Mannfield, Florida is an overgrown ghost town that can be easily accessed by a short hike through the beautiful Withlacoochee State Forest, located in Citrus County, Florida. On the left side of highway 491 directly across from Tri M ranch is a small abandoned road where parking is available. No traffic can enter as evidenced by the large yellow metal gate that marks the entrance to Mannfield. A short one mile hike over an unused jeep trail makes Mannfield easily accessible to most visitors.
Not much remains of the old town today. Once a thriving community with three general stores, sawmill, hotel, church and a newspaper, Mannfield was destined to become the county seat in 1887 when the adjacent county of Hernando was divide into Citrus and Pasco counties. However it was also in contention with the neighboring town of Tompkinsville, soon to become Inverness. In 1893, the railroad came through and chose Inverness instead of Mannfield, furthering the rivalry between the two towns to become the county seat.
By 1891, factions of both towns knew the railroad that was coming through in the next two years would bring wealth and prosperity, but only to the town that held the county seat. However, the county seat was already located temporarily in Mannfield for two years until an election could bring results as to where the new county seat would be located, almost ensuring the railroad would come through Mannfield.
After many questionable vote counts and some unlawful voting tactics, the county seat was voted to be moved to Inverness. The founder of Mannfield (Austin Mann) was enraged and refused to accept the vote. He rode his horse as fast as he could to Brooksville to get the documents signed for approval of a recount on the votes and an inquiry into voting fraud. What he didn’t know was that history was already in the works to destroy his plans.
Upon his departure, several wagons from the neighboring town of Inverness and enough thugs to do what they wanted, came into Mannfield and stole the courthouse. Grabbing all of the files, documents, necessary courthouse paraphernalia and even the furniture, they effectively moved the courthouse to Inverness where it still is to this day.
The county clerk was so determined to keep Mannfield as the county seat; he refused to move from his seat. Several men picked up his chair with him in it and loaded it in a wagon bound for Inverness. Soon upon his arrival, he was persuaded to announce the county seat was now in Inverness and to immediately begin drawing up the documents.
All that remains today of Mannfield are a handful of beautiful ancient oaks and cedars surrounding a small pond. A cemetery with several graves are marked along the adjacent hiking trail. A few small slabs of old foundations are buried in the gentle grasses among rolling hills along with the memories and expectations of a town long ago abandoned.
