Lakeland, Florida: Difference between revisions

| name = Lakeland, Florida

| nickname = Swan City<ref>{{Cite news|last=Crosby|first=Kristin|date=August 30, 2016|title=Swan City|work=Lakelander|url=https://thelakelander.com/swan-city/|access-date=October 4, 2021}}</ref>

| motto =

<!-- images and maps ----------->

| map_caption = Location in [[Polk County, Florida|Polk County]] and the state of [[Florida]]

<!-- Location ------------------>

| subdivision_name = United States

| subdivision_type1 = [[U.S. state|State]]

<!-- Politics ----------------->

| government_footnotes =

| leader_title = [[List of mayors of Lakeland, Florida|Mayor]]

| leader_name1 = Shawn Sherrouse

| established_title = Settled

| established_title2 = <!-- Incorporated (town) -->

| established_date2 =

| established_date3 = January 1, 1885

<!-- Area --------------------->

}}

 

 

 

 

==History==

<!-- ===Timeline===

{{hidden begin

** [[Freedmen]] establish St. John's Baptist Church in what would come to be called the Moorehead community south of Lake Wire<ref name="monument"/>

** Town [[plat]]ted on land of [[Abraham Munn]]<ref name=Viva />

* 1891 – Electric lighting introduced<ref name=Viva>{{cite web |url=http://vivafl500.org/find-a-city/ |title= Lakeland |work=Viva Florida: History Happened Here |publisher=Florida League of Cities |location=Tallahassee |access-date= April 21, 2017 }}</ref>

* 1894

{{hidden end}}

-->

 

===Early history===

[[File:Lakeland fl.jpg|thumb|right|Lakeland's business district, early 1920s]]

[[File:Lakeland Cox School01.jpg|thumb|The John F. Cox Grammar School opened in 1925, now re-purposed as the clinic for Lakeland Volunteers in Medicine]]

 

 

===Statehood and the 19th century===

Florida became a state in 1845, and Polk County was established in 1861. After the [[American Civil War]], the county seat was established southeast of Lakeland in [[Bartow, Florida|Bartow]]. While most of Polk County's early history centered on the two cities of Bartow and [[Fort Meade, Florida|Fort Meade]], eventually, people entered the areas in northern Polk County and began settling in the areas which became Lakeland.<ref name="Brown-2001">{{Cite book|last=Brown|first=Canter Jr.|title=In the midst of all that makes life worth living : Polk County, Florida, to 1940|publisher=Sentry Press|year=2001|isbn=9781889574127|location=Tallahassee, Fla.|language=English}}</ref>

 

 

In April 1898, the [[Spanish–American War]] 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]], one of the original [[Buffalo Soldier]] regiments, were housed on the banks of Lake Wire.<ref name="Spanish American War">{{cite web| url=http://www.polkcountyhistory.org/pdf/june03.pdf| page=6| title=Spanish American War| date=June 2003| access-date=September 26, 2010|work=Polk County Historical Quarterly|volume=30|issue=1|publisher=Polk County Historical Association|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120402101638/http://www.polkcountyhistory.org/pdf/june03.pdf|archive-date=April 2, 2012}}</ref> 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.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Knetsch |first1=Joe |title=Florida in the Spanish-American War |date=2011 |publisher=The History Press |location=Charleston, SC |isbn=9781609490881 |pages=131–132}}</ref>

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]]. This list includes the Terrace Hotel, New Florida Hotel (Regency Tower, currently Lake Mirror Tower), [[Polk Theatre and Office Building|Polk Theatre]], [[Frances Langford Promenade]], [[Polk Museum of Art]] (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]] held spring training there from 1923 to 1927 at [[Henley Field Ball Park]]. Parks were developed surrounding Lake Mirror, including Barnett Children's Park, Hollis Gardens, and the newest, Allen Kryger Park.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Lake Mirror Complex|url=https://www.lakelandgov.net/departments/parks-recreation/lake-mirror-complex/|access-date=2021-10-29|website=City of Lakeland|language=en}}</ref>

