Lakeland is the
most populous city
The United Nations uses three definitions for what constitutes a city, as not all cities in all jurisdictions are classified using the same criteria. Cities may be defined as the city proper, cities proper, the extent of their urban area, or th ...
in
Polk County, Florida, part of the
Tampa Bay Area
The Tampa Bay area is a major populated area surrounding Tampa Bay on the west coast of Florida in the United States. It includes the main cities of Tampa, St. Petersburg, and Clearwater. It is the 18th largest metropolitan area in the Unite ...
, located along
Interstate 4 east of
Tampa. According to the 2020
U.S. Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
release, the city had a population of 112,641.
Lakeland is a principal city of the
Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area.
European-American settlers arrived in Lakeland from Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia and South Carolina in the 1870s. The city expanded in the 1880s with the arrival of rail service, with the first
freedmen
A freedman or freedwoman is a formerly enslaved person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, enslaved people were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their captor-owners), abolitionism, emancipation (gra ...
railway workers settling here in 1883.
[Kimberly C. Moore, "Confederate vets, former slaves form Lakeland’s history"](_blank)
''The Ledger'', 09 May 2018; accessed 27 June 2018 They and European immigrants also came because of land development opportunities with farming, citrus, cattle and phosphate industry developing. Lakeland is home to the 1,267-acre
Circle B Bar Reserve
The Circle B Bar Reserve is an area of protected lands in Polk County, Florida. Comprising at 4399 Winter Lake Road (SR 540) near Lakeland, it is managed by the Polk County Board of County Commissioners (BOCC), which co-owns it with the Southwe ...
.
History
Prehistory
The first
Paleo-Indians reached the central Florida area near the end of the
last ice age, as they followed big game south.
As the ice melted and sea levels rose, these Native Americans ended up staying and thrived on the peninsula for thousands of years. By the time the first Spanish conquistadors arrived, an estimated 350,000 Native Americans were living in what is now the state of Florida. Some of these first early tribes were the
Tocobago
Tocobaga (occasionally Tocopaca) was the name of a chiefdom, its chief, and its principal town during the 16th century. The chiefdom was centered around the northern end of Old Tampa Bay, the arm of Tampa Bay that extends between the present-day ...
,
Timucua
The Timucua were a Native American people who lived in Northeast and North Central Florida and southeast Georgia. They were the largest indigenous group in that area and consisted of about 35 chiefdoms, many leading thousands of people. The var ...
, and
Calusa.
In 1527, a Spanish map showed a settlement near the
Rio de la Paz.
The arrival of the Spanish turned out to be disastrous to these Native American tribes. Within 150 years, the majority of the
pre-Columbian
In the history of the Americas, the pre-Columbian era spans from the original settlement of North and South America in the Upper Paleolithic period through European colonization, which began with Christopher Columbus's voyage of 1492. Usually, th ...
Native American peoples of Florida had been wiped out. Those who had not succumbed to diseases such as smallpox or yellow fever were either killed or enslaved.
Little is left of these first Native Americans cultures in Polk County except for scant archaeological records, including a few personal artifacts and shell mounds. Eventually, the remnants of these tribes merged with the Creek Indians who had arrived from the north and became the
Seminole Indian tribe.
Early history
In the 18th century Native Americans groups, collectively called "
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, an ...
s", moved into the areas left vacant. In 1823 the United States and the various tribes in Florida signed the
Treaty of Moultrie Creek
The Treaty of Moultrie Creek was an agreement signed in 1823 between the government of the United States and the chiefs of several groups and bands of Indians living in the present-day state of Florida. The treaty established a reservation in t ...
, which created a reservation in central Florida that included what is now Polk County. Starting in 1832 the United States government tried to move the Seminoles in Florida west to the
Indian Territory
The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United St ...
. Most of the Seminoles resisted, resulting in the Second Seminole War, 1835–1842. By the end of that war, most of the Seminoles had been sent west, with a few remnants pushed well south of what is now Polk County.
Statehood and the 19th century
Florida became a state in 1845, and Polk County was established in 1861. After the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states th ...
, the county seat was established southeast of Lakeland in
Bartow. While most of Polk County's early history centered on the two cities of Bartow and
Fort Meade
Fort George G. Meade is a United States Army installation located in Maryland, that includes the Defense Information School, the Defense Media Activity, the United States Army Field Band, and the headquarters of United States Cyber Command, the ...
, eventually, people entered the areas in northern Polk County and began settling in the areas which became Lakeland.
Lakeland was first settled in the 1870s and began to develop as the
rail lines reached the area in 1884.
Freedmen
A freedman or freedwoman is a formerly enslaved person who has been released from slavery, usually by legal means. Historically, enslaved people were freed by manumission (granted freedom by their captor-owners), abolitionism, emancipation (gra ...
settled here in 1883, starting development of what became the
African-American neighborhood
African-American neighborhoods or black neighborhoods are types of ethnic enclaves found in many cities in the United States. Generally, an African American neighborhood is one where the majority of the people who live there are African American ...
of Moorehead. Lakeland was incorporated January 1, 1885. The town was founded by
Abraham Munn
Abraham Munn (1818 – 1910) was the founder of the city of Lakeland, Florida. Hailing originally from New Jersey, Munn gained notoriety as a producer of agricultural implements, through Munn & Company, in Louisville, Kentucky. This company wa ...
(a resident of
Louisville, Kentucky
Louisville ( , , ) is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky and the 28th most-populous city in the United States. Louisville is the historical seat and, since 2003, the nominal seat of Jefferson County, on the Indiana border ...
), who purchased of land in what is now downtown Lakeland in 1882 and
plat
In the United States, a plat ( or ) (plan) is a cadastral map, drawn to scale, showing the divisions of a piece of land. United States General Land Office surveyors drafted township plats of Public Lands Surveys to show the distance and bear ...
ted the land for the town in 1884. Lakeland was named for the many lakes near the town site.
In April 1898, the
Spanish–American War
, partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence
, image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg
, image_size = 300px
, caption = (clock ...
began and started a crucial point in Lakeland's development. While the war ended quickly and had little effect on most of the nation, the Florida peninsula was used as a launching point for military forces in the war. The then small town of Lakeland housed over 9,000 troops. The
10th Cavalry Regiment
The 10th Cavalry Regiment is a unit of the United States Army. Formed as a segregated African-American unit, the 10th Cavalry was one of the original "Buffalo Soldier" regiments in the post–Civil War Regular Army. It served in combat during t ...
, one of the original
Buffalo Soldier
Buffalo Soldiers originally were members of the 10th Cavalry Regiment of the United States Army, formed on September 21, 1866, at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. This nickname was given to the Black Cavalry by Native American tribes who fought in th ...
regiments, were housed on the banks of Lake Wire.
Soon after being stationed there, the black troops faced conflict with the local white population. In one event, a local druggist refused to sell to black soldiers and an argument ensued which eventually escalated to the point where the druggist brandished a pistol. The soldiers shot the druggist before he could fire, which resulted in two of the troops being arrested.
The Florida Boom and the 20th century
The Florida boom resulted in the construction of many significant structures in Lakeland, a number of which are now listed on the
National Register of Historic Places
The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic v ...
. This list includes the Terrace Hotel, New Florida Hotel (Regency Tower, currently Lake Mirror Tower),
Polk Theatre,
Frances Langford Promenade,
Polk Museum of Art
The Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College is a private, non-profit, and nationally accredited art museum in Lakeland, Florida. It is a member of the Florida Association of Museums, is ranked among the top art museums in the state of Flori ...
