Skip to main content

Citrus County Route 490

By
Following reaching Lecanto on Citrus County Route 491 I turned west on Florida State Road 44 to the Homosassa Trail which is part of Citrus County Route 490.


Citrus County Road 490 an approximately 8 mile highway from FL 44 in Lecanto west to Homosassa.  From the very start of CR 490 at FL 44 there is a sign indicating that the Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins State Historic Park is 8 miles away.



CR 490 on Homosassa Trail is a somewhat narrow and winding roadway.  About one mile west of FL 44 the route of CR 490 crosses over the current northern extension project for FL 589/Suncoast Parkway.






FL 589/Suncoast Parkway is currently being extended 13 miles north from the present terminus at US 98 to FL 44.   The current extension of FL 589/Suncoast Parkway follows the general path of CR 491 to the west.  While the new extension of FL 589/Suncoast Parkway won't include a junction with CR 490 there will be a new interchange at CR 482 on Cardinal Street.  In the long term FL 589/Suncoast Parkway is expected to be extended to US 19/98 in Crystal River but it has yet to be funded.





Entering Homosassa Springs the route of CR 490 on Homosassa Trail curves it's way to a junction with US 19/98.










Although CR 490 is signed as "To" along US 19/98 the route is actually concurrent through Homosassa Springs.


At Halls River Road CR 490 has a junction with it's alternate CR 490A.  CR 490A utilizes Halls River Road westward to reach the Homosassa River.  East of US 19/98 and CR 490 the route of CR 490A apparently continues east to CR 491 on Grover Cleveland Boulevard but it is likely it doesn't exist as there appears to be no signage.


While CR 490 is multiplexed on US 19/98 it meets Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park.  Homosassa Springs is a zoo that is built around the namesake springs which are a popular viewing area for manatees.







Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park features various other animals such as alligators, a hippo named Lu, black bears, cougars, flamingos and many others.








Although it isn't presently signed CR 490 continues west from US 19/98 on Yulee Drive towards Homosassa.


Westward on Yulee Drive CR 490 isn't signed.  At Fishbowl Drive CR 490 turns left on Yulee Drive into Homosassa.



The definition of CR 490 apparently continues all the way west to the Homosassa River on Cherokee Way.  Eastbound the first CR 490 reassurance shield is located at Yulee Drive and Fishbowl Drive.


Entering Homosassa the Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins are just north of CR 490/Yulee Drive.  The Yulee Sugar Mill Ruins are a small State Historic Park which was owned by former state delegate David Yulee.  The Yulee Sugar Mill was part of a 5,000 acre sugarcane plantation (unfortunately run with slave labor) which operated from 1851 up until 1864 when it was destroyed during the Civil War.






The photo below is from 2014 at the western terminus of CR 490 overlooking a small island on the Homosassa River.


CR 490 was originally part of FL 490 which essentially was on the same corridor.  FL 490 definitely ended at the Homosassa River at one point but it appears to have been an extension to the route.  This 1964 State Road map shows FL 490 existing between FL 44 west to US 19/98.   FL 490 appears on late 1980s topographical maps, CR 490A appears to have been created when it's parent route was relinquished.

1964 Florida State Road Map


Labels:

Comments

Joseph said…
David Levy Yulee was one of the first senators from Florida. He was the first Jewish Senator in the United States.

Levy County is named for him as is the town of Yulee in Nassau County
7:55 PM
Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

2018 Mojave Road Trip Part 2; The deadly desert highway (California State Route 127 and Nevada State Route 373)

By
After leaving Barstow via Old Highway 58 my next destination was in Death Valley.  To access Death Valley from rural San Bernardino County required a trek on north on Interstate 15 to California State Route 127 which becomes Nevada State Route 373 at the state line. Along I-15 I encountered the road sign oddity that is Zzyzx Road about eight miles south of Baker.   Zzyzx Road is a four mile road that used to go to the Zzyzx Mineral Springs and Health Spa.   The spa was founded in the 1940s and the owner made up the name "Zzyzx" to claim it was the last word in the English Language.  The spa has been shut down since the 1970s and is now part of a Desert Studies Center for California State University. The southern terminus of CA 127 in Baker is located at I-15 exit 246.  CA 127 is a 91 mile north/south highway which runs to the Nevada State Line in Inyo County.  CA 127 is called Death Valley Road from I-15 northward.  South of CA 127 ...
4 comments
Read more

Finding the Pre-Emption Road of New York State

By
  The Pre-Emption Road (or rather a series of roads named Pre-Emption Road) follows a survey line called the Pre-Emption Line, drawn in the early days of the United States. The story begins with Massachusetts and New York having competing land claims to modern day Western New York State that have their roots in colonial charters granted by the British. After the Revolutionary War ended, this land became the frontier of the nation and its settlement became a priority for the new American government. During this era, there were a lot of competing land claims that needed to be settled. It was no different with the land claims between New York State and Massachusetts. On November 30, 1786, Massachusetts and New York sent representatives to Hartford, Connecticut to resolve their competing land claims. In less than three weeks, the representatives had reached a compromise. Massachusetts would receive pre-emption rights, meaning the right to sell the land after the Indian title ...
Post a Comment
Read more

What's In a Name?: When the Roads Really Do Tell a Story

By
  Our tagline on the Gribblenation blog is "because every road tells a story". Some roads tell different stories than others. Along our travels, we may see historic markers that tell us a little story about the roads we travel or the places we pass by. Some historic markers are more general, as to telling us who lived where or what old trail traversed between two towns. During my travels across New York State and other states or provinces, I pass by many historic markers, some with interesting or amusing references to roads. I wanted to highlight a few of the markers I've seen along my travels around the Empire State and help tell their stories. Those stories may be as specific as explaining the tales of a tree that was used to help measure a distance of eight miles from Bath to Avoca in Steuben County, as referenced on the Eight Mile Tree historical marker above. They may also help point the way along historical roads first used centuries ago, or may help tell a local l...
Post a Comment
Read more