 

 

In 1938, [[Florida Southern College]] President [[Ludd M. Spivey|Ludd Spivey]] invited architect [[Frank Lloyd Wright]] to design a "great education temple in Florida."<ref name="www.bostonglobe.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/lifestyle/travel/2014/10/25/frank-lloyd-wright-fla-campus/hnSzBNZNmLsB17705tRbSM/amp.html|title=Frank Lloyd Wright's Fla. campus – The Boston Globe|website=www.bostonglobe.com|language=en|access-date=2017-04-01}}</ref> Wright worked on the project for over 20 years as Spivey found ways to fund it and find construction workers during [[World War II]].<ref name="www.bostonglobe.com" /> Wright's original plan called for 18 structures; in total he designed 30, but only 12 were completed.<ref name="MacDonald-2007">{{Cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=EZi_CEycn2cC&q=frank+lloyd+wright+child+of+the+sun&pg=PA126|title=The Buildings of Frank Lloyd Wright at Florida Southern College|last1=MacDonald|first1=Randall M.|last2=Galbraith|first2=Nora E.|last3=Rogers|first3=James G.|date=2007-01-01|publisher=Arcadia Publishing|isbn=9780738552798|language=en}}</ref> Wright's [[Textile block house|textile block]] motif is used extensively on the campus. The concrete blocks he used are in need of restoration.<ref>{{Cite news|url=http://wusfnews.wusf.usf.edu/post/new-frank-lloyd-wright-house-constructed-florida-southern#stream/0|title=New Frank Lloyd Wright House Constructed at Florida Southern|last=Sussingham|first=Robin|access-date=2017-04-01|language=en}}</ref>

 

 

===World War II===

 

Between 1940 and 1945, more than 8,000 Army Air Corps and [[United States Army Air Forces|Army Air Forces]] [[cadet]]s trained on two-seater [[Boeing-Stearman Model 75|Stearman PT-17]] and PT-13 [[biplane]]s at the school (renamed the Lodwick School of Aeronautics in the midst of this period).<ref name="LEDGER">{{Cite news|url=http://www.theledger.com/news/20110206/flight-cadets-attended-lakeland-school-of-aeronautics|title=Flight Cadets Attended Lakeland School of Aeronautics|last=LEDGER|first=GARY WHITE THE|work=The Ledger|access-date=2017-04-01|language=en}}</ref>

 

 

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city has an area of {{convert|67|sqmi|km2|1|abbr=on}}, of which {{convert|45.84|sqmi|km2|1|abbr=on}} is land and {{convert|5.61|sqmi|km2|1|abbr=on}} (10.90%) is covered by water. Lakeland is within the Central Florida Highlands area of the [[Atlantic coastal plain]], with a terrain consisting of flatland interspersed with gently rolling hills.<ref name="Florida's Geological History">{{cite web

| url = http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/uw208

 

===Lakes===

[[File:Lakeland FLAUSA lake Mirror.jpg|thumb|right|Lake Mirror Park in downtown Lakeland, with surrounding City Hall and Lakeland Terrace Hotel]]

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.<ref>{{cite web|title=Measurement of Recovery in Lakes Following Phosphate Mining|url=http://www1.fipr.state.fl.us/fipr/fipr1.nsf/129fc2ac92d337ca85256c5b00481502/9a9af43eaa9607f885256b2f0051be61/$FILE/03-045-039Final.pdf|publisher=Florida Institute of Phosphate Research|access-date=February 4, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222004307/http://www1.fipr.state.fl.us/fipr/fipr1.nsf/129fc2ac92d337ca85256c5b00481502/9a9af43eaa9607f885256b2f0051be61/$FILE/03-045-039Final.pdf|archive-date=February 22, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Frequently Asked Questions|url=http://www.lakelandgov.net/libraryspecialcollections/SpecialCollectionsHome/FrequentlyAskedQuestions.aspx|publisher=Lakeland, Florida|access-date=February 4, 2014}}</ref> The largest of these is [[Lake Parker, Florida|Lake Parker]], which is {{convert|2550|acre|km2|abbr=on}} 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 (Florida)|Lake Morton]], Lake Mirror, and [[Lake Gibson (Florida)|Lake Gibson]].