(not a product of the 1920s boom), Park Trammell Building (formerly the
Lakeland Public Library and today the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce), and others. The city also has several historic districts that have many large buildings built during the 1920s and 1940s. The
Cleveland Indians
The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) Central division. Since , they have played at Progressive F ...
held spring training there from 1923 to 1927 at
Henley Field Ball Park
Henley Field is a historic site in Lakeland, Florida. Built in 1922, it is located at 1125 North Florida Avenue. Clare Henley, for whom the park was named in 1942, encouraged its construction in an effort to persuade a professional baseball tea ...
. Parks were developed surrounding Lake Mirror, including Barnett Children's Park, Hollis Gardens, and the newest, Allen Kryger Park.
The "boom" period went "bust" quickly, and years passed before the city recovered. Part of the re-emergence was due to the arrival of the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
baseball team in 1934 for spring training. The Tigers still train at Lakeland's
Joker Marchant Stadium
Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium is a baseball field in Lakeland, Florida. The 8,500-seat stadium was opened in 1966 and has had multiple renovations, most recently in 2017. It was named after local resident and former Lakeland Parks and Rec ...
and own the city's
Class A Florida State League
The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...
team, the
Lakeland Flying Tigers
The Lakeland Flying Tigers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Lakeland, Florida, and play their home games at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium.
H ...
. In the mid-1930s, the
Works Progress Administration
The Works Progress Administration (WPA; renamed in 1939 as the Work Projects Administration) was an American New Deal agency that employed millions of jobseekers (mostly men who were not formally educated) to carry out public works projects, i ...
built the
Lakeland Municipal Airport.
In 1938,
Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College (Florida Southern, Southern or FSC) is a private college in Lakeland, Florida. In 2019, the student population at FSC consisted of 3,073 students along with 130 full-time faculty members. The college offers 50 undergradu ...
President
Ludd Spivey invited architect
Frank Lloyd Wright
Frank Lloyd Wright (June 8, 1867 – April 9, 1959) was an American architect, designer, writer, and educator. He designed more than 1,000 structures over a creative period of 70 years. Wright played a key role in the architectural movements o ...
to design a "great education temple in Florida."
Wright worked on the project for over 20 years as Spivey found ways to fund it and find construction workers during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
.
Wright's original plan called for 18 structures; in total he designed 30, but only 12 were completed.
Wright's
textile block
The textile block system is a unique structural building method created by Frank Lloyd Wright in the early 1920s. While the details changed over time, the basic concept involves patterned concrete blocks reinforced by steel rods, created by pourin ...
motif is used extensively on the campus. The concrete blocks he used are in need of restoration.
Wright titled the project ''Child of the Sun'', describing his Florida Southern buildings as being "out of the ground, into the light, a child of the sun." It is the largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings in the world, and attracts 30,000 visitors each year.
In 1975, the "Florida Southern Architectural District" was added to the National Register of Historic Places.
In 2012, Wright's campus was designated as a
National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
by the
National Park Service
The National Park Service (NPS) is an agency of the United States federal government within the U.S. Department of the Interior that manages all national parks, most national monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational propertie ...
.
World War II
At the beginning of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the Lakeland School of
Aeronautics
Aeronautics is the science or art involved with the study, design, and manufacturing of air flight–capable machines, and the techniques of operating aircraft and rockets within the atmosphere. The British Royal Aeronautical Society identifies ...
—headquartered at the recently built Lakeland Municipal Airport—became part of a nationwide network of civilian flight schools enjoined for the war effort by the
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical r ...
.
Between 1940 and 1945, more than 8,000 Army Air Corps and
Army Air Forces
The United States Army Air Forces (USAAF or AAF) was the major land-based aerial warfare service component of the United States Army and ''de facto'' aerial warfare service branch of the United States during and immediately after World War II ...
cadet
A cadet is an officer trainee or candidate. The term is frequently used to refer to those training to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. Its meaning may vary between countries which can include youths in ...
s trained on two-seater
Stearman PT-17
The Stearman (Boeing) Model 75 is a biplane formerly used as a military trainer aircraft, of which at least 10,626 were built in the United States during the 1930s and 1940s. Stearman Aircraft became a subsidiary of Boeing in 1934. Widely known ...
and PT-13
biplane
A biplane is a fixed-wing aircraft with two main wings stacked one above the other. The first powered, controlled aeroplane to fly, the Wright Flyer, used a biplane wing arrangement, as did many aircraft in the early years of aviation. While ...
s at the school (renamed the Lodwick School of Aeronautics in the midst of this period).
From June 1941 until October 1942, 1,327 British
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...
cadets trained at the Lakeland facility.
The Lodwick School of Aeronautics closed in 1945. The airport ceased flight operations in the 1960; the site has since then housed the Detroit Tigers' "Tiger Town" baseball complex.
Geography and climate
According to the
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...
, the city has an area of , of which is land and (10.90%) is covered by water. Lakeland is within the Central Florida Highlands area of the
Atlantic coastal plain
The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the "Old World" of Afr ...
, with a terrain consisting of flatland interspersed with gently rolling hills.
Lakes
![Lakeland FLAUSA lake Mirror](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Lakeland_FLAUSA_lake_Mirror.jpg)
The dominant feature in Lakeland is the city's many lakes. Thirty-eight lakes are named, with a number of other bodies of water unnamed, mostly phosphate mine pits that eventually filled with water. The largest of these is
Lake Parker, which is in size. Much of the culture of Lakeland revolves around its many lakes, and many people use the lakes as reference points in much the same way people in other towns use streets as reference points, such as "I live near Lake Beulah." In addition to Lake Parker, some of the more prominent lakes in the Lakeland area are
Lake Hollingsworth,
Lake Morton, Lake Mirror, and
Lake Gibson.
Swans are one of the most visible features on the lakes near downtown Lakeland. They have a long history, the first swans appearing around 1923. By 1954, the swans were gone, eradicated by alligators and pets. A Lakeland resident who mourned the passing of the swans wrote to
Queen Elizabeth. The royal family allowed the capture of two of the royal swans, and the swans now on the lakes of Lakeland are the descendants of the one surviving royal swan sent by the Queen.
In July 2006, Scott Lake, one of the city's lakes, was almost totally drained by a cluster of
sinkholes
A sinkhole is a depression or hole in the ground caused by some form of collapse of the surface layer. The term is sometimes used to refer to doline, enclosed depressions that are locally also known as ''vrtače'' and shakeholes, and to openi ...
. Later the lake partially refilled.
Climate
Lakeland, like most other parts of Florida north of
Lake Okeechobee
Lake Okeechobee (), also known as Florida's Inland Sea, is the largest freshwater lake in the U.S. state of Florida. It is the tenth largest natural freshwater lake among the 50 states of the United States and the second-largest natural freshwat ...
, is in the
humid subtropical
A humid subtropical climate is a zone of climate characterized by hot and humid summers, and cool to mild winters. These climates normally lie on the southeast side of all continents (except Antarctica), generally between latitudes 25° and 40° ...
zone (
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, notabl ...
: ''Cfa''). Typically, summers are hot and humid with high temperatures seldom dropping below 90 °F and 70 °F for the overnight low. Like most of Central Florida, afternoon thunderstorms are the norm throughout the summer. Winters in Lakeland are drier and warm, with frequent sunny skies. High temperatures range in the mid 70s during the day, with lows in the 50s. Cold snaps drop temperatures below freezing twice a year on average.
Demographics
As of 2010, 48,218 households were in the city, with 15.5% being vacant. As of 2000, 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39% were individuals and nontraditional families. About 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.82.
As of the 2010 census, the city was 20.9% Black or African American, 70.8% White, 0.3% Native American, 1.8% Asian, 0.1% Native Hawaiian, and 2.7% were two or more races. Of the population 12.6% were of Hispanic or Latino ancestry.
