Winter Haven is a city in

Polk County, Florida Polk County () is a County (United States), county located in the Central Florida, central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. The county population was 725,046, as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, and estimated to be 818,330, as ...

, United States. It is located about east of

Tampa Tampa ( ) is a city on the Gulf Coast of the United States, Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. Tampa's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and t ...

and about southwest of Orlando, with neighboring Lakeland located to its west. The city's population was 49,219 at the 2020 census, making it the second most populous city in Polk County after Lakeland. It is a principal city of the Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.

History

Pre-history

The

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 va ...

and the Calusa were the earliest known inhabitants of the Winter Haven area. Both of these groups were deeply affected by war and disease from the Spanish conquest of Florida in the early 1500s. The Timucua were particularly affected by the expedition of

Hernando de Soto Hernando de Soto (; ; 1497 – 21 May 1542) was a Spanish explorer and conquistador who was involved in expeditions in Nicaragua and the Yucatan Peninsula. He played an important role in Francisco Pizarro's conquest of the Inca Empire in Peru, ...

. By the 19th century, both these groups no longer existed. During these expeditions the Spanish explorers claimed the entire peninsula of Florida for the

Spanish monarchy The monarchy of Spain or Spanish monarchy () is the constitutional form of government of Spain. It consists of a hereditary monarch who reigns as the head of state, being the highest office of the country. The Spanish monarchy is constitu ...

. In the 19th century the Creek and the

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, ...

were known to live and hunt in this area."The Naming of Lakes in Polk County", Joe Spann, Polk County Historical Library, Bartow, 2007, http://www.polk.wateratlas.usf.edu/upload/documents/Naming%20of%20Polk%20Lakes.pdf During the

Seminole Wars The Seminole Wars (also known as the Florida Wars) were a series of three military conflicts between the United States and the Seminoles that took place in Florida between about 1816 and 1858. The Seminoles are a Native American nation which co ...

the Seminole leader, Chipco, and his followers were known to live in the Winter Haven area. Several small skirmishes during the war were fought in and around Winter Haven.

19th century

In 1819, after the signing of the Adams-Onís Treaty, the United States gained control of Florida. The first American or European settlers in the area were encouraged to settle there by the Armed Occupation Act of 1842. During the 1840s and 1850s, the

United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...

government conducted the first surveys of the area. Henry Washington conducted the first survey of the area in 1843. In 1849, Dr. John Westcott completed an extensive survey of the area, including mapping many of the local lakes. The first maps of the area were published by the

government in 1854. In 1883, Henry Haines working for Henry Plant and the

Plant System The Plant System, named after its owner, Henry B. Plant, was a system of railroads and steamboats in the U.S. South, taken over by the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902. The original line of the system was the Savannah, Florida and Western ...

, successfully built the first railroad across Polk County, passing just north of Winter Haven. Lake Haines, in Winter Haven, was named after Haines, who served as a colonel in the

Confederate States Army The Confederate States Army (CSA), also called the Confederate army or the Southern army, was the Military forces of the Confederate States, military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) duri ...

. The arrival of the railroad created the first real growth in area. The area was

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 Survey System, Public Lands Surveys to ...

ted from 1884 to 1885, and would first be known as Harris Corners. This name was in reference to F.A.K. Harris, who opened the first mercantile store in the area around this time. The name Winter Haven was later suggested, in reference to the area's pleasant climate.

Early 20th century

By the end of the century, the population grew to approximately 400 and on June 22, 1911, the City of Winter Haven was officially incorporated as a town. The Chain of Lakes canals were begun in 1915. The first Florida boom took place in the 1920s as towns sprang up all over the peninsula. Florida's potential as a place to live and a place to visit was first realized in the 1920s, but the

Great Depression The Great Depression was a severe global economic downturn from 1929 to 1939. The period was characterized by high rates of unemployment and poverty, drastic reductions in industrial production and international trade, and widespread bank and ...

slowed growth until after

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. On November 27, 1923, Winter Haven was officially reincorporated from a town to a city. Winter Haven Hospital was founded in 1926 and has been in the city ever since. During this period, the population of Winter Haven began to grow substantially. Many beautiful single-family homes were built in Winter Haven at this time in the colonial revival style. Over 50 these homes are on the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the Federal government of the United States, United States federal government's official United States National Register of Historic Places listings, list of sites, buildings, structures, Hist ...

today. They are noted for their architectural style and grace. Most of these historic homes are located in the Interlaken neighborhood. There are four

historic districts A historic district or heritage district is a section of a city which contains older buildings considered valuable for historical or architectural reasons. In some countries or jurisdictions, historic districts receive legal protection from ce ...

in Winter Haven. They are Interlaken, Pope Avenue, Winter Haven Heights, and the downtown area.

