Polk County, Florida

Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot Auburndale Citrus Growers Association Packing House Auburndale City Hall Babson Park Woman's Club Bartow Downtown Commercial District Baynard, Ephriam M., House Beacon Hill-Alta Vista Residential District Biltmore-Cumberland Historic District Bok Mountain Lake Sanctuary and Singing Tower Brown, Lawrence, House Bullard, B. K., House Casa De Josefina Central Avenue School Central Grammar School, Old Chalet Suzanne Christ Church Church of the Holy Spirit Cleveland Court School Cox, John F., Grammar School Craney Spec Houses Historic District Cypress Gardens Davenport Historic District Dixie Walesbilt Hotel Dixieland Historic District Downtown Haines City Commercial District Downtown Winter Haven Historic District Dundee ACL Railroad Depot, Old East Lake Morton Residential District El Retiro First Baptist Church Florida Southern College Architectural District Fort Meade Historic District Frostproof High School, Old Griffin Grammar School Haines City National Guard Armory, Old Henley Field Ball Park Holland, Benjamin Franklin, House Homeland School Interlaken Historic Residential District Jenks, Holland, House Johnson, C. L., House Lake Hunter Terrace Historic District Lake Mirror Promenade Lake of the Hills Community Club Lake Wales City Hall Lake Wales Commercial Historic District Lake Wales Historic Residental District Lakeland High School, Old Lewis, W. Henry, House Mann Manor Mountain Lake Colony House Mountain Lake Estates Historic District Munn Park Historic District North Avenue Historic District Northeast Bartow Residential District Oak Hill Cemetery Oates Building Polk County Courthouse, Old Polk Hotel Polk Theatre and Office Building Pope Avenue Historic District Roosevelt School Shell Hammock Landing South Bartow Residential District South Florida Military College South Lake Morton Historic District Spook Hill St. Mark's Episcopal Church Swearingen, John J., House Thompson and Company Cigar Factory Tillman, G. V., House Winston School Winter Haven Heights Historic Residential District Woman's Club of Winter Haven

137 N. Sixth Street 19 N. Sixth Street 1940 Publix Super Market 320th Bombardment Group (M) 600 E. Hinson Avenue 607 Jones Avenue 9/11 Memorial Acton Community Allen Kryger Auburndale City Hall Bayard Retail Building Boeing 307 Stratoliner 1939 Boeing 727 “Tampa Bay Pacemaker” Brown Plaza C-47 “SkyTrain” Chief Chipco Christ Church Circle B Bar Ranch Cirrus VK-30 City's First Fire Engine Co E 7th Florida Inf Regt South Florida Bulldogs Combat Wounded Veterans Consolidated Arcade Convair F2Y F “SeaDart” Ephraim M. Baynard House Ephraim M. Baynard House First Publix Store 1930 Florence Villa Training School Florida 2000 Center of Population Florida Honors and Remembers our POW’s and MIA’s Fort Carroll Fort Cummings Fort Fraser Fort Gardiner Fort Meade Veterans Memorial Fruitlands Institute Global War on Terrorism Freedom Memorial Gram Parsons Derry Down Green Pond Baptist Church and Cemetery Grumman F-14-D “Tomcat” Haines City Masonic Lodge Haines City Railroad Depot Hennesy Plaza Historic Kissengen Spring Historic L. B. Brown House Historic Oakland High School Historic Pughsville Neighborhood Historical Citrus Planting Homeland School Homer Plaza In Memorium to Cecil B. Strange Indian Burial Mound Kelly Gardens Lambert Plaza Lodwick School of Aeronautics Lt. Gen. Thomas J. "Stonewall" Jackson Memorial Mann Manor Memorial for Austin C. Welch MiG-21 MF 1970 Munn Park Munn Park Historic District No Longer the Forgotten War Old Indian Trails Old Polk County Courthouse Operations Desert Shield/Desert Storm Originally the State Bank of Haines City PA-47 “Piper Jet” Patterson Retail Building Pearl Harbor Memorial Phosphate Area War Memorial Pierce Polk Arcade Polk County Confederate Monument Polk Theatre and Office Building Price Memorial Fountain Republic of Vietnam Seaboard Air Line Rail Depot Second Mass. Infantry Camp Site of Fort Blount Site of Fort Clinch Site of Fort Meade Site of the Camp of The 10th Cavalry, The “Buffalo Soldiers” Socrum St. Mark's Episcopal Church Sumica Surveyor's Lake Schoolhouse Swearingen - Langford House The Carpenters' Home The Frank Lloyd Wright Campus of Florida Southern College The Great African American Generation The Mulberry Time Capsule The Mulberry Tree The Oates Building The Railroad in Dundee History The Sorosis Club Building The W. Henry Lewis House The Women's Club of Lakeland Thomas B. Mack Park Union Academy High School Veterans Memorial Willoughby Tillis Battle Monument Women Veterans of World War II World War II Prisoners of War Wray Building XFV-1 “The Salmon” "Flatiron" Triangle Building ‘Mute Swan Protecting Her Cygnets’ “The Great War” “The Greatest Generation”
Polk County, located in central Florida, has a rich history dating back thousands of years. The area was originally inhabited by various indigenous tribes, including the Tocobaga, Calusa, and Seminole Indians. These tribes thrived in the area prior to European colonization.

In the early 16th century, Spanish explorers arrived in Florida, claiming the land for the Spanish Crown. The region that would become Polk County was part of the Spanish territory until the United States acquired Florida from Spain in 1821. Shortly after, in 1838, the area was established as a county and named after James K. Polk, the 11th President of the United States.

During the mid-19th century, Polk County experienced a boom in its population and economy. The arrival of the railroads in the 1880s played a significant role in this growth, as it allowed for the transportation of goods and people more efficiently. This led to the development of agricultural industries, specifically citrus farming and phosphate mining, which became the county's major economic drivers.

Throughout the 20th century, Polk County continued to evolve. It became a popular destination for retirees and vacationers seeking warmer weather and access to nearby attractions like Walt Disney World. The county also played a crucial role in the aerospace industry, as it was home to the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and supported NASA's space shuttle program.

Today, Polk County remains an important part of Florida's economy and culture. It continues to embrace its agricultural heritage, with citrus farming, cattle ranching, and the production of other crops being significant contributors to the local economy. The county's central location and transportation infrastructure also make it an attractive destination for businesses and tourists alike.
Brief timeline of the history of Polk County, Florida:

  • 1838 - Polk County was created on February 8, 1838, and named after James K. Polk, the 11th President of the United States.
  • 1849 - The first permanent settlement called "Fort Meade" was established in what is now Polk County.
  • 1881 - The city of Bartow became the county seat of Polk County.
  • 1885 - The phosphate industry began to flourish in Polk County, leading to substantial economic growth.
  • 1908 - The city of Lakeland was incorporated and quickly grew as a center for citrus production.
  • 1930s - Polk County experienced a significant boom in tourism thanks to the opening of Walt Disney World in nearby Orange County.
  • 1981 - The city of Winter Haven became home to the first Legoland theme park in the United States.
  • 2004 - The County Commission approved the development of a new 1,300-acre nature park called Circle B Bar Reserve.

This timeline provides a glimpse into the major events and milestones that have shaped the history of Polk County, Florida.