In 2000, the city the population was spread out, with 21.4% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 23.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females, there were 86.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.1 males.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $16,119, and for a family was $17,468. Males had a median income of $14,137 versus $9,771 for females. The
per capita income
Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population.
Per capita i ...
for the city was $15,760. About 47% of families and 35% of the population were below the
poverty line
The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for t ...
, including 97% of those under age 18 and 9% of those age 65 or over. In 2008–2012, the per capita income was $23,817 and the median household income was $40,284. Persons below the poverty line in 2008–2012 were 17.5% according to the US Census.
Languages
As of 2000, those who spoke only English at home accounted for 91% of all residents, while 9% spoke other languages at home. The most significant were
Spanish
Spanish might refer to:
* Items from or related to Spain:
**Spaniards are a nation and ethnic group indigenous to Spain
**Spanish language, spoken in Spain and many Latin American countries
**Spanish cuisine
Other places
* Spanish, Ontario, Can ...
speakers who made up 6.4% of the population, while
German
German(s) may refer to:
* Germany (of or related to)
** Germania (historical use)
* Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language
** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law
**Ge ...
came up as the third-most spoken language, which made up 0.8%, and
French was fourth, with 0.5% of the population.
Religion
![Pfeiffer Chapel HABS, FLA,53-LAKE,1A-14](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9b/Pfeiffer_Chapel_HABS%2C_FLA%2C53-LAKE%2C1A-14.jpg)
In 1913, the Wolfson family arrived from
Lithuania
Lithuania (; lt, Lietuva ), officially the Republic of Lithuania ( lt, Lietuvos Respublika, links=no ), is a country in the Baltic region of Europe. It is one of three Baltic states and lies on the eastern shore of the Baltic Sea. Lithuania ...
and became the first Jewish settlers to the area.
After some struggles, the Jewish community in Lakeland flourished and the first synagogue, Temple Emanuel opened in 1932.
The
Rohr Jewish Learning Institute
The Rohr Jewish Learning Institute (JLI) is a division of Merkos L'Inyonei Chinuch, the educational arm of the Chabad-Lubavitch Orthodox Jewish Hasidic dynasty. It offers adult Jewish courses on Jewish history, law, ethics, philosophy and ...
presents classes and seminars in Lakewood in partnership with Chabad of Lakeland.
Lakeland is home to the Swaminarayan Hindu Temple, which was established in 2005.
In 1994, the first and only mosque in the county was established. It was called Masjid Aisha, but is now called the Islamic Center of Lakeland.
Christianity makes up the largest religious group in Lakeland. As of 2013, an estimated 300 churches existed with an address in the city.
Economy
Lakeland is the largest city on Interstate 4 between Orlando and Tampa. Large industries in the Lakeland area are citrus, cattle, and phosphate mining. In the past few decades, tourism, medicine, insurance, transportation, and music have grown in importance.
Citrus growing dates back to the early settlers who planted trees in the area in the 1850s. After a series of freezes in counties north of Polk County, the area became the focal point for citrus growing in Florida. Although citrus is no longer the largest industry in the area, it still plays a large part in the economy of Lakeland and Polk County.
Phosphate mining is still important to the economy of Lakeland, although most of the mining now takes place farther south. The
Bone Valley
The Bone Valley is a region of central Florida, encompassing portions of present-day Hardee, Hillsborough, Manatee, and Polk counties, in which phosphate is mined for use in the production of agricultural fertilizer. Florida currently contains t ...
produced 25% of the U.S. phosphate supply.
Lakeland's largest employer is
Publix
Publix Super Markets, Inc., commonly known as Publix, is an employee-owned American supermarket chain headquartered in Lakeland, Florida. Founded in 1930 by George W. Jenkins, Publix is a private corporation that is wholly owned by present and ...
Supermarkets.
Publix is one of the largest regional grocery chains in the United States with over 1,200 stores across the
American South. Publix employs over 6,500 people in the Lakeland area including headquarter and warehouse employees.
Lakeland is a transportation hub.
FedEx Freight and FedEx Services and the Saddle Creek Corporation employ over 600 people in the area.
Other large employers in the area include
Amazon
Amazon most often refers to:
* Amazons, a tribe of female warriors in Greek mythology
* Amazon rainforest, a rainforest covering most of the Amazon basin
* Amazon River, in South America
* Amazon (company), an American multinational technology c ...
,
GEICO,
Rooms To Go, and Lakeland Regional Health.
Culture
The Lakeland History Room is a special collections archive established in 1987 housed within the
Lakeland Public Library's main branch. The Lakeland History Room maintains the City's collection of historical materials as well as other locally relevant collections composed of documents, photographs, maps, building plans, audio/visual media, scrapbooks, specialty items like citrus crate labels, artwork, yearbooks, posters, and postcards.
The LHR maintains a large digital collection with over 7,000 images of the city of Lakeland, its landmarks, significant historical moments, cultural institutions, and prominent citizens.
The LHR provides one-on-one assistance with historic research, a history lecture series with prominent local historians, a DIY Digitizing Lab for personal material preservation, and genealogical programs and resources.
In 2019, an initiative led by Lakeland City Commissioner Phillip Walker, was first presented to the City Commission to create the City's first History and Culture Center. The project was unanimously approved by the Commission and funds were allocated for the project's construction; although, the exhibit's content design would be funded by local donations and grant funding.
An advisory committee made up of educators, city officials, local business owners, and civic and community leaders, led by former Mayor
Gow Fields
Lakeland is the most populous city in Polk County, Florida, part of the Tampa Bay Area, located along Interstate 4 east of Tampa. According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau release, the city had a population of 112,641. Lakeland is a principal c ...
, was established to organize and advise the City in the design, content, and construction of the exhibit.
The
Lakeland Public Library was eventually chosen as the location of the future exhibit space due to its central location within the city, its status as a community hub, and because it was the current home of the city's local archive, the Lakeland History Room, which would be expanded into the Lakeland History and Culture Center. Construction on the project is currently underway and it is unknown when the project will be completed.
Historic districts
![Lakeland Munn Park Hist Dist01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/6d/Lakeland_Munn_Park_Hist_Dist01.jpg)
*
Beacon Hill-Alta Vista Residential District
*
Biltmore-Cumberland Historic District
*
Dixieland Historic District
*
East Lake Morton Residential District
*
Lake Hunter Terrace Historic District
The Lake Hunter Terrace Historic District is a U.S. historic district (designated as such on December 20, 2002) located in Lakeland, Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bord ...
*
Munn Park Historic District
The Munn Park Historic District is a U.S. historic district (designated as such on November 3, 1997) located in Lakeland, Florida
Florida is a state located in the Southeastern region of the United States. Florida is bordered to the w ...
*
South Lake Morton Historic District
Buildings and locations
![Lakeland Lake Mirror Promenade05](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/5/5f/Lakeland_Lake_Mirror_Promenade05.jpg)
*
Central Avenue School
*
Cleveland Court School
*
John F. Cox Grammar School
The John F. Cox Grammar School (also known as the John F. Cox Elementary School) is a historic school in Lakeland, Florida. It is located at 1005-1021 North Massachusetts Avenue. On July 22, 1999, it was added to the U.S. National Register of Hi ...
*
Lakeland Center
The RP Funding Center (formerly the Lakeland Civic Center and the Lakeland Center) is a multipurpose entertainment complex in Lakeland, Florida, comprising a convention center, arena and theater. Currently, it is home to the Florida Tropics SC o ...
*
Lakeland Square Mall
Lakeland Square Mall is a shopping mall located on the northern side of Lakeland, Florida. It is one of two enclosed malls serving Polk County and the only shopping mall located off of I-4 between Tampa and Orlando. It is currently anchored by ...