 

 

In July 2006, Scott Lake, one of the city's lakes, was almost totally drained by a cluster of [[sinkholes]].<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060623/NEWS/606230389/1039 |title=The Lake is Dry |work=[[The Ledger]] |author=Diane Lacey Allen |date=June 23, 2006 |access-date=November 25, 2007}}</ref> Later the lake partially refilled.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,205444,00.html |title=Florida Lake Swallowed by Sinkhole Reappearing |agency=Associated Press |date=July 25, 2006 |access-date=November 25, 2007}}</ref>

 

===Climate===

Lakeland, like most other parts of Florida north of [[Lake Okeechobee]], is in the [[humid subtropical climate|humid subtropical]] zone ([[Köppen climate classification]]: ''Cfa''). Typically, summers are hot and humid with high temperatures seldom dropping below 90&nbsp;°F and 70&nbsp;°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.

{{Weather box|width=auto

 

==Demographics==

{{US Census population

|1890= 552

|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>

}}

 

===2010 and 2020 census===

!Pop 2000<ref name=2000CensusP004>{{Cite web|title=P004: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2000: DEC Summary File 1 – Lakeland city, Florida|url=https://data.census.gov/table?g=160XX00US1238250&tid=DECENNIALSF12000.P004|publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 26, 2024}}</ref>

!Pop 2010<ref name=2010CensusP2>{{Cite web|title=P2: Hispanic or Latino, and Not Hispanic or Latino by Race – 2010: DEC Redistricting Data (PL 94-171) – Lakeland city, Florida |url=https://data.census.gov/table?q=p2&g=160XX00US1238250&tid=DECENNIALPL2010.P2|publisher=United States Census Bureau |access-date=January 26, 2024}}</ref>

 

===2000 census===

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.

 

 

===Languages===

As of 2000, those who spoke only [[English language|English]] at home accounted for 91% of all residents, while 9% spoke other languages at home. The most significant were [[Spanish language|Spanish]] speakers who made up 6.4% of the population, while [[German language|German]] came up as the third-most spoken language, which made up 0.8%, and [[French language|French]] was fourth, with 0.5% of the population.<ref>[http://www.mla.org/map_data_results&SRVY_YEAR=2000&geo=&state_id=12&county_id=&mode=&lang_id=&zip=&place_id=38250&cty_id=&region_id=&division_id=&ll=&a=&ea=&order=r&pc=1 Modern Language Association Data Center Results of Lakeland, Florida].</ref>

 

===Religion===

[[File:Pfeiffer Chapel HABS, FLA,53-LAKE,1A-14.jpg|thumb|right|Annie Pfeiffer Chapel]]In 1913, the Wolfson family arrived from [[Lithuania]] and became the first [[Jewish people|Jewish]] settlers to the area.<ref name="First Jewish Settlers">{{cite web

|url = http://www.polkcountyhistory.org/pdf/sept02.pdf

 

==Economy==

[[File:Publix Corporate Headquarters Main Entrance Sign, Lakeland Florida.jpg|thumb|[[Publix]] headquarters]]

 

 

Phosphate mining is still important to the economy of Lakeland, although most of the mining now takes place farther south. The [[Bone Valley]] produced 25% of the U.S. phosphate supply.

