Polk County History and Heritage Trail Guide
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History & eritageH GUIDE TO POLK COUNTY Welcome to Polk County – the heart of Central Florida! With a history that stretches back 12,000 years, our heritage is This guide has been prepared especially for those who want to both rich and diverse. From the Paleo-Indians who first set foot step into Polk County’s rich history. These pages will help you on the Florida peninsula, to the intrepid pioneers who founded navigate the Polk County Heritage Trail, which explores more the cities we know today, many people have made their mark. than 150 years of Polk County history and culture. Stops include historic homes, vintage hotels, museums and much more. From Frank Lloyd Wright to Civil War battles, there are many stories for you to uncover. You can devote one day or several days to the Heritage Trail, and the sites listed in this brochure are an excellent place to start. Visit www.polkhistorycenter.org to find additional recommendations. Suggested single-day trips on the Heritage Trail: The Polk County History Center is a great place to begin your journey through time. Located in the Old Polk County Courthouse in downtown Bartow, the History Center has been Davenport Lakeland Lake Wales Loughman enriching Polk County’s future by preserving its past since 1998. Mulberry Frostproof Lake Hamilton Polk City Babson Park Haines City Dundee On the front and back cover (From top, left to right) Bok Tower Gardens, Lake Wales Hollis Bartow Auburndale Homeland Heritage Park, Homeland Homeland Lake Alfred Terrace Hotel, Lakeland Fort Meade Winter Haven Citrus Label in Central Park, Winter Haven Vintage Courthouse, Bartow Frank Lloyd Wright Architecture Florida The Polk Theatre, Lakeland Saint Alban’s Church, Ramon Theater, Lake Morton Casa de Josefina, Florida Southern Auburndale Frostproof Historic District Lake Wales College, Lakeland The Polk County Story Incentivized by the Armed Occupation Act, pioneers began moving farther south into Florida in 1842. An 1849 hurricane in Hillsborough County and the allure of Polk County’s open grazing land pushed cattlemen and settlers alike into the center of the state. As immigration increased, the new Floridians established small farms, orange groves, one-room schools and churches. In 1861, Polk County (named in honor of former President James K. Polk) was signed into legislation. In 1884, Henry B. Plant brought the South Florida Railroad through Polk County from Sanford to Tampa, generating explosive growth. Towns like Lakeland, Auburndale, Lake Alfred and Winter Haven rapidly developed along the new railroad. When the first commercial shipment of phosphate left the area in 1888, a new industry was born. By 1910, the Polk Theatre, Lakeland population had reached more than 37,000. Shortly thereafter, paved roads and beautiful homes replaced the small log shacks that had characterized the early towns and villages. On September 9, 1989, the 1908 courthouse was added to the By the 1950s, Polk County had become the heart of Florida’s National Register of Historic Places. After 10 years and $3 million politics and economy. in renovations, it reopened as the Polk County History Museum. Today, the History Center includes the museum, featuring both permanent and rotating exhibits, as well as the Historical and Historic Roots Genealogical Library – one of the largest collections of its kind Appropriately, the History Center has an interesting history in the southeastern United States. of its own. The “Vintage Courthouse” in Bartow is actually the third in a line of county courthouses built on this land, which was donated by cattle baron Jacob Summerlin in 1867. Polk Happy Trails! County’s third courthouse was built in 1908 and used until 1987, We hope you enjoy the Polk County Heritage Trail. If you have when construction was completed on the county courthouse any questions, the staff at the Polk County History Center will be currently in use. happy to assist you. Vintage Courthouse, Christ Espicopal Jacob Bartow Church, Fort Meade Summerlin Lakeland Depot Bartow Miles Nouthwest Miles Noutheast N BROADWAY AVE N BROADWAY Resources POLK ST E NORTH ST N WILSON AVE N WILSON AVE Go to VisitCentralFlorida.org to enhance your history and N OAK AVE Miles N FLORIDA N AVE FLORIDA W BOULEVARD ST N AVE FLORIDA East heritage tour experience. The website includes: Fun Adventures W CHURCH ST W DAVIDSON ST and Attractions, Must Sees, Dining, Shopping, Outdoor Activities E MAIN ST W MAIN ST DUDLEY MILL MILL and lots more. SUMMERLIN ST W PARKER ST E STANFORD ST Interested in discovering more? Download the Florida Stories S FLORAL AVE E WABASH ST and Field Trip apps to your phone or mobile device. Florida E LEMON ST S BROADWAY AVE S BROADWAY S JACKSON AVE S JACKSON AVE S WILSON AVE Stories takes you on a guided tour of the historic districts in W PEARL ST E PEARL ST Bartow and Lake Wales while Field Trip notifies you of unique W VINE ST S OAK AVE facts and additional historic landmarks along the way. Both apps are free and available from the iPhone or Google Play stores. E STUART ST The Polk County History Center is your first stop for heritage 1 Benjamin Franklin Holland House 590 E Stanford information and contains a museum and research library. Childhood home of Spessard L. Holland, 8 Historic sites listed in this brochure are also featured on former FL Governor and US Senator. Bartow Air Base Museum (NRHP) Built in 1895. 