*
Lakeside Village
*
Old Lakeland High School
The Old Lakeland High School, also formerly known as the Polk Opportunity Center, is an historic 3-story redbrick school building located at 400 North State Road 37 (Florida), Florida Avenue in Lakeland, Florida, Lakeland, Florida, U.S.. Built in ...
*
James Henry Mills Medal of Honor Parkway
*
Oates Building
The Oates Building (former home of the Oates-Corley Furniture Company) is a historic site in Lakeland, Florida, Lakeland, Florida. It was designed by architect Edward Columbus Hosford in the Mission Revival Style architecture, Mission Revival and ...
*
Polk State College
Polk State College, formerly Polk Community College, is a public college in Winter Haven, Florida. It is part of the Florida College System.
The college changed its name from Polk Community College in 2009 to reflect its first Bachelor's degre ...
*
Polk Museum of Art
The Polk Museum of Art at Florida Southern College is a private, non-profit, and nationally accredited art museum in Lakeland, Florida. It is a member of the Florida Association of Museums, is ranked among the top art museums in the state of Flori ...
*
Polk Theatre
*
Southeastern University (Florida)
Southeastern University is a private Christian university in Lakeland, Florida. It was established in 1935 in New Brockton, Alabama, as Southeastern Bible Institute, relocated to Lakeland in 1946, and became a liberal arts college in 1970. It ...
*
USA International Speedway
The USA International Speedway was an oval located near Lakeland, Florida, United States, that opened in 1995. The track was a .75-mile-long concrete paved oval with 14° banked turns. USA International Speedway was closed with the final race on A ...
*
Florida Polytechnic University
Florida Polytechnic University (Florida Poly) is a public university in Lakeland, Florida. Created as an independent university in 2012, it is the newest of the 12 institutions in the State University System of Florida. It is the state's only p ...
*
Winston School
*
Without Walls Central Church – a local/regional
megachurch
A megachurch is a church with an unusually large membership that also offers a variety of educational and social activities, usually Protestant or Evangelical. The Hartford Institute for Religion Research defines a megachurch as any Protestant C ...
*
Silvermoon Drive-in
The Silvermoon Drive-In is a drive-in theatre in Lakeland, Florida. Established in 1948, it is the last remaining drive-in of Polk County, Florida.
History
The Silvermoon was founded on April 14, 1948. Admission was only 35 cents per person. ...
* Bonnet Springs
Sports
Stadiums
Joker Marchant Stadium
Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium is a baseball field in Lakeland, Florida. The 8,500-seat stadium was opened in 1966 and has had multiple renovations, most recently in 2017. It was named after local resident and former Lakeland Parks and Rec ...
, north of downtown, hosts
spring training
Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for Schedule (workplace), roster and position spo ...
for the
Detroit Tigers
The Detroit Tigers are an American professional baseball team based in Detroit. The Tigers compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the American League (AL) Central division. One of the AL's eight charter franchises, the club was f ...
, as well as their
Lakeland Flying Tigers
The Lakeland Flying Tigers are a Minor League Baseball team of the Florida State League and the Single-A affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. They are located in Lakeland, Florida, and play their home games at Publix Field at Joker Marchant Stadium.
H ...
class-A
Florida State League
The Florida State League (FSL) is a Minor League Baseball league based in the state of Florida. Having been classified at various levels throughout its existence, it operated at Class A-Advanced from 1990 until its demotion to Single-A following ...
and
GCL Tigers
The Florida Complex League Tigers are a Rookie-level affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, competing in the Florida Complex League of Minor League Baseball. Prior to 2021, the team was known as the Gulf Coast League Tigers. The team plays its home ga ...
rookie-league
Gulf Coast League
The Florida Complex League (FCL) is a rookie-level Minor League Baseball league that operates in Florida, United States. Before 2021, it was known as the Gulf Coast League (GCL). Together with the Arizona Complex League (ACL), it forms the lo ...
minor league baseball teams.
RP Funding Center
The RP Funding Center (formerly the Lakeland Civic Center and the Lakeland Center) is a multipurpose entertainment complex in Lakeland, Florida, comprising a convention center, arena and theater. Currently, it is home to the Florida Tropics SC of ...
is also home to two indoor sports teams. The
Lakeland Magic
The Lakeland Magic are an American professional basketball team in the NBA G League based in Lakeland, Florida, and are affiliated with the Orlando Magic. The Magic began play in the 2017–18 season and play their home games at the RP Fundi ...
is a basketball team playing in the
NBA G League
The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association's (NBA) official List of developmental and minor sports leagues, minor league basketball organization. The league was known as the National Basketball Development ...
and is an affiliate of the
Orlando Magic. The
Florida Tropics SC
Florida Tropics SC is a professional soccer club based in Lakeland, Florida. They are owned by Central Florida Sports Ventures, LLC, led by Dr. Panos Iakovidis, and former USL commissioner and Rochester Rhinos owner Chris Economides. The org ...
is an
indoor soccer team playing in the
Major Arena Soccer League
The Major Arena Soccer League (MASL) is a North American professional indoor soccer league. The MASL features teams playing coast-to-coast in the United States and Mexico.
MASL is the highest level of arena soccer in North America. MASL players ...
. The Tropics organization also operates an outdoor team, the Lakeland Tropics, which competes in the
Premier Development League. The
Florida Tarpons
The Florida Tarpons were a professional indoor football team based in Lakeland, Florida, out of the RP Funding Center. Originally established in Estero, Florida, and playing out of Germain Arena, they began play in 2012 as an expansion team of t ...
were an
indoor football team playing in the
American Arena League
The American Arena League (AAL) is a professional indoor football minor league that began playing in 2018. The league was initiated by a merger between Arena Pro Football (APF) and the Can-Am Indoor Football League (Can-Am), although the AAL on ...
for one season after relocating from
Estero, Florida
Estero is a village in Lee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 36,939. During the 2010 census, Estero was an unincorporated community, or census-designated place, the population at that time was 22,612. Est ...
.
History of sports teams
In the 1980s, the Lakeland Center briefly played host to the indoor version of the
Tampa Bay Rowdies
The Tampa Bay Rowdies are an American professional soccer team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The club was founded in 2008 and first took the pitch in 2010. Since 2017, the Rowdies have been members of the USL Championship in the second tie ...
soccer
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a team sport played between two teams of 11 players who primarily use their feet to propel the ball around a rectangular field called a pitch. The objective of the game is ...
team. The Lakeland Center has also hosted a few hockey teams, the Lakeland Ice Warriors, the Lakeland Prowlers, and the Lakeland Loggerheads. The
United States Basketball League
The United States Basketball League (USBL) was a professional men's spring basketball league. The league was formed in 1985 and ceased operations in 2008. The USBL started in 1985 as one of the first basketball leagues to play a late-spring to ...
once had a team here as well called the
Lakeland Blue Ducks.
Sun 'n Fun was home to Lakeland's only
roller derby league, the
Lakeland Derby Dames
Lakeland Derby Dames was a flat-track roller derby league based in Lakeland, FL. The league was founded in March 2010. The leagues' travel team was the Rockabilly Rebels.
They formally practiced and played in Hangar E on the Sun 'n Fun campus.
...
; however, the team was dissolved in November 2015.
The Lakeland Center also hosts the
Florida High School Athletic Association
The Florida High School Athletic Association (FHSAA) is an organization whose purpose is to organize sports competition for high schools in Florida. It is a member of the National Federation of State High School Associations (NFHS). Florida uses ...
's state basketball finals.