Growth and development

In 1930, George W. Jenkins opened the first Publix

supermarket A supermarket is a self-service Retail#Types of outlets, shop offering a wide variety of food, Drink, beverages and Household goods, household products, organized into sections. Strictly speaking, a supermarket is larger and has a wider selecti ...

in Winter Haven. His second store and the first stand-alone Publix store, was a 27 ft by 65 ft building at 199 West Central Avenue, opened in 1935, which exists today as the Regenerations thrift store. During the 1930s and 1940s, citrus magnate, John A. Snively operated one of the largest fruit packing plants in the world in Winter Haven. Another defining event in Winter Haven was the opening of Cypress Gardens in 1936 by Dick Pope Sr. and his wife, Julie Pope. They first got the idea for the park from a Good Housekeeping magazine that they were reading. By the 1950s, Cypress Gardens was nationally famous. It featured a beautiful

botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens. is ...

water skiing Water skiing (also waterskiing or water-skiing) is a surface water sport in which an individual is pulled behind a boat or a cable ski installation over a body of water, skimming the surface on one or two skis. The sport requires sufficien ...

shows, and a staff of southern belles. Many famous celebrities of that time visited the park, including

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977) was an American singer and actor. Referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as Cultural impact of Elvis Presley, one of the most significant cultural figures of the ...

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Honorific nicknames in popular music, Nicknamed the "Chairman of the Board" and "Ol' Blue Eyes", he is regarded as one of the Time 100: The Most I ...

, Betty Grable, and

King Hussein Hussein bin Talal (14 November 1935 – 7 February 1999) was King of Jordan from 1952 until his death in 1999. As a member of the Hashemite dynasty, the royal family of Jordan since 1921, Hussein was traditionally considered a 40th-generati ...

of Jordan. In the 1980s, the Anheuser-Busch corporation purchased the park. They continued to operate the park until 1995. After that, the park struggled, finally closing for good in 2009. On January 21, 2010, the site of Cypress Gardens was formally announced as the selected location for the Legoland Florida theme park, which opened on October 15, 2011. Legoland Florida has successfully retained some of the tradition and history of the original site, including part of the original botanical garden and a water ski show. Winter Haven features many buildings designed by the architect Gene Leedy, one of the founders of the

Sarasota School of Architecture The Sarasota School of Architecture, sometimes called Sarasota Modern, is a regional style of post-war modern architecture (1941–1966) that emerged on Florida's Central West Coast, in and around the city of Sarasota, Florida. It is characterize ...

. Regency Medical Center, which is Winter Haven Hospital's women's hospital, was built in 1987. Some of Leedy's structures are part of the Downtown Winter Haven Historic District. WIKI WINTER HAVEN FL 05

The Orange Dome, located near the corner of Cypress Gardens Blvd and US Hwy 17, was built in 1964. For 48 years, it hosted the annual Citrus Festival and other civic affairs. In February 2012, the Orange Dome was demolished to make way for The Landings, a proposed $150 million mixed-use development that was intended to include high-end retail stores, restaurants, hotels, apartments and a new movie theater to be built at the Chain of Lakes Complex. However, after the construction of three fast food chain stores, the project collapsed. , the developer and the city were in negotiations to determine the future of the site.

