Lakeland/Winter Haven

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Home Sweet Home

Millions and millions of years ago, Polk County was under water, which explains the rich phosphate deposits--the remains of fish and shellfish. Today the county is jam-packed with lakes large and small, but it's not marshy. The rolling hills are a lovely contrast to its lakes. One of the best things about this area, says the Lake Wales Board of Realtors, is the fact that folks here don't worry about floods. The area's central location and affordable housing are also big selling points. In 1999, the median sales price in the Lakeland/Winter Haven MSA was $77,600 for existing single-family homes. For about that price, a buyer can purchase a 1,600 to 1,800-square foot, three-bedroom, two-bath existing home. Of course the range is broad, from $45,000 to more than $l million, especially for homes in Mountain Lake, an older, exclusive enclave north of Lake Wales. Within the city limits, Crown Point and North Point are new-home developments on high ground not far from the famous Bok Tower. Oakwood features properties on golf-course lots beginning at $79,900 for patio homes and climbing to $200,000 for four-bedroom, two- or three-bath homes, perhaps with pools. Once member-owned, the Lake Wales Country Club is now owned by a developer who originally made his money in citrus. Here new and existing condos start at $75,000; single-family homes are priced as high as $300,000.

"Our biggest draw is our lakes," according to the East Polk County Board of Realtors. In Winter Haven, for example, 17 lakes are connected by canals. Lakefront property is plentiful--not cheap yet very affordable by state or national standards. Vacant lots on some lakes might go for $200,000 or more. Nevertheless, good buys abound. Existing homes on some parts of the Winter Haven chain of lakes start at about $195,000 and go up in price depending upon age and condition of the structure, size of lake and so forth. Homes on canals are generally less expensive than those on the lakes themselves, although canal sites on the chain have easy access to its lakes. New home developments are numerous and include The Gates, Valhalla, Windermere, Eloise Point, Heron Point and Lake Hamilton Point. Condominiums and townhouses represent between 10 and 15 percent of the housing market in eastern Polk County. Some condos are available in the $60,000 to $80,000 range. And although homes range from $25,000 to $1 million, the typical two-bedroom costs $60,000, the typical three-bedroom costs $82,000, and the typical four-bedroom costs $125,000.

Bartow is the county seat. Homes here range from $40,000 to $400,000, says the Bartow Board of Realtors. Residents and newcomers enjoy its small-town atmosphere and central location. New and existing single-family homes dominate the market; condominiums are virtually non-existent in Bartow. New-home developments in this part of Polk County include Shady Oak Trail, where homes start at $66,000 and go to $72,000; Royal Crest, with prices ranging from $80,000 to $150,000; and White Raven, where homes begin at $175,000.

Lakeland, Polk County's biggest town, is actually a small city. Located in the western section of the county, Lakeland is closer to Tampa than Orlando, but still convenient to either. Here, the median sales price of existing homes for the entire county, $77,600, doesn't buy as much as it does in more rural areas, says the Lakeland Association of Realtors, but homes are still affordable. The median sales price in Lakeland is about $82,000. For that amount, a buyer can purchase a three-bedroom, two-bath, two-car garage property with about 1,600 to 1,700 square feet of interior living space. Several high-end subdivisions are being developed, including two golf-course communities: Grasslands, where homes range from $175,000 to $300,000 and Fairway Oaks of ImperiaLakes, which offers homes in the $130,000 to $250,000 category. Vacant property might range from $30,000 to $100,000 in these areas. In the moderate price range, consider Sundance, where homes cost between $75,000 and $115,000. As you might expect, there's a lot of lakefront in Lakeland; waterfront homes are often a good value, although they can range from $100,000 to $1 million or more. It all depends on what floats your boat. Price depends on the type of lake; a home or lot on a recreational lake, where power boating and waterskiing are allowed costs more than comparable property on a small, scenic fishing lake.

Vital Stats

The Lakeland/Winter Haven MSA is all of Polk County

Population: 452,584
Median age: 40.5
New citizens: 6,880 yearly
New job creation: 3.0 percent (1999)
Unemployment: 6.6 percent in August, 1999
Cost of living: 95.64 percent (U.S. average=100 percent)
Per capita income: $19,905
Median household income: $29,393

Rain & Shine

Although the average rainfall totals 49.21 inches and some rain falls 120 days a year, the sun shines a lot more than it rains here. The weather is great year-round; in fact, the year-round average temperature is a perfect 72 degrees Fahrenheit. Temperatures average a high of 90 degrees Fahrenheit in July; the average January temperature is 61 degrees Fahrenheit and the average January low is only 51 degrees Fahrenheit.