Government and politics
Lakeland is governed by a six-member city council. Four members are elected from
single-member district
A single-member district is an electoral district represented by a single officeholder. It contrasts with a multi-member district, which is represented by multiple officeholders. Single-member districts are also sometimes called single-winner vo ...
s; the other two are elected
at-large, requiring them to gain a majority of the votes. The mayor is elected.
Mayor
The City of Lakeland was incorporated on January 1, 1885. The mayor is one of seven members of the City Commission, acting as the board chair and performing mostly ceremonial and procedural duties beyond the powers of the other six. Prior to 1988, the City Commission selected Lakeland's mayor from among its members. Mayors can be on the board for up to 12 years in a lifetime, or 16 years in combination with holding a regular commission position. Lakeland's first mayor was J.W. Trammell.
The first female mayor was Lois Q. Searl, who served in 1965.
The 1970 municipal election placed the first African-American on the City Commission, Dr. John S. Jackson. In 1972, he became the first black mayor for the city.
In 1980, Carrie R. Oldham became Lakeland's first African-American female mayor.
Since 1988 the mayor has been elected by the city's voters.
* John W. Trammell, 1885
* John D. Torrence, 1885
* Eppes C. Tucker Sr., 1886, 1887, 1888
* Napoleon B. Bowyer, 1889, 1890
*
Herbert J. Drane
Herbert Jackson Drane (June 20, 1863 – August 11, 1947) was a U.S. Representative from Florida.
Born in Franklin, Kentucky, Drane attended the public schools of Louisville, Kentucky, and Brevards Academy at Franklin, Kentucky.
He moved to ...
, 1888–1892
* J. T. Park, 1894
* Clarence A. Boswell, 1894–1896
* James p. Thompson, 1897, 1899
* Samuel L.A. Clonts, 1898, 1903, 1904, 1912
* C. M. Marsh, 1898
*
Park Trammell
Park Monroe Trammell (April 9, 1876 – May 8, 1936), was an American attorney and politician from the state of Florida. Trammell represented Florida in the United States Senate from 1917 until his death in 1936. As chair of the Senate Naval Aff ...
, 1900–1902
* John F. Cox, 1905–1907, 1911, 1916, 1917
* John S. Edwards, 1909
* Jackson, William K., 1910
* Oscar M. Eaton, 1913–1915
* Edwin C. Flanagan, 1918, 1919
* Frank H. Thompson, 1920
* Hubert C. Petteway, 1921
* J.T. Hodges, 1922,1923
* Daniel C. Boswell, 1924
* John W. Buchanan Jr., 1925
* J. Bunyan Smith, 1926
* Jesse F. Council, 1927, 1928
* William S. Rodgers, 1927
* William F. Reid, 1928, 1931
* Charles I. Dwiggins, 1929
* H. Dean Grady, 1930, 1931
* Benjamin M. Pulliam, 1932
* Elijah A. Godwin, 1933, 1935
* Edward L. Mack, 1934
* George W. Mershon, 1936
* H. Clay Haynes, 1937
* Lutie M. Koons, 1938
* Thomas D. Conter, 1939
* Ira C. Hopper, 1940
* George J. Tolson, 1941, 1944, 1947
* Elmer E. Kelly Jr., 1942
* Horace W. Gibson, 1943
* William Cade, 1945, 1948
* Edwin C. Flanagan Jr., 1946
* Clinton V. McClurg, 1948
* Ernest B. Sutton, 1949
* Guerry L. Dobbins, 1950
* Clayton Logan, 1951
* James J. Musso, 1952, 1958
* Norman T. Kent, 1953
* Wilbur Y. Wooten, 1954
*
S. Scott Kelly, 1955
* Mac H. Cunningham, 1956
* Earl W. Bowen, 1957
* William M. Hollis, 1958
* R. Tom Joyner Jr., c. 1959
* William G. Cooper Jr., 1960
* Reuben H. Gibson, 1961
* Morris J. Pritchard, 1962
* William H. Lofton, 1963
* R. Harold Grizzard, 1964
* James R. West, 1965
* Lois Q. Searl, 1965
* John H. Woodall Jr., 1966
* W. Jack Day, 1967
* George W. Trask, 1968, 1969, 1974
* Marvin H. Henderson Jr., 1970
* Joe P. Ruthven, 1971
* Charles E. Whitten, 1972
* John S. Jackson, 1972, 1973
* W. Carl Dicks, 1975
* Peggy C. Brown, 1976, 1984
* Charles A. Coleman, 1977
* John Tolson, 1977
* Curtis I. Walker, 1978
* George R. Burt, 1979
* Carrie R. Oldham, 1980, first African-American female mayor
* R. Larry Turnipseed, 1981
* J. Larry Durrence, 1982, 1986
* Frank J. O'Reilly, 1983, 1987, 1989–1993
* Thomas R. Shaw, 1985
* Willie J. Williams, 1988
*
Buddy Fletcher
Alphonse "Buddy" Fletcher Jr. (born December 19, 1965) is an American former hedge fund manager and founder of the Fletcher Foundation. He began his career as a quantitative equity trader at Bear Stearns and later worked at Kidder, Peabody & ...
, 1993–2009
*
Gow Fields
Lakeland is the most populous city in Polk County, Florida, part of the Tampa Bay Area, located along Interstate 4 east of Tampa. According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau release, the city had a population of 112,641. Lakeland is a principal c ...
, 2010–2013, first African-American mayor elected in the city
* R. Howard Wiggs, 2014–2018
* Bill Mutz, 2018–present
Law enforcement
On September 28, 2006, Polk County Sheriff's Deputy Vernon "Matt" Williams and his K-9 partner Diogi were shot and killed after a routine traffic stop in the Wabash area of Lakeland. More than 500 police officers from a variety of law enforcement agencies joined in a search for Angilo Freeland, suspected of murdering Williams and stealing his gun. Freeland was found hiding in a rural area the next morning. Nine officers from five different law enforcement agencies surrounded Freeland and shot him when he raised Williams' stolen gun at them. A total of 110 shots were fired, and Freeland was hit 68 times, killing him instantly.
Multiple investigations concluded the officers' use of force was justified. Deputy Williams and Diogi were laid to rest on October 3, 2006, after a funeral that included a one-hour-and-45-minute procession to
Auburndale.
In 2021, the Lakeland Police Department hired numerous former NYPD officers. Two of the new hires failed to disclose that they had been disciplined by the NYPD, and one new hire used to work in the NYPD's notorious anti-crime units which were disbanded after high-profile scandals.
Education
The 28 elementary schools, seven middle schools, six traditional high schools, and three magnet-choice high schools in the Lakeland area are run by the
Polk County School Board.
Traditional public high schools
*
Mulberry Senior High School
*
George W. Jenkins High School
*
Kathleen High School
Kathleen Senior High School is the second oldest of four high schools in Lakeland, Florida, United States. It was originally housed north of its present location, at the site of the current Kathleen Middle School.Lake Gibson High School
Lake Gibson High School is located in Lakeland, Florida, and was established in 1979.
Athletics
Lake Gibson offers a wide variety of sports for boys and girls including: Baseball, boys and girls basketball, boys and girls cross country, weightl ...
*
Lakeland Senior High School
Lakeland Senior High School (abbreviated as LSHS) is an independent public co-educational high day school, located in the suburb of South Lake, Western Australia.
History
The school was established in 1990 and caters to students from Year 7 ...