Pughsville

Pughsville was a neighborhood of Winter Haven where

African Americans African Americans, also known as Black Americans and formerly also called Afro-Americans, are an American racial and ethnic group that consists of Americans who have total or partial ancestry from any of the Black racial groups of Africa ...

built a community after the Civil War. A historical marker on Highway 17 at Avenue O commemorates the community. According to the marker, Pughsville was one of Winter Haven's earliest neighborhoods and was settled by African Americans who cleared the land in the southwest section of the city. Pughsville was named for an early black pioneer, Reverend Charles Pugh, who was a founder of Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church. Pughsville was also home to Bethel A.M.E., St. Paul Holiness, and Church of Christ. The community was most active from the 1900s until the 1950s and had an African-American school, social halls, small grocery stores, and restaurants where some residents worked. Others worked in the citrus industry or in state or federal jobs. Pughsville produced Winter Haven's first African-American commissioner and mayor Lemuel Geathers, medical doctor, fire fighter and postal worker. The community declined in the late 1970s as larger commercial establishments began arriving in the area.

Geography

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau, officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the Federal statistical system, U.S. federal statistical system, responsible for producing data about the American people and American economy, econ ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (30.45%) is water. Winter Haven is located within the Central Florida Highlands area of the

Atlantic coastal plain The Atlantic Ocean is the second largest of the world's five borders of the oceans, oceanic divisions, with an area of about . It covers approximately 17% of Earth#Surface, Earth's surface and about 24% of its water surface area. During the ...

with a terrain consisting of flatland interspersed with gently rolling hills. It has an average elevation of above sea-level. The city is located at the

headwaters The headwater of a river or stream is the geographical point of its beginning, specifically where surface runoff water begins to accumulate into a flowing channel of water. A river or stream into which one or many tributary rivers or streams flo ...

of the Peace River.

Lakes

Winter Haven has 50 lakes within its borders, including its famous Chain of Lakes. The lakes are by far the city's most distinctive feature. Winter Haven bills itself as "The Chain of Lakes City". The city has two prominent chains of lakes; the northern chain has nine lakes interconnected by a series of canals. The southern chain features sixteen lakes interconnected by a series of canals. The southern chain has several prominent lakes, including Lake Eloise, Lake Howard, and Lake Lulu. In 2011, after six years of construction and political infighting, Winter Haven opened a canal lock system connecting the two chains. Most of the lakes in Winter Haven formed in a similar fashion to sinkholes, through dissolving of the limestone ground. These types of lakes are called "solution lakes". The lakes in Winter Haven teem with life, including

alligator An alligator, or colloquially gator, is a large reptile in the genus ''Alligator'' of the Family (biology), family Alligatoridae in the Order (biology), order Crocodilia. The two Extant taxon, extant species are the American alligator (''A. mis ...

bald eagle The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche ...

great blue heron The great blue heron (''Ardea herodias'') is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America, as well as far northwestern South America, the Caribbea ...

s, and more. The Winter Haven lakes are a world-renowned spot for bass fishing.

Climate

Winter Haven is located in the humid subtropical zone (

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification divides Earth climates into five main climate groups, with each group being divided based on patterns of seasonal precipitation and temperature. The five main groups are ''A'' (tropical), ''B'' (arid), ''C'' (te ...

: ''Cfa''). The average temperature is . The city averages of rain per year. The months of June, July, August, and September, which includes the height of the

Atlantic hurricane season The Atlantic hurricane season is the period in a year, from June 1 through November 30, when Tropical cyclone, tropical or subtropical cyclones are most likely to form in the North Atlantic Ocean. These dates, adopted by convention ...

, are by far the rainiest time of the year. Those four months, which average of rain, account for more than half of the annual rainfall. Winters in Winter Haven are dry and sunny, with high temperatures of and lows of . Frost occurs about once per year on average.

Demographics

2010 and 2020 census

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 49,219 people, 15,423 households, and 10,260 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 United States census, there were 33,874 people, 14,025 households, and 8,762 families residing in the city.

2000 census

As of 2000, there were 11,833 households, out of which 21.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.1% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognised union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children (if any), and b ...

living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.4% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.81. In 2000, in the city the population was spread out, with 20.9% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 27.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males. In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $31,884, and the median income for a family was $39,657. Males had a median income of $30,943 versus $21,812 for females. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or average income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. In many countries, per capita income is determined using regular population surveys, such ...

for the city was $20,383. About 10.5% of families and 15.0% 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 ...