 

==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.<ref name="City of Lakeland">{{Cite web|title=Lakeland History Room|url=https://www.lakelandgov.net/departments/library/lakeland-history-room/|access-date=2021-11-29|website=City of Lakeland|language=en}}</ref> 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.<ref name="City of Lakeland" /> 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.<ref name="City of Lakeland" />

 

 

===Historic districts===

[[File:Lakeland Munn Park Hist Dist01.jpg|thumb|right|Munn Park]]

* [[Beacon Hill-Alta Vista Residential District]]

 

===Buildings and locations===

[[File:CenterState Bank Building Century Plaza.JPG|thumb|right|[[Century Plaza, Lakeland, FL|Century Plaza]] in downtown Lakeland.]]

[[File:Lakeland Lake Mirror Promenade05.jpg|thumb|right|Frances Langford Promenade]]

 

===Libraries===

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}

*[[Lakeland Public Library]]

 

==Sports==

{| class="wikitable"

|-

 

==Government and politics==

[[Image:Lakeland Munn Park Hist Dist Old City Hall03.jpg|thumb|right|Former Lakeland city hall, built 1913]]

Lakeland is governed by a six-member city council. Four members are elected from [[single-member district]]s; the other two are elected [[at-large]], requiring them to gain a majority of the votes. The mayor is elected.

 

===Mayor===

 

The first female mayor was Lois Q. Searl, who served in 1965.

In 1980, [[Carrie R. Oldham]] became Lakeland's first African-American female mayor.

 

 

===Mayors of Lakeland===

| R. Larry Turnipseed

| 1981

|-

|

 

===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.<ref name="Waddell">{{cite magazine | last = Waddell | first = Lynn | title = 68 Bullets | magazine = Newsweek | date = October 13, 2006 | url = http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2006/10/13/68-bullets.html}}</ref><ref name="autopsy">{{cite web | title = Autopsy: Officers fired 110 rounds at man suspected in cop's death | publisher = Sunbeam Television Corp. | date = September 30, 2006 | url = http://www1.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/MI30139/ | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20131113120847/http://www1.wsvn.com/news/articles/local/MI30139/ | archive-date = November 13, 2013 | df = mdy-all }}</ref> Multiple investigations concluded the officers' use of force was justified.<ref>{{cite web | last = Walter | first = Shoshana | title = Killer's Civil Rights Not Violated, Panel Says | publisher = TheLedger.com | date = June 5, 2008 | url = http://www.theledger.com/article/20080605/NEWS/806050510?p=1&tc=pg&tc=ar}}</ref> 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, Florida|Auburndale]].<ref>{{cite web | last = Stegall | first = Sarah | title = Thousands Turn Out to Say 'Thank You' | publisher = TheLedger.com | date = October 4, 2006 | url = http://www.theledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061004/NEWS26/610040399}}</ref>

 

 

==Education==

 

===Traditional public high schools===

{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}

* [[George W. Jenkins High School]]

* [[Kathleen High School (Lakeland, Florida)|Kathleen High School]]

 

===Magnet high schools===

{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}

* Central Florida Aerospace Academy

 

===Traditional public middle schools===

{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}

* Kathleen Middle School

 

===Magnet middle schools===

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}

*Lawton Chiles Middle School

 

===Charter schools===

{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}

*[[McKeel Academy of Technology]]

 

===Private schools===

{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}

*Calvary Baptist Church Academy

 

===Colleges and universities===

{{Div col|colwidth=22em}}

*[[Florida Polytechnic University]]

 

==Media==

{{see also|List of newspapers in Florida|List of radio stations in Florida|List of television stations in Florida}}

Polk County is within the Tampa Bay television market. [[Charter Spectrum]] is the cable television franchise serving Lakeland, which offers most television stations from the Tampa Bay market, as well as [[WFTV]], the [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliate from Orlando. [[WMOR-TV]], an [[Independent station (North America)|independent television station]], is licensed to Lakeland, with its studios in Tampa and its transmitter in [[Riverview, Florida|Riverview]].

 

===Transportation===

|url = http://www.polk-county.net/subpage.aspx?menu_id=8&nav=res&id=122

|title = Why Imperial Polk

 

The important freeways and highways in Lakeland today are:

* {{jct|state=FL|US|92}}, 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.