*
Tenoroc High School
Magnet high schools
* Central Florida Aerospace Academy
*
Lois Cowles Harrison Center for the Visual and Performing Arts
*
Polk State College Lakeland Collegiate High School
Traditional public middle schools
* Kathleen Middle School
* Lake Gibson Middle School
* Crystal Lake Middle school
* Sleepy Hill Middle School
* Lakeland Highlands Middle School
* Southwest Middle School
Magnet middle schools
*Lawton Chiles Middle School
*Rochelle School of the Arts (elementary and middle)
Charter schools
*
McKeel Academy of Technology
McKeel Academy of Technology is a junior and senior high school of over 1,000 students located in Lakeland, Florida, United States. It is located approximately a half mile southeast of Kathleen High School and cannot be viewed from any major road ...
* Lakeland Montessori Schoolhouse
* Lakeland Montessori Middle School
* Lakeland Collegiate High school
* Magnolia Montessori Academy
Private schools
*Calvary Baptist Church Academy
*Geneva Classical Academy
*Heritage Christian Academy
*Lakeland Christian Preparatory School
*
Lakeland Christian School
Lakeland Christian School (LCS) is a private Christian school located in Lakeland, Florida. Bible classes are mandatory and they have a weekly chapel. K4-12th grade school grades.
History
Established in 1954, Lakeland Christian is Polk County's ...
*Parkway Christian Academy
*Resurrection Catholic School
*
Santa Fe Catholic High School
Santa Fe Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Lakeland, Florida. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando. There are 310 students.
History
Santa Fe Catholic High School, a coeducational institution of ...
*Sonrise Christian School
*St Anthony
*St Joseph
*St Lukes
*St Paul Lutheran School
*Victory Christian Academy
*Excel Christian Academy
Colleges and universities
*
Florida Polytechnic University
Florida Polytechnic University (Florida Poly) is a public university in Lakeland, Florida. Created as an independent university in 2012, it is the newest of the 12 institutions in the State University System of Florida. It is the state's only p ...
*
Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College (Florida Southern, Southern or FSC) is a private college in Lakeland, Florida. In 2019, the student population at FSC consisted of 3,073 students along with 130 full-time faculty members. The college offers 50 undergradu ...
*
Florida Technical College
Florida Technical College is a for profit college with multiple campuses in Florida. Established in 1982, FTC offers associate's and bachelor's degrees as well as diploma programs on six campuses: Cutler Bay, DeLand, Orlando, Kissimmee, Pembroke ...
*
Keiser University
Keiser University is a private university with its main campus in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and flagship residential campus in West Palm Beach, Florida. Additional branches are located in other parts of Florida and internationally. Keiser provide ...
*
Webster University
Webster University is a private university with its main campus in Webster Groves, Missouri. It has multiple branch locations across the United States and countries across Europe, Asia, and Africa. It offers undergraduate and graduate program ...
*
Polk State College
Polk State College, formerly Polk Community College, is a public college in Winter Haven, Florida. It is part of the Florida College System.
The college changed its name from Polk Community College in 2009 to reflect its first Bachelor's degre ...
*
Southeastern University
Southeastern University is a private Christian university in Lakeland, Florida. It was established in 1935 in New Brockton, Alabama, as Southeastern Bible Institute, relocated to Lakeland in 1946, and became a liberal arts college in 1970. It i ...
*
Whitefield Theological Seminary
![Florida Polytechnic University (25811685378)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9c/Florida_Polytechnic_University_%2825811685378%29.jpg)
A number of opportunities exist for higher education around the Lakeland area.
Southeastern University
Southeastern University is a private Christian university in Lakeland, Florida. It was established in 1935 in New Brockton, Alabama, as Southeastern Bible Institute, relocated to Lakeland in 1946, and became a liberal arts college in 1970. It i ...
is the largest university in the area, with undergraduate enrollment around 6200. Southeastern is affiliated with the
Assemblies of God
The Assemblies of God (AG), officially the World Assemblies of God Fellowship, is a group of over 144 autonomous self-governing national groupings of churches that together form the world's largest Pentecostal denomination."Assemblies of God". ...
.
Florida Southern College
Florida Southern College (Florida Southern, Southern or FSC) is a private college in Lakeland, Florida. In 2019, the student population at FSC consisted of 3,073 students along with 130 full-time faculty members. The college offers 50 undergradu ...
, established in 1883 and with a current undergraduate enrollment of just over 2600, is on
Lake Hollingsworth. Florida Southern is the home of the world's largest single-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture. In July 2008, the University of South Florida's Lakeland campus was granted partial autonomy by Governor
Charlie Crist and became Florida Polytechnic University. Florida Polytechnic (FLPoly) is just inside the Lakeland's northeast border at the intersection of I-4 and Polk Parkway. They also have some administrative offices on the campus of
Polk State College
Polk State College, formerly Polk Community College, is a public college in Winter Haven, Florida. It is part of the Florida College System.
The college changed its name from Polk Community College in 2009 to reflect its first Bachelor's degre ...
on Winter Lake Road. FLPoly is focused on STEM degree programs, such as engineering and computer science. Both
Everest University
Everest University was an American private university based in Florida. From 2015 to 2020, the schools were operated by nonprofit Zenith Education Group, after former for-profit owner Corinthian Colleges shut down its operations. It was founded i ...
and
Keiser University
Keiser University is a private university with its main campus in Fort Lauderdale, Florida and flagship residential campus in West Palm Beach, Florida. Additional branches are located in other parts of Florida and internationally. Keiser provide ...
, two multisite, accredited universities, have locations in Lakeland. Traviss Career Center is a
vocational school
A vocational school is a type of educational institution, which, depending on the country, may refer to either secondary or post-secondary education designed to provide vocational education or technical skills required to complete the task ...
.
Webster University
Webster University is a private university with its main campus in Webster Groves, Missouri. It has multiple branch locations across the United States and countries across Europe, Asia, and Africa. It offers undergraduate and graduate program ...
offers on-site, regionally accredited graduate degree programs in business and counseling at their Lakeland Metropolitan Campus
Media
Polk County is within the Tampa Bay television market.
Charter Spectrum
Spectrum is a trade name of Charter Communications, used to market consumer and commercial cable television, internet, telephone, and wireless services provided by the company.
The brand was first introduced in 2014; prior to that, these ser ...
is the cable television franchise serving Lakeland, which offers most television stations from the Tampa Bay market, as well as
WFTV
WFTV (channel 9) is a television station in Orlando, Florida, United States, affiliated with ABC. It is owned by Cox Media Group alongside independent station WRDQ (channel 27). Both stations share studios on East South Street (SR 15) in do ...
, the
ABC
ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet.
ABC or abc may also refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting
* American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster
** Disney–ABC Television ...
affiliate from Orlando.
WMOR-TV
WMOR-TV (channel 32) is an independent television station licensed to Lakeland, Florida, United States, serving the Tampa Bay area. Owned by Hearst Television, the station maintains studios on Hillsborough Avenue in east Tampa, and its transmitt ...
, an
independent television station, is licensed to Lakeland, with its studios in Tampa and its transmitter in
Riverview.
Lakeland and Polk County are within its own radio market. Local radio stations include:
*
WLKF
WLKF (1430 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Lakeland, Florida, and serving Central Florida. It broadcasts a talk radio format and is owned by Hall Communications, Inc.
By day, WLKF transmits with 5,000 watts, but to avoid interfe ...
1430 AM
*
WONN
WONN (1230 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a soft oldies and adult standards radio format. Licensed to Lakeland, Florida, the station is owned by Hall Communications, Inc. WONN is also heard on an FM translator, 107.1 MHz W ...
1230 AM
*
WWAB 1330 AM
*
WPCV
WPCV (97.5 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station, licensed to Winter Haven and serving Central Florida. It has a country music radio format and is owned and operated by Hall Communications. The radio studios and offices are in Lakeland.
Whi ...
