Talk:Yeehaw Junction, Florida
Errr... I would have to guess that there are definitely not 20,000+ people at Yeehaw Jct. It is the crossroads of a few highways (U. S. Highway 441, Florida State Road 60, and Florida's Turnpike) in a very rural/deserted part of Florida. There's a toll plaza, a few restaurants/bars, gas station, a motel or two. Is the Census data including all of surrounding rural SE Osceola County? (Even if it is, I still find this data hard to believe!) TrbleClef 09:27, 18 Aug 2004 (UTC)
- Yep - we have a problem I think. From www.census.gov:
- FLORIDA
- Osceola County, Florida (FIPS code 12097)
- The census designated place (CDP) identified as Yeehaw Junction CDP (FIPS code 78975) for Census 2000 should have been identified as Lake Buenaventura CDP (FIPS code 09415). All polygons in the Census 2000 TIGER/Line files associated with Yeehaw Junction CDP should have been associated with Lake Buenaventura CDP. Yeehaw Junction was erroneously not defined for Census 2000 and does not appear in any Census 2000 products.[1]
- I don't know enough to know what article title to move this to.. Lake Buenaventura, Florida I presume? -- sannse (talk) 09:53, 18 Aug 2004 (UTC)
- Hmm. I've never heard of a "Lake Buenaventura" (particularly one with 20,000 people) in that region. The closest place to that name which I know of is Lake Buena Vista, which is one county north (in Orange County) a few miles from Walt Disney World. Checking further reveals that the name change may actually be to "Buenaventura Lakes." This appears to be a neighborhood in the same county, but it does not appear to be a municipality, unless I'm mistaken. ([2] (PDF), [3], [4]) TrbleClef 10:10, 18 Aug 2004 (UTC)
I'm not sure what the answer is, but here are some links that may give more info on the place:
http://www.innsnorthamerica.com/fl/desertinn.htm
The Yeehaw railrad depot in later years was combined into the Yeehaw Juction Intersection for the community. The township was at one point in time called Crossrads, as well as Desert Inn, Jackass Crossing, and the Crossing. No one is really sure who was tesponsible for "Yeehaw Junction." So history gowe, when standard Oil wanted to put their station on the map, they neded to call it something and Jackass Crossing was not going to be it, as the Crossing and Desert Inn were out too!. So with the Turnpike in the 50's needing an exit name and Greyhound Bus line needing a "stop" name also, as well as any other reason, the name "Yeehaw Junction" was popularized, but one sitll hear's "Jackasses Crossing" on the CB's. Disney World is 1 hour away north and Vero Beach is half and hour east.
The establishment became part of history during the late 1880's (as far back as we have documentation). The first record owner of the land was the Consolidated Land Co., then the Florida Industrial Co. in 1917. In this period of time this part of Osceola County was probably in Brevard County.
Florida became a state in 1845; however, a large area of the state was submerged. In 1881 a project was begun by Disston in an effort to reclaim land from the southern Orlando area to south of Okeechobee. One of the already existing railroads (1882 in Kissimmee) possibly the Florida East Coast Railway, aided in moving timber in this area. This led to part of the motel site being developed into one of the water depots for the old railway trams carrying logs. There was a sawmill at the site... per legend.
Between 1917 and 1930 history was made with the cowboys moving cattle from Kissimmee River, Orlando and places north down to the Indian reservations and places south in which Yeehaw was the only watering hole!!! The Desert Inn patrons at that time included Indians as well as cowboys, business people, moonshiners, traders (trading goods and lumber), and lumber men. Cowboys remember ox teams and Model T's.
In the 1930's Dad Wilson bought the property and fixed it up a little so it was more than a shack. It now had gas pumps, according to stories. Also, from the stories, Dad Wilson was a railroad hobo who was 'kicked off' in yeehaw... then borrowed lumber from the railroad! Somewhere in this time period, a man named Boree has a going sawmill a stone's throw from the restaurant. Supposedly, Dad Wilson and Boree had several squabbles~ Also, this was about the time that roads were paved.
Somewhere in time after Wilson, six other owners existed according to records. In order they are Rerssenzchn, Broce, Bain, Hams, Bain and Kablerer, but no one seems to remember Bain and Hams. Rerssenzchn and Broce were partners per a nephew, and they sold out when they had a big discrepancy. Kabler operated the restaurant in '40-'46 per a relative.
By the time Cheverette purchased the property in 1946, it still had no water or electricity (it took till '78 to have FULL service). Fred had a 450" well put in for the Desert Inn and a generator for the electricity which other locals shared some of this power. Fred also convertd open space into rooms upstairs to be used for rentals! Dad Wilson was the first, it is told to have jackasses on his 100 acres (Fred later sold 30 acres to Mr. Geiger. We have since tried to purchase the 30, but owners are obstinate). Fred also raised jackasses upon which he capitalized, selling T-Shirts and caps, etc. which the current ownership carries on the tradition and sells the critters (i.e. jackasses).
The Yeehaw railroad depot in later years was combined into the Yeehaw Juction Intersection for the community. The township was at one point called Crossroads, as well as Desert Inn, Jackass Crossing, and the Crossing. No one is really sure who was responsible for "Yeehaw Junction." So history goes, when Standard Oil wanted to put their station on the map, they neded to call it something and Jackass Crossing was not going to be it, and the Crossing and Desert Inn were out too!. So with the Turnpike in the 50's needing an exit name and Greyhound Bus line needing a "stop" name also, the name "Yeehaw Juntion" was popularized, but one still hears "Jackasses Crossing" on the CB's.
Many thanks to all who helped me write this short synopsis for it was by far not started here, nor will it end here. We are now on the NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORICAL PLACES as of January, 1994! Once a year we have an annual old times event. Come on down.
BCorr|Брайен 16:05, 18 Aug 2004 (UTC)
I've deleted most of the text because of the above - but I'm not sure about the source for the geographical information and the map. Is this accurate? -- sannse (talk) 19:52, 10 Nov 2004 (UTC)