. I haven’t driven the turnpike in almost twenty years so I don’t know what it’s like now but back in the late 90’s/early 00’s everyone traveling north from S. Florida knew those billboards.

 

[jis]

Is that a Real Junction? Sounds like something from Green Acres?

It is where Florida Turnpike, SR60 and SR441 intersect. So in that sense it is a real junction.

It is a real junction in that several roads meet there. It is also a pretty famous roadside attraction/tourist trap. When I was a kid there were funny billboards all along the turnpike advertising Yeehaw Junction. I haven’t driven the turnpike in almost twenty years so I don’t know what it’s like now but back in the late 90’s/early 00’s everyone traveling north from S. Florida knew those billboards.

Today it is a large truck stop and service area. Not much else there. I drive by there occasionally on my afternoon circle drive from Melbourne to Melbourne - Melbourne - US192 W - Holopaw Junction - SR441 S - Yeehaw Junction - SR60 E Vero Beach - US1 N or SRA1A N - Melbourne. SRA1A is on the Barrier Islands whereas US1 is on the mainland.

Nice relaxing ride through Florida Ranch Country on the way South, and a ride up along the shores of Indian River Lagoon on the drive back North.

It is quite remarkable how rural Florida is once you get away from the shore south of the I-4 Corridor. Technically the tract South/West of the St. Johns catchment is Upper Everglades (North of Lake O, including the Kissimmee catchment). Bulk of the St. Johns headwaters is just west of Palm Bay/Grant/ Valkaria/Micco stretch. The area where I live falls under the St. Johns Water Management District, the primary infrastructure being the Melbourne - Tillman Canal which links the St. Johns headwaters to the Indian River Lagoon, with a large pumping station. Yeehaw Junction is at the edge of the St. Johns and the Kissimmee catchment areas. St. Johns as you know, flows North while Kissimmee flows South.

So any built up area which is relatively sparse in that tract, is on land reclaimed from marginal swamps of sorts.

 

[Jdub]

It is where Florida Turnpike, SR60 and SR441 intersect. So in that sense it is a real junction.

Today it is a large truck stop and service area. Not much else there. I drive by there occasionally on my afternoon circle drive from Melbourne to Melbourne - Melbourne - US192 W - Holopaw Junction - SR441 S - Yeehaw Junction - SR60 E Vero Beach - US1 N or SRA1A N - Melbourne. SRA1A is on the Barrier Islands whereas US1 is on the mainland.

Nice relaxing ride through Florida Ranch Country on the way South, and a ride up along the shores of Indian River Lagoon on the drive back North. It is quite remarkable how rural Florida is once you get away from the shore south of the I-4 Corridor.

Yeehaw Junction and, a few miles north, Kenansville, (on US 441) are located along the old FEC line that ran from Edgewater across the St. Johns on a trestle and south to Lake Okeechobee. A friend's father operated a saw mill in Kenansville. When FEC pulled out in the 1940s, the saw mill closed because there was no way to transport lumber. Part of the line was turned over to local governments for roads.

 

[jis]

Yeehaw Junction and, a few miles north, Kenansville, (on US 441) are located along the old FEC line that ran from Edgewater across the St. Johns on a trestle and south to Lake Okeechobee. A friend's father operated a saw mill in Kenansville. When FEC pulled out in the 1940s, the saw mill closed because there was no way to transport lumber. Part of the line was turned over to local governments for roads.

SR441 is actually on an old FEC RoW between the South border of Mills Ranch and Holopaw Junction (US192). South of Mills Ranch. SR441 was rebuilt on a different alignment when the Turnpike was built.

 

[Jdub]

SR441 is actually on an old FEC RoW between the South border of Mills Ranch and Holopaw Junction (US192). South of Mills Ranch. SR441 was rebuilt on a different alignment when the Turnpike was built.

Many miles of old Florida rail were built without the formality of right-of-way purchase. I've been told that the legislature more or less went along with reality and allowed the rail lines to have 'easements' so long as the land was used for transportation purposes. When a rail line was abandoned, the land sometimes was deeded to the Dept. of Transportation or a County for use as a road, thus keeping the land use as transportation.

 

[Asher]

Is that a Real Junction? Sounds like something from Green Acres?

Naw, they were just excited to get away from Holopaw.