Job Market

In a state famous for its citrus, Polk County is one of Florida's largest OJ producers. Other major industries include distribution (groceries, storage, trucking), phosphate mining (for fertilizer), building supplies, commercial construction and tourism. Government employs many people as well. Major private employers, with number of employees, include: Publix Super Market (7,500), Lakeland Regional Medical Center (3,200), IMC Agrico (3,000), Winter Haven Hospital (2,500), State Farm Insurance (1,875), Geico Insurance (1,500), Watson Clinic (1,200), Scotty's (1,100), Cargill Fertilizer Inc. (950) and Florida's Natural Growers (850).

Class Notes

Extensive information about the schools in this area is online at the state's Department of Education (http://www.firn.edu/doe/doehome.htm). There you'll discover everything you'll need to know about Florida schools -- in general and in particular. All you need is the name of your county and the names of the schools students from your neighborhood attend.

Use links from the DOE home page for general information about entrance requirements, immunizations and so forth.

For the nitty-gritty details that really matter, click on the logo for the "Florida School Indicators Report."

Getting Around

The two major roads in Polk County are Interstate 4 and U.S. Highway 27. In addition to I-4, other important east/west arteries include U.S. Highways 60 and 92; besides U.S. 27, U.S. Highways 98 and 17 carry additional north/south traffic. Slightly west of the county line, travelers can connect with I-75; not far to the east is the Florida Turnpike. Railroad freight service is via CSX. Of course, there's no deep-water port in this inland county, but the Port of Tampa is only about a 30-minute drive from Lakeland. Bartow Municipal Airport serves small commercial and executive planes. And small jets can use Linder Regional Airport in Lakeland. Two excellent international airports are close at hand. Generally, folks in eastern Polk pick Orlando International Airport and residents of western Polk select Tampa International Airport. From either you can fly to almost any place in the world.

Great Outdoors

The Kissimmee Cow Camp northeast of Lake Wales is an unusual way to enjoy the out-of-doors. Although only open to the public on Saturdays, Sundays and major holidays, this outpost on Camp Mack Road provides a living-history presentation of the cow-camp days of 100 years ago. The camp is part of the larger wildlife bonanza called Lake Kissimmee State Park, where ancient shorelines and dunes are still visible from prehistoric times when the area was under or near the ocean. Thirteen miles of hiking trails and 60 campsites are available for outdoor enthusiasts, who may spot white-tail deer, eagles, wild turkeys, bobcats or even sandhill cranes. This area between lakes Kissimmee, Rosalie and Tiger is of enormous ecological significance since it's also the headwaters of the Everglades, which the state is desperately trying to preserve. About six miles south of Lake Wales, Babson Park is owned by the Florida Audubon Society. Another treasure is only a little farther south: It's the 4,400-acre Tiger Creek Nature Preserve through which Tiger Creek meanders much as it did thousands of years ago, when only Native American Indians could enjoy its beauty.

Nature and culture combine their charms at the Bok Tower Gardens, where an elegant tower housing a massive, 57-bell carillon sits among lovely gardens high on the ridge that overlooks the lakes and rolling countryside of this part of Central Florida. Every day at 3 p.m., a 45-minute performance pleases listeners strolling on the 130-acre grounds. Whether nature or publicists should get the glory, you'll want to visit the notorious Spook Hill in Lakes Wales. It's an optical illusion--not an Indian ghost -- but if you put your car in neutral, it seems to glide up the hill.

Good Sports

Fishing is a top priority of many residents and visitors. With lakes galore and plenty of first-class bass fishing, water acts like a magnet for both the permanent and the tourist population, but the creeks, rivers and lakes are so numerous that there's room for all. At Tenoroc State Park, the state has even given prolific Mother Nature a little help by stocking with fish numerous lakes created from reclaimed phosphate pits. This is a bonus situation, win-win as they say, but nature's own work would have been sufficient. The Peace River begins here; it's also the headwaters for the Everglades; and the lakes are almost too numerous to count--550 to more than 600 depending upon what source you credit--so the fishing is fine.

So, too, is boating and waterskiing. The area bills itself as the Water Ski Capital of the World. A world-famous waterski show is presented daily at the Cypress Gardens attraction, but you can see youngsters learning the sport and accomplished adults skiing all over the county almost any day of the year. And you can learn to ski at one of many ski schools, visit a museum devoted exclusively to the sport or watch waterski competitions throughout the year. Don't miss the Orange Cup Regatta, a hydroplane boat race held annually on Lake Hollingsworth in downtown Lakeland. With over 150 parks, 36 golf courses and countless lakes, sports' activists find plenty of sporting life to fill their days in Polk County. Two stables in Lake Wales and another in Lakeland offer horseback riding. Tennis is very popular; in fact, tennis schools and camps nearly outnumber waterski schools. In addition to many public and park-district facilities, there's the Van Der Meer Tennis University at ImperiaLakes Resort in Mulberry and the 20-court Tennis Village at Grenelefe Resort in Haines City, where world-famous tennis pros have perfected their serves. Baseball fans enjoy it here, too. It's spring-training headquarters for the Detroit Tigers, the Cleveland Indians and the Kansas City Royals.