97.5 FM
*
WWRZ
WWRZ (98.3 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station in Fort Meade, Florida, broadcasting to the Lakeland- Winter Haven area of Central Florida. It broadcasts an adult hits radio format and is owned by Hall Communications.
Programming
Prior to Ja ...
98.3 FM
WLLD
WLLD (94.1 MHz, "WiLD 94.1") is a rhythmic CHR-formatted radio station licensed to Lakeland, Florida that serves the Tampa Bay area in Florida, and is owned by Beasley Broadcast Group. Although the target audience of WLLD is mainly people of age ...
94.1 FM is licensed to Lakeland, but has wider focus on the Tampa Bay area, with studios in
St. Petersburg
Saint Petersburg ( rus, links=no, Санкт-Петербург, a=Ru-Sankt Peterburg Leningrad Petrograd Piter.ogg, r=Sankt-Peterburg, p=ˈsankt pʲɪtʲɪrˈburk), formerly known as Petrograd (1914–1924) and later Leningrad (1924–1991), i ...
.
WKES
WKES (91.1 MHz) is a non-commercial, listener-supported FM radio station broadcasting a Christian talk and teaching radio format. Licensed to Lakeland, Florida, it serves the Tampa Bay area from its studios at Keswick Christian School in Seminol ...
91.1 FM is also licensed to Lakeland as part of the statewide
Moody Radio
Moody Radio is one of the largest Christian radio networks in the United States. Located in downtown Chicago, Moody Radio has 71 owned and operated stations Florida network, with studios in
Seminole
The Seminole are a Native American people who developed in Florida in the 18th century. Today, they live in Oklahoma and Florida, and comprise three federally recognized tribes: the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, the Seminole Tribe of Florida, an ...
, near St. Petersburg. Most major stations from Tampa Bay and a few from Orlando are also available.
Print media include ''
The Ledger
''The Ledger'' is a daily newspaper serving Lakeland, Florida, and the Polk County area.
The paper was founded on August 22, 1924, as the ''Lakeland Evening Ledger''. In 1927, it bought its main competitor, the morning ''Lakeland Star-Telegram ...
'', a local newspaper owned by
Gannett. Patterson Jacobs Media Group publishes a magazine, ''The Lakelander''.
Infrastructure
Transportation
Because Lakeland is the largest city on
Interstate 4 between Tampa and Orlando, the city is an important transportation hub. The county nickname, Imperial Polk County, was coined because a large bond issue in 1914 enabled wide roads between the cities of Polk County.
The important freeways and highways in Lakeland today are:
* (
Interstate 4) is the main interstate in central Florida linking Tampa, Lakeland, Orlando, and Daytona Beach.
* (or
Polk Parkway
State Road 570 (SR 570), also known as the Polk Parkway, is a , limited-access toll road which runs through Polk County, Florida. It is operated as part of Florida's Turnpike Enterprise system of limited-access expressways. The Polk Parkway ...
), is a tolled beltway around Lakeland, with both ends terminating at Interstate 4. Although its shape, location, and tolls makes it impractical as a "bypass" road, it is useful as a way of getting from part of town to another and providing access to I-4 from most parts of the city.
* , following Memorial Boulevard for most of the city, was the route leading to both Tampa and Orlando before I-4 was built; US 92 is still a main road leading to Plant City going west, and Auburndale, Winter Haven, and Haines City going east.
* , going south, follows Bartow Road and leads to Bartow, the county seat. Heading north out of town, it provides a route to
Dade City
Dade City is a city in and the county seat of Pasco County, Florida, United States. It is located in the Tampa Bay Area. The population was 6,437 at the 2010 census.
Dade City is popular with tourists for its antique stores, restaurants, and h ...
.
* , following mostly rural land, provides access to
Lake County and the
Florida Turnpike
Florida's Turnpike, designated as unsigned State Road 91 (SR 91), is a toll road in the U.S. state of Florida, maintained by Florida's Turnpike Enterprise (FTE). Spanning approximately along a northwest–southeast axis, the turnpike is in two ...
.
* , following Florida Avenue, the main north–south route in Lakeland, is also the main road leading south to
Mulberry
''Morus'', a genus of flowering plants in the family Moraceae, consists of diverse species of deciduous trees commonly known as mulberries, growing wild and under cultivation in many temperate world regions. Generally, the genus has 64 identif ...
.
* , Winter-Lake Road, is in southern Lakeland, leading to Winter Haven and
Legoland Florida
Legoland Florida Resort (stylized as LEGOLAND Florida Resort) is a vacation destination in Winter Haven, Florida. The resort features the Legoland Florida theme park itself, the Legoland Water Park, three on-site accommodations and a separatel ...
.
Bicycle routes
In recent years, the Lakeland area has developed a number of paved, multi-use bicycle routes including the
Lake-To-Lakes Trail, which runs from
Lake Parker through downtown, past several lakes, ending at Lake John. Other routes include University Trail, which connects
Polk State College
Polk State College, formerly Polk Community College, is a public college in Winter Haven, Florida. It is part of the Florida College System.
The college changed its name from Polk Community College in 2009 to reflect its first Bachelor's degre ...
to Florida Polytechnic University, and the
Fort Fraser Trail
The Fort Fraser Trail is a paved multi-use path that runs from Bartow to Lakeland. It runs along a former Atlantic Coast Line Railroad line that once ran from Lakeland to Naples. The southern terminus of the trail can be accessed from North W ...
, which runs along US Highway 98 from Polk State College to Highway 60 in
Bartow.
Public transportation
![Lakeland FL Amtrak station01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/b1/Lakeland_FL_Amtrak_station01.jpg)
*
Lakeland Amtrak Station
*
Lakeland Linder International Airport
Lakeland Linder International Airport is a public airport five miles southwest of Lakeland, in Polk County, Florida. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2017–2021 categorized it as a nati ...
In 2017, Linder received its first international flight and was renamed Lakeland Linder International Airport in 2018.
* Lakeland Greyhound Terminal
*
Citrus Connection local bus service.
Utilities
Water and wastewater in the Lakeland area is managed by Lakeland Water Utilities, municipal water supply is treated at local water plants, T.B. Williams and C. Wayne Combee. The water is mainly supplied by wells that draw from the
Floridan aquifer. Power is generated by a nonprofit public power utility, Lakeland Electric.
Lakeland Electric is a municipal utility and government department of the city of Lakeland, Florida.
Lakeland was the third city in the state of Florida to have electric lighting powered in 1891 by The Lakeland Light and Power Company after Jacksonville and Tampa. Over a decade later in 1904, citizens purchased the private light power plant for $7,500 establishing the locally owned, municipal utility known today as Lakeland Electric.
Power plants
Lakeland Electric powers the city of Lakeland by two power plants, C.D. McIntosh Power Plant, coal-natural gas combined cycle plant slated to phase out in 2024, and Larsen Memorial.
The last coal unit at C.D. McIntosh Power Plant is slated to phase out in 2024 a plan presented by the Lakeland Electric staff in 2019.
Notable people
Entertainment
*
Nat Adderley
Nathaniel Carlyle Adderley (November 25, 1931 – January 2, 2000) was an American jazz trumpeter. He was the younger brother of saxophonist Julian "Cannonball" Adderley, whom he supported and played with for many years.
Adderley's composition ...
, jazz
cornet
The cornet (, ) is a brass instrument similar to the trumpet but distinguished from it by its conical bore, more compact shape, and mellower tone quality. The most common cornet is a transposing instrument in B, though there is also a sopr ...
ist and composer
*
Lindsey Alley
Lindsey Erin Alley (born December 6, 1977) is an American actress and singer, who for several years lived in New York City and now resides in Los Angeles. She is known for Bedtime Stories (2008), Ernest Saves Christmas (1988) and Jessica Jone ...
