This is not your typical tourist trap. It's a unique home that attracts the curious. The owner/tour…read moreguide is a perky lady who is renovating the house back to its original splendor and adding her own personal creativity. She talks about the history of the house and her encounters with the spirits of the original owner. Lots of antiques throughout and a few quirky collections. A diamond in the rough with the mystique of an opal. There is an assistant tour guide, Joan of Bark, who is the sweetest, most laid-back pup. Take some time to enjoy this unicorn.

The best house tour I have ever been on! Super cool to hear so many details from the owner of the…read morehouse and hear about her personal experiences in the restoration process.

This is a seven acre historic district in central Bartow, Florida that dates to 1885. The historic…read morecommercial district is bounded by Davidson and Summerlin Streets and Broadway and Florida Avenues. In the middle of the district is the historic Classical Revival Polk County Courthouse that has been turned into the Polk County Historical Museum. There are twenty-one historic buildings in this district and it was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993. Today the historic Classical Revival, Vernacular, and Masonry buildings along Main Street are occupied by shops and restaurants. There are quaint antique and vintage stores, a bakery, a Mexican restaurant, and a pizzeria. Parking is free along the street. During the first weekend in March the street is shut down for the Bartow Bloomin' Arts Festival. Bartow is so charming and fun to explore. This historic district was right up my alley.

Closed on the Monday when I was passing through Bartow but I got to at least enjoy the outside of…read morethis massive structure that used to be the Polk County Courthouse and is now the History Center. The new Justice Center towers above, across the street. There is a historical marker out front that provides some history. It reads, "Polk County was established February 8, 1861 formed from eastern Hillsborough County and western Brevard County and comprised one of two counties created after the state's secession from the union. Polk County was named after James Knox Polk the eleventh president of the United States. Polk served from 1845 to 1849, and was the first president to hold office after Florida achieved statehood. The turbulent 1860's saw Polk's seat of government changed several times. Located first at Mud Lake, the county seat soon moved to Jefferson, a surveyed town site within the present day limits of Bartow. Court and County records were maintained in the home of the county clerk the Reverend Jeremiah Hayman at Six Mile Creek. In 1867 cattleman Jacob Summerlin donated 120 acres of land at Bartow for a town site and seat of county government. Several courthouses have existed at this site, built in 1867, 1884 and 1909." It is marker number F-549 and was erected in 2005 by the Polk County Historical Commission and the Florida Department of State. The building was designed by Edward Columbus Hosford with contributions from Francis J. Kennard in a Classical Revival composition. The style is unmistakable: a symmetrical facade, strong classical massing, and a clock tower rising above the roofline. A series of earlier courthouses stood on this same ground, beginning with an 1867 structure, then an 1884 replacement, and finally the 1909 building that survives today. The facade's classical detailing, the clock tower, and the building's balanced proportions all reflect a period when counties across the South were asserting their permanence through monumental architecture. Inside, the building now houses the Polk County History Center, and the county offers regular architectural tours that highlight the structure's Neo‑Classical features and the stories behind its construction. Just not on Monday. [Review 1612 of 2025 - 2189 in Florida - 25160 overall]

Well appointed and accredited museum. We spent over an hour watching the short videos and reading…read morethe information. Unfortunately, they are under renovation and some of the sections were closed off. That just means I need to go back when I visit next year.

1st I want to thank my friend Ariel W for providing the captivating historic account of this…read morebeautiful building - well done my friend... Mall vs Arcade - What's the difference? Most of us are familiar with the term "Mall" associated with the modern shopping venues being indoors or outdoors "Arcades" are usually designed as covered passages in which the shops are located on both side and are usually multi-storied, most are from earlier periods and all that I've had the privilege of visiting are architecturally amazing and so nostalgic. I was taken back after discovering this treasure in Lake Wales since most I've experienced are located in larger cities - downtown Cleveland, Ohio comes to mind. The Rhodesbilt Arcade is a beautiful example of the period architect and well worth a walk through, the breeze-way transcends time, if you have a few minutes to spare take a stroll through history and take a seat and daydream about what it must of been like when it first opened. For a town of less than five thousand souls when this magnificent structure was erected it must have been quite the sight and people probably traveled from miles around to see it. Renovations have preserved it so generations to come can enjoy it, just as generations from the past have...