, including 24.2% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

Sports

Three-time Olympic gold medal swimmer, Rowdy Gaines, and Olympic gold medal sprinter, Kenneth Brokenburr both grew up in Winter Haven. Four-time NBA all-star and Olympic gold medalist guard, Otis Birdsong, also grew up in Winter Haven. Welterweight boxing champion,

Andre Berto Andre Michael Berto (born September 7, 1983) is a professional boxer who holds dual Haitian and American citizenship. A two-time former welterweight world champion, he held the World Boxing Council, WBC and International Boxing Federation, IBF t ...

, is another famous athlete who grew up in Winter Haven. Winter Haven has many successful sports programs, both recreational and competitive, serving the youth in the community. Winter Haven High School has won several state and district championships in various sports, including Girls Varsity Basketball State Championship in 2005, 2007, 2016, and 2017. With so many lakes, Winter Haven is a location for fresh water fishing. The two sports for which Winter Haven is best known are

and

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball games, bat-and-ball sport played between two team sport, teams of nine players each, taking turns batting (baseball), batting and Fielding (baseball), fielding. The game occurs over the course of several Pitch ...

Water skiing history

Winter Haven has played a major role in the development and growth of water skiing as a sport. Dick Pope Sr. used water skiing as a way to promote his Cypress Gardens theme park starting in the 1930s, and water ski shows soon became a staple of entertainment at the park. He was also the first person to complete a jump on water skis, jumping over a wooden ramp in 1928, for a distance of . He pioneered a number of other water skiing tricks, including the water ski human pyramid, as part of an effort to develop his shows at Cypress Gardens. His son, Dick Pope Jr. popularized barefoot water skiing, bringing early pioneers such as Don Thomson to Cypress gardens to develop novel acts such as tumble turns, backwards barefooting, front to back and beach starts to please the theme park crowds. Winter Haven is connected to 10 members of the Water Ski Hall of Fame, more than any other city in the world. These include Dick Pope Sr., Dick Pope Jr., and Ricky McCormick. George A. "Banana George" Blair, who still holds several water ski world records, was first introduced to the sport while visiting Winter Haven in the 1950s. Winter Haven has many lakes, including its famous chain of lakes, that are used for water skiing.

Spring training baseball

Winter Haven was a

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball league composed of 30 teams, divided equally between the National League (baseball), National League (NL) and the American League (AL), with 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada. MLB i ...

Spring Training Spring training, also called spring camp, is the preseason of the Summer Professional Baseball Leagues, such as Major League Baseball (MLB), and it is a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spri ...

site for many years, first at Denison Field and later at Chain of Lakes Park. Great baseball players who played spring training baseball in Winter Haven included

Jimmie Foxx James Emory Foxx (October 22, 1907 – July 21, 1967), nicknamed "Double X" and "the Beast", was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 20 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Philadelphia Athletics, Boston Red ...

Lou Gehrig Henry Louis Gehrig ( ; June 19, 1903June 2, 1941), also known as Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig, was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees (1923–1939). Gehrig was ...

Willie Mays Willie Howard Mays Jr. (May 6, 1931 – June 18, 2024), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid", was an American professional baseball center fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB). Widely regarded as one of the greatest players of ...

Roberto Clemente Roberto Enrique Clemente Walker (; August 18, 1934 – December 31, 1972) was a Puerto Rican professional baseball player who played 18 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the Pittsburgh Pirates, primarily as a right fielder. On December ...

Johnny Bench Johnny Lee Bench (born December 7, 1947) is an American former professional baseball player. He played his entire Major League Baseball career, which lasted from to , with the Cincinnati Reds, primarily as a catcher. Bench was the leader of the ...

, and

Hank Aaron Henry Louis Aaron (February 5, 1934 – January 22, 2021), nicknamed "Hammer" or "Hammerin' Hank", was an American professional baseball right fielder who played 23 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB), from 1954 through 1976. Considered one ...