* {{jct|state=FL|US|98}}, going south, follows Bartow Road and leads to Bartow, the county seat. Heading north out of town, it provides a route to [[Dade City, Florida|Dade City]].

* {{jct|state=FL|FL|37}}, following Florida Avenue, the main north–south route in Lakeland, is also the main road leading south to [[Mulberry, Florida|Mulberry]].

* {{jct|state=FL|FL|540}}, Winter-Lake Road, is in southern Lakeland, leading to Winter Haven and [[Legoland Florida]].

 

====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 (Florida)|Lake Parker]] through downtown, past several lakes, ending at Lake John. Other routes include University Trail, which connects [[Polk State College]] to Florida Polytechnic University, and the [[Fort Fraser Trail]], which runs along US Highway 98 from Polk State College to Highway 60 in [[Bartow, Florida|Bartow]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Trails and Facilities|url=http://www.lakelandgov.net/bicycling/trails-facilities|access-date=April 5, 2016}}</ref>

 

====Public transportation====

[[File:Lakeland FL Amtrak station01.jpg|thumb|Lakeland Amtrak Station]]

{{Div col|colwidth=30em}}

 

===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]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Water Utilities|url=https://www.lakelandgov.net/departments/water-utilities/|access-date=December 30, 2019}}</ref> Power is generated by a nonprofit public power utility, Lakeland Electric.<ref>{{cite web|title=More About Lakeland Electric|url=https://lakelandelectric.com/our-company|access-date=July 6, 2021}}</ref>

 

 

====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.

 

==Notable people==

{{div col}}

 

===Entertainment===

* [[Nat Adderley]], jazz [[cornet]]ist and composer<ref name="NPR's Jazz Profiles">{{cite web

| url = https://legacy.npr.org/programs/jazzprofiles/archive/adderley_n.html| title = NPR's Jazz Profiles| access-date = 2010-09-19

 

===Sports===

* [[George Almones]], NBA Player<ref name="killian" />

* [[Dwayne Bacon]], NBA Player<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.nba.com/players/dwayne/bacon/1628407|title = Dwayne Bacon| publisher= NBA|access-date= July 29, 2019}}</ref>

* [[Kenneth Gant]], NFL safety

* [[Ronnie Ghent]], football player<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=GhentRon01 |title=Ronnie Ghent |publisher=databaseFootball.com |access-date=April 14, 2013 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120530162559/http://databasefootball.com/players/playerpage.htm?ilkid=GhentRon01 |archive-date=May 30, 2012 }}</ref>

* [[Nick Patrick (referee)|Nick Hamilton]], pro wrestling referee

* [[Killian Hayes]], basketball player<ref name="killian" />

* [[Mike Pouncey]], former NFL player<ref>{{cite web|url= http://lakelandfootball.com/mike-pouncey-miami-dolphins/|title = MIKE POUNCEY – MIAMI DOLPHINS| publisher= Lakeland Football|access-date= April 14, 2013}}</ref>

* [[Boog Powell]], former MLB player<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=powelbo01|title= Boog Powell Stats |publisher= Baseball Almanac |access-date= April 14, 2013}}</ref>

* [[Andrew Reynolds (skateboarder)|Andrew Reynolds]], professional skateboarder<ref name="RVCA">{{cite web |title=Andrew Reynolds |url=https://rvca.com/advocates/skate/andrew-reynolds.html |access-date=21 September 2021}}</ref>

* [[Chris Sale]], MLB player, [[Boston Red Sox]]<ref>{{cite web|url= http://www.baseball-almanac.com/players/player.php?p=salech01|

 

==In popular culture==

 

==See also==

{{Portal|Florida}}

* [[Loyce Harpe Park]]

{{Clear}}

{{Polk County, Florida}}

{{Florida}}

{{Authority control}}