,
Mouseketeer and actress
*
Bobby Braddock
Robert Valentine Braddock (born August 5, 1940) is an American country songwriter and record producer. A member of the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, Braddock has contributed numerous hit songs during mor ...
, record producer in
Country Music Hall of Fame
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville, Tennessee, is one of the world's largest museums and research centers dedicated to the preservation and interpretation of American vernacular music. Chartered in 1964, the museum has amas ...
*
Howard J. Buss
Howard J. Buss (born January 6, 1951 in Allentown, Pennsylvania) is an American composer of contemporary classical music. Buss’ works include instrumental solos, chamber music, symphonic, choral, and band works. His music has received awards, ...
, composer
*
Charleene Closshey, film/Broadway actress, musician, and producer
*
Copeland, pop/alternative rock band
*
Jonny Diaz, Christian musician
*
Samantha Dorman
The following women have appeared in the American or international edition of ''Playboy'' magazine as Playmate of the Month. Those who were also named Playmate of the Year are highlighted in green. A common misconception is that Marilyn Monroe was ...
, ''
Playboy
''Playboy'' is an American men's lifestyle and entertainment magazine, formerly in print and currently online. It was founded in Chicago in 1953, by Hugh Hefner and his associates, and funded in part by a $1,000 loan from Hefner's mother.
K ...
''
Playmate
A Playmate is a female model featured in the centerfold/gatefold of ''Playboy'' magazine as Playmate of the Month (PMOTM). The PMOTM's pictorial includes nude photographs and a centerfold poster, along with a pictorial biography and the "Playm ...
*
Rhea Durham,
Victoria's Secret
Victoria's Secret is an American lingerie, clothing, and beauty retailer known for high visibility marketing and branding, starting with a popular catalog and followed by an annual fashion show with supermodels dubbed Angels. As the largest ...
model
* Faith Evans, singer
* Stephen Baron Johnson, painter
* Frances Langford, singer, actress, and radio star (1930s and 1940s)
* Neva Jane Langley, Miss America 1953
* Mike Marshall (musician), Mike Marshall, bluegrass musician and mandolinist
* Kara Monaco, ''Playboy'' Playmate
* Robert Phillips (Guitarist), Robert Phillips, guitarist
* Lauren Miller Rogen, actress
* Forrest Sawyer, NBC reporter and anchor
* SoulJa (rapper), SoulJa, rapper
* Steve1989MREInfo, YouTube personality
* J. D. Sumner, singer and songwriter
* Dan White (actor), Dan White (1908–1980), American actor in film and television
* Monte Yoho, drummer for Outlaws (band), Outlaws
Sports
* George Almones, NBA Player
* Dwayne Bacon, NBA Player
* Danny Baggish, pro darts player
* Andy Bean, PGA Tour golfer
* Ahmad Black, NFL player, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
* Keon Broxton- Milwaukee Brewers Center Fielder
* Desmond Clark, National Football League, NFL player, Chicago Bears
* Lance Davis, Major League Baseball, MLB player, Cincinnati Reds
* Matt Diaz, former MLB player
* Paul Edinger, NFL player, Minnesota Vikings and Chicago Bears
* Justin Forsett, running back, University of California, Berkeley, UC Berkeley
* Carson Fulmer, former Vanderbilt baseball player, drafted 8th overall by Chicago White Sox
* Kenneth Gant, NFL safety
* Ronnie Ghent, football player
* Matt Grothe, quarterback, South Florida Bulls football, South Florida Bulls
* Nick Hamilton, pro wrestling referee
* Killian Hayes, basketball player
* Alice Haylett, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, AAGPBL All-Star pitcher
* Drew Hutchison (baseball), Drew Hutchison, MLB pitcher
* Lee Janzen, PGA Tour golfer, U.S. Open (golf), U.S. Open winner
* Ray Lewis (American football), Ray Lewis, NFL player, Baltimore Ravens, Super Bowl champion and MVP, 2-time NFL Defensive Player of the Year
* Freddie Mitchell, NFL player, Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs
* Joe Nemechek, NASCAR Sprint Cup driver
* Joe Niekro, MLB knuckleball pitcher
* Lance Niekro, MLB player, San Francisco Giants
* Steve Pearce (baseball), Steve Pearce, MLB player, Boston Red Sox
* Maurkice Pouncey, NFL player, Pittsburgh Steelers
* Mike Pouncey, former NFL player
* Boog Powell, former MLB player
* Chris Rainey, NFL player, Pittsburgh Steelers
* Andrew Reynolds (skateboarder), Andrew Reynolds, professional skateboarder
* Chris Sale, MLB player, Boston Red Sox
* Brenda Sell, Taekwondo Grandmaster
* Rod Smart, NFL & XFL (2001), XFL player
* Donnell Smith, NFL player, Green Bay Packers and New England Patriots
* Ron Smith (wide receiver), Ron Smith, NFL player, Los Angeles Rams
* Bill Spivey, basketball player
* Jameson Taillon, MLB pitcher, New York Yankees
* Adarius Taylor, NFL linebacker
* Jim Thomas (basketball), Jim Thomas, NBA player
* Justin Verlander, MLB pitcher, Houston Astros
* Chris Waters (baseball), Chris Waters, former MLB player
* Brooks Wilson, MLB pitcher, Atlanta Braves
Other
* Charles T. Canady, Chief Justice, Florida Supreme Court
* Lawton Chiles, Senator and Governor of Florida
* Carol Jenkins Barnett, philanthropist and businesswoman, the daughter of George W. Jenkins
* George W. Jenkins, founder of
Publix
Publix Super Markets, Inc., commonly known as Publix, is an employee-owned American supermarket chain headquartered in Lakeland, Florida. Founded in 1930 by George W. Jenkins, Publix is a private corporation that is wholly owned by present and ...
Super Markets
* R. Albert Mohler Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary
* Marvin Pipkin, scientist engineer that had many inventions and innovations for the light bulb.
* Gene Ready, Florida businessman and state legislator
* Charles Z. Smith, Associate Justice, Washington State Supreme Court
*
Park Trammell
Park Monroe Trammell (April 9, 1876 – May 8, 1936), was an American attorney and politician from the state of Florida. Trammell represented Florida in the United States Senate from 1917 until his death in 1936. As chair of the Senate Naval Aff ...
, Mayor of Lakeland, Florida Attorney General, Governor of Florida and U.S. Senator
Sister cities
Lakeland Sister Cities International (LSCI), a chapter of Sister Cities International, was formed in 1990 with Lakeland's first sister city Richmond Hill, Canada.
* Bălți, Moldova (since 1997)
* Chongming County, Shanghai, China (since 2007)
* Imabari, Ehime, Imabari, Ehime, Japan (since 1995)
* Portmore, Jamaica (since 2009)
* Richmond Hill, Ontario, Canada (since 1990)
In popular culture
![Lakeland FL Southgate Shopping Center01](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/91/Lakeland_FL_Southgate_Shopping_Center01.jpg)
In 1990, Lakeland made its Hollywood (film industry), Hollywood debut when the Southgate Shopping Center was featured in the movie ''Edward Scissorhands''. It was also used in the filming of the Judd Nelson movie ''Endure''. Classrooms from Florida Southern College were used in the Adam Sandler comedy, ''The Waterboy''.
The Lakeland civic center also was the filming location for music video for Little Red Corvette by Prince (musician)
See also
* List of people from Lakeland, Florida
* Loyce Harpe Park
References
Bibliography
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External links
Official website
Lakeland Chamber of Commerce*
*
{{Authority control
Lakeland, Florida,
1884 establishments in Florida
Cities in Florida
Cities in Polk County, Florida
Populated places established in 1884