. In 1928, the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. The Phillies compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the National League (NL) East Division. Since 2004, the team's home stadium has ...

were the first Major League Baseball team to call Winter Haven their spring-home. The Phillies played at Denison Field, which featured a large, covered wooden grandstand. The Phillies played spring training games there until 1938. In 1940, the New York Giants did one season there. After baseball left Denison, the field was donated to the city for the benefit of youth athletics. The stadium was rebuilt in 1947 with a larger grandstand and in use today for college and high school football, soccer, track and field, and other events. In 1966, the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. Founded in as one of the Ameri ...

and spring training baseball returned to Winter Haven. The Red Sox played in the newly built Chain of Lakes Park, a state of the art facility at that time. For 26 years, the Red Sox called Winter Haven their spring-home. When the Red Sox left to

Fort Myers, Florida Fort Myers (or Ft. Myers) is a city in and the county seat of Lee County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the population was 86,395; it was estimated to have grown to 95,949 in 2022, making it the List o ...

in 1992, the city of Winter Haven sought a new Major League Baseball team. Later that year,

Hurricane Andrew Hurricane Andrew was a compact, but very powerful and devastating tropical cyclone that struck the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana in August 1992. It was the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida in terms of structures dama ...

devastated

Homestead, Florida Homestead is a city within Miami-Dade County, Florida, Miami-Dade County in the United States, U.S. state of Florida, between Biscayne National Park to the east and Everglades National Park to the west. Homestead is primarily a Miami suburb and ...

, including the spring training facilities of 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) American League Central, Central Division. Since , the team ...

, and the Indians moved to Winter Haven. In 2008, after failed negotiations with the city to renovate Chain of Lakes Park, the Indians moved into a brand new stadium in Goodyear, Arizona after 16 springs at Chain of Lakes Park. In December 2020, Winter Haven and Polk County agreed to demolish the stadium and replace it with baseball diamonds and general-purpose athletic fields.

Education

Public and private schools

Public schools in Winter Haven are operated by Polk County Public Schools. * All Saints' Academy * Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School * Chain of Lakes Elementary School * Cypress Junction Montessori School * Denison Middle School * Eagle Lake Elementary School * Elbert Elementary School * Frank E. Brigham Academy Elementary School * Garden Grove Elementary School * Garner Elementary School
Grace Lutheran School
* Inwood Elementary School * Jewett Academy Middle School * Jewett School of the Arts ( K–8) * John A. Snively Elementary School * Lake Region High School * Lake Shipp Elementary School * Mark Wilcox Center * Oasis Christian Academy * Rachel's School for the Custodial Arts * St. Joseph Catholic School * St. Paul's Episcopal School * Wahneta Elementary School * Westwood Middle School * Winter Haven Christian School * Winter Haven High School

Colleges and universities

* Polk State College (PSC) * Ridge Career Center

Notable people

, professional welterweight boxer * Otis Birdsong, professional basketball player * Kenny Brokenburr, Olympic gold medalist, sprinter * Marcus Capers, professional basketball player * Valerie Carter, singer * Rowdy Gaines, Olympic swimmer * Chase Johnsey, ballet dancer, Artistic Director of Ballet de Barcelona * George Kalogridis, President of

Walt Disney World Resort The Walt Disney World Resort is an entertainment resort complex located about southwest of Orlando, Florida, United States. Opened on October 1, 1971, the resort is operated by Disney Experiences, a division of the Walt Disney Company. ...

* Gene Leedy, architect * Lobo, musician * Trey Mancini, baseball player and cancer survivor * Jake Owen, musician, singer and songwriter * Kathleen Parker, author and syndicated columnist *

Larry Parrish Larry Alton Parrish (born November 10, 1953) is an American former professional baseball player, coach and manager. He played in Major League Baseball (MLB) and in Nippon Professional Baseball (NPB) as a third baseman from 1974 to 1990, most pr ...

, professional baseball player * Gram Parsons, musician * Dick Pope Sr., founder of Cypress Gardens * Dick Pope Jr., CEO of Cypress Gardens and member of the Water Ski Hall of Fame and Museum * John A. Snively, citrus magnate * Jim Stafford, entertainer * Max Strang, architect * Daryl L. Thompson, inventor * Don Thomson, water skier and navy pilot * Constance Weldon, tuba player and academic * Ryan Yarbrough,

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in the Tampa Bay area. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League East, East Division. They are one of two major ...

baseball pitcher * Maryly Van Leer, President of Polk Community College, women's rights activist

Media

Winter Haven is part of the

/ St. Pete television market, the 13th largest in the country and part of the local Lakeland/Winter Haven radio market, which is the 94th largest in the country. Since 1911, the Winter Haven News Chief has served the community as the local newspaper. The News Chief also published the Polk County Shopper and ran the site polkonline.com. In 2008, News Chief was taken over by the

Lakeland Ledger ''The Ledger'' is a daily newspaper serving Lakeland, Florida, and the Polk County area. History The paper was founded on August 22, 1924, as the ''Lakeland Evening Ledger''. In 1927, it bought its main competitor, the morning ''Lakeland S ...

and operations were merged into that paper's Winter Haven branch.