Hot Times in the City

Some of Florida's most unusual museums are found in this area. There's the Mulberry Phosphate Museum, a favorite with kids, who enjoy the fossils and ancient skeletons, one of a 10-million year-old Baleen whale. Another hit with the young crowd is Explorations V, where kids can pilot a space shuttle, learn to be thrifty shoppers or report news on television. Everyone enjoys Cypress Gardens, but the kids appreciate Carousel Cove, which features eight children's rides. All ages soar to the Fantasy of Flight and the International Sport Aviation Air Museum. The Lakes Wales Depot Museum is popular with train enthusiasts and history buffs, while anglers enjoy the Museum of Fishing. Polk County's new Historical Museum is in the county seat of Bartow. Its premier art museum calls Lakeland home and features traveling exhibits, rotating shows, a permanent collection and a pre-Columbian collection in its seven galleries and outdoor sculpture garden. And don't forget Winter Haven's Water Ski Museum and Hall of Fame.

Architecturally, there's a lot to see in Polk County, especially in Lakeland, where Florida Southern College points proudly to its campus -- the largest single collection of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings on one site anywhere in the world. Lakeland's downtown, unlike many other cities, retains its early twentieth-century charm with unique restaurants and a flourishing antique-shopping district.

Lake Wales, Haines City and Bartow offer historic commercial and/or residential districts as well. In addition, Bartow features Homeland Heritage Park, the result of a valiant and successful effort to save the old Homeland School from destruction that didn't end until an entire heritage park complex, complete with an historic church building, a rural homestead and a log cabin in addition to the school, was established.

On cultural outings, you can listen to the Imperial Symphony Orchestra, see live performances by the Pied Piper Players in Lakeland or attend all types of events at the large Lakeland Center, including traveling Broadway productions. Theatre Winter Haven performs live drama at its community theater location in Winter Haven's Chain O'Lakes Convention Center.

Other seasonal events include the Citrus Festival in January, Mardi Gras in February, the Florida Championship Bluegrass Festival in March, the Sun 'n Fun Fly In, sponsored each April by the Experimental Aircraft Association, the Mayfaire-by-the-Lake arts festival (in May, of course) and the Annual Chrysanthemum Festival each November at Cypress Gardens. In November and December, Winter Haven sponsors Winterfest, Lakeland and Lake Wales offer Christmas parades, and Winter Haven splashes toward the big day with its lighted Christmas Boat Parade.

Shop 'til You Drop

If you like antiques, you'll love Polk County. Lakeland's 60-plus independent dealers call its historic district home. Other communities known for antiquing opportunities include Lake Alfred, Frostproof, Haines City, Davenport, Lake Wales, Winter Haven and Bartow. There's sufficient shopping center-type retail sales to satisfy most shoppers. For malls, Polk can't match the Tampa or Orlando metro areas in sheer retail volume, but it still has plenty to offer at three regional malls: Lakeland Center, the Winter Haven Mall and the Eagle Ridge Mall in Lake Wales.

Nightlife

There's more nightlife than you might expect, but you won't find fanatic fishermen frequenting the late-night establishments. Still, if you happen to prefer clubs to catfish, loud music to bird cries, you'll find several places to play here and even more nearby in Tampa and Orlando. On home ground, consider listening to blues at Traders Deli and Pub in Lakeland. Other Lakeland restaurants worth visiting include the Antiquarian and the Sago Grill. The Terrace Grille at the Terrace Hotel should be reserved for special occasions. In Lake Wales, consider Vinton's New Orleans Restaurant and Lounge or Chalet Suzanne, a small, award-winning and very expensive eatery associated with an inn of the same name. In Winter Haven, visit Christy's Sundown Restaurant, a dining establishment that has been around almost as long as the town itself.

College Scene

Florida Southern is a private, four-year, liberal arts college located in Lakeland. The University of South Florida's (USF) Lakeland campus shares the Winter Lake Road campus of Polk Community College (PCC) in Lakeland, so students who matriculate at PCC for their first two years of college may be able to finish at home, too, depending upon their choice of majors. Both schools are operated by the state. USF Lakeland currently offers 11 undergraduate and 2 graduate programs of study. Other area private schools include Warner Southern College in Lake Wales and Webber College in Babson Park. Several more private and public colleges and universities are within driving distance to both Orlando and Tampa.

Just for Seniors

The state and federal government underwrite lots of senior services including respite care, home-delivered meals and congregate meals. Some services are free for the needy and for-a-fee for those in higher-income brackets. Other services are available from private, for-profit providers. Whatever services seniors may need are usually a phone call away, although there may be a waiting list if the service is free or low-cost. Three adult day-care centers and 12 sites that offer congregate meals and social activities operate in the county. If you want to learn about what's available for seniors, call the Information and Referral line in Polk County at 800/533-0741 (in state only).