5001 U.S. 17 #400 • 863-533-1195 Heritage Trail, a series produced for the History Center by PGTV. Features WWII memorabilia. Formerly the Visit polkhistorycenter.org to view the videos and find us on 2 L.B. Brown House Bartow Army Air Field. Built in 1940. 470 S Second Avenue • 863-944-6136 9 Facebook at facebook.com/polkcountyhistorycenter. Possibly the only remaining house in Summerlin Institute Florida built and owned by a former slave. 590 S Wilson Avenue Museum open by appointment only. Site of Polk County’s first public school, (NRHP) Built in 1884. founded in 1887. Original cornerstone on display, current structure built circa 1920s. 3 Oakhill Historic Cemetery 10 W Parker Street (between Dudley & S Mill) South Florida Military College Pioneers Buried Here: Readding Blount, 1140 S Broadway Map Legend Riley Blount, Streety Parker, Gen. E.M. Law Site of school founded by Confederate and Jacob Summerlin. (NRHP) Est 1848. General Evander McIvor Law in 1895. Architecture School District 11 4 Fort Carroll Northeast Bartow Historic Residential District Cemetery Museum Festival 3350 FL-60 (at 91 Mine Road) Approximate location of stockade-type Boundaries: Jackson Avenue, 1st Avenue, depot established in 1841. The fort was Church Street and Boulevard Street Church Marker Other abandoned that same year in favor of Fort 27 historical buildings constructed in Cummings (Lake Alfred). frame vernacular, masonry vernacular and various revival styles. 5 Fort Fraser (NRHP) Built 1886–1925. Intersection of U.S. 98 & C.R. 540A Polk County 12 History Center L.B. Brown House Located on the Fort Fraser Trail, the marker South Bartow Historic District commemorates the fort established by Boundaries: Floral Avenue, 1st Avenue, Gen. Zachary Taylor (2nd Seminole War). Main Street and Vine Street 176 historical buildings built in a variety 6 Fort Blount of styles, many by professional architects. Intersection of Broadway and Main Street (NRHP) Constructed between 1885–1941. Commemorates approximate site of the 13 Blount Family home which was a refuge Bartow Historic for settlers during the Third Seminole War. Downtown District Boundaries: Davidson Street, 7 Polk County History Center Summerlin Street, Broadway Avenue 100 E Main Street • 863-534-4386 and Floral Avenue Home to permanent and rotating exhibits Architectural styles include Masonry and the county’s genealogical and Vernacular and Classical Revival whose research library. (NRHP) Built in 1908. period of significance spans 1885 to 1935. Homeland Fort Meade 6TH ST NE ORANGE ST Homeland Homeland Cemetery Rd OLD HOMELAND RD HOMELAND OLD OLD HOMELAND RD HOMELAND OLD 5TH ST NE TECUMSEH TECUMSEH AVE TECUMSEH AVE 4TH ST NE N LANIER AVE N LANIER AVE N CHARLESTON N AVE CHARLESTON N OAK AVE N OAK AVE 1ST ST HOMELAND-GARFIELD RD 3RD ST NE N CLEVELAND AVE 2ND ST CHURCH CHURCH AVE 2ND ST NE 2ND ST NW 4TH ST 1ST ST NE OLD FORT MEADE RD LANGFORD ST MIMOSA AVE E BROADWAY ST W BROADWAY ST S ORANGE AVE S PERRY AVE S PERRY AVE S LANIER AVE S LANIER AVE S PINE AVE S PINE AVE 2ND ST SE 2ND ST SW 1 Alafia River Rendezvous 1 6 1000 Old Fort Meade Road • 863-603-3452 W. Henry Lewis Home Willoughby Tillis Battle Site The Alafia River Rendezvous is one of the largest living history events in the southeast. 424 N Oak Avenue 2nd Street SE in City Park Thousands gather each year to establish a camp on the site of the Florida Frontiersmen This Queen Anne-style house was built Marks battle between Seminole Indians club property and reenact life before 1840. for cattleman and citrus-grower W. Henry and Army soldiers led by Lt. Carlton. Lewis. (NRHP) Built in 1901. 2 Kissengen Spring 7 Fort Meade Historical Museum 2200 County Road 640 2 Heritage Park One Tecumseh Avenue • 863-285-7474 Popular recreation site from 1880s–1950s. Once discharged 20 million gallons per day 410 3rd Street NE Local artifacts, including a historic train, into the Peace River. Known as the Old Fort, the site was are housed in Fort Meade’s first school home and military headquarters for building. Lt. George G. Meade. A second marker 3 Homeland Heritage Park commemorates Lt. Gen Thomas J. 8 Fort Meade Historic District 249 Church Avenue • 863-534-3766 Stonewall as having served at Fort 214 W Broadway Street Historical park containing many of Polk County’s oldest buildings.