Transportation

Highways

Major routes through, to, and from Winter Haven include: * – A major north/south route through Winter Haven, this highway leads northward to Lake Alfred where it joins US 92, and southward to Bartow. * – This divided highway east of Winter Haven will be a key access road for Legoland Florida in its intersection with

Interstate 4 Interstate 4 (I-4) is an Interstate Highway System, Interstate Highway located entirely within the US state of Florida, maintained by the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT). Spanning along a generally southwest–northeast axis ...

to the north. * – This key road runs through southern Winter Haven as Cypress Gardens Boulevard, leading westward to Lakeland and the Polk Parkway, by Legoland Florida just east of town, and on eastward to US 27. * – It cuts through the heart of Winter Haven's downtown as Central Avenue, and leads eastward directly to

Dundee Dundee (; ; or , ) is the List of towns and cities in Scotland by population, fourth-largest city in Scotland. The mid-year population estimate for the locality was . It lies within the eastern central Lowlands on the north bank of the Firt ...

at US 27. * – From northern Winter Haven, SR 544 connects westward to Auburndale, hence its name, Havendale Boulevard, and leads a scenic route eastward toward Haines City. The streets of downtown Winter Haven are arranged in a

grid plan In urban planning, the grid plan, grid street plan, or gridiron plan is a type of city plan in which streets run at right angles to each other, forming a grid. Two inherent characteristics of the grid plan, frequent intersections and orthogon ...

. 1st Street ( SR 549) is the north–south axis, with two sets of numbered streets running parallel – one to the east (e.g. 7th St. NE/SE), and one to the west (e.g. 6th St. NW/SW). Central Avenue (SR 542) is the west–east axis, with two sets of lettered avenues similarly running parallel on either side.

Public transit

Winter Haven Station - Across 7th Street

Local commuter bus service is provided by

Winter Haven Area Transit Winter Haven Area Transit is a bus system based in Winter Haven, Florida. The system operates 9 of its own buses, and another 4 buses are provided for WHAT by the Citrus Connection. There are 8 routes serving Winter Haven, Auburndale, Lakela ...

and the

Citrus Connection Citrus Connection is the public transit system of Lakeland, Florida, operated by the Lakeland Area Mass Transit District (LAMTD). The system operates a fleet of 33 buses on 14 routes in the Lakeland area, including service provided for Winter Hav ...

Air transport

Winter Haven's Gilbert Airport Winter Haven's Gilbert Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) northwest of the central business district of Winter Haven, a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. It is owned by the City of W ...

and the adjacent Jack Browns Seaplane Base are located northwest of the

central business district A central business district (CBD) is the Commerce, commercial and business center of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides wit ...

Intercity rail

Winter Haven has an Amtrak train station served by the '' Floridian'' and ''

Silver Meteor The ''Silver Meteor'' is a Long-distance Amtrak routes, long-distance passenger train operated by Amtrak between New York City and Miami, Florida. Introduced in 1939 as the first diesel-powered streamliner between New York and Florida, it was t ...

''.

Places of interest

Attractions

* Legoland Florida

Healthcare

* Winter Haven Hospital * Winter Haven Women's Hospital * Bond Clinic * Gessler Clinic

Sister city

* Sambuca di Sicilia, Italy (1984), on the occasion of the Water Ski World Cup performed on the lago Arancio, in Sambuca di Sicilia, Italy. The two cities share an association with this sport.

References

External links

City of Winter Haven Official Site
Portal style website: government, business, library, recreation and more
Winter Haven News Chief
community news
The Lakeland Ledger
newspaper serving Winter Haven and all of Polk County

Comprehensive statistical data and more about Winter Haven {{authority control Cities in Florida Cities in Polk County, Florida Populated places established in 1884 1884 establishments in Florida