The Rhodesbilt Arcade is a historic building in the commercial historic district of Lake Wales…read more This area of Lake Wales was built during Florida's land boom years in the 1920's. The arcade was erected between 1924 and 1926 and it stretches between Park Avenue and Stuart Avenue. The Rhodesbilt Arcade was built by Jesse T. Rhodes who was nicknamed Good for his craftsmanship and quality of work. In addition to this arcade he built many of the first homes in Lake Wales. Rhodes was born in 1833 in Indiana. He arrived in Florida in 1913 at the age of 30 with his wife Alice in hopes that the warmer climate would help with his poor health. At the time he settled into a Lake Wales, the town was only two years old. He would go on to influence much of the early architecture of the town. This building is designed in a Mediterranean style with a curved parapet, ceramic tile, and arched doorways. The arcade also has hardwood floors, antique tile, and stained glass windows. The two story building is equivalent to today's shopping malls. The interior of the building held store fronts and offices lit by high skylights. Arcades were the most popular type of commercial building in the 1920's. This one still has business and offices operating out of it today. In later years Mr. Rhodes entered the real estate business and subdivided land into commercial and residential tracts. His wife Alice was the first insurance agent in Lake Wales. Mr. Rhodes passed away in 1932 at the age of 48 but his greatest achievement The Rhodesbilt Arcade still stands in downtown Lake Wales. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.

This is a historic house located in downtown Bartow at 590 East Stanford Street. Named the Benjamin…read moreFranklin Holland House,, it is also known as The Gables and the Roy Trent Gallemore House. The house was built in 1895 and was designed by architect E.R. Wharton. The two and a half story house is in the frame vernacular style with shingle elements and it is considered one of the best examples of a shingle style home in Florida. There is a one story wraparound screen entrance porch. Benjamin Franklin Holland was known in Bartow as a pioneer and a public servant. He was born in Carroll County, Ga., in 1846. When he was 17 he was a Confederate soldier in a battle at Kennesaw Mountain in Georgia that saw half of his company killed. During the battle he was wounded and by the time he recovered the Civil War was over. To heal from a shattered hand and tuberculosis he moved to Polk county where he married and had three children. He founded Polk's first abstract business and served in three county offices: school board member, county commissioner and county treasurer. One of his children became Florida governor Spessard Holland who grew up in the home. The house was listed on the US Register of Historic Places in 1975. It is a private residence so you can only view it from the street but it is a beautiful home and worth a drive by if you are in the area.

Took the tour today with 3 other people. 1 had not ever been on a Segway before. Russell was very…read moregood at instructing on how to use the Segway. Never felt rushed and he was great at answering questions. We got to hear some very interesting history and it was very personal. I highly recommend taking a tour with this company. You can take the tour more than once because there are many stories to be heard about the history of this area. Thank you for a wonderful time! Kathy R.

Awesome experience. We went on Tuesday afternoon. Very informative local history. Russell was a…read moregreat guide. Safety is a priority and they make sure you feel comfortable on the Segway before heading out for the tour. Thanks EGT!!

This is the historic home of African-American pioneer Lawrence Bernard Brown. The house is located…read moreat 470 L.B. Brown Avenue, Bartow, Florida. Mr. Brown was born into slavery in 1856 near Gainesville and he had limited formal education during his lifetime. Despite these setbacks Mr. Brown became a self taught master carpenter. He arrived in Bartow in the late 1880's and he became one of Polk County's most successful businessmen and community leaders. At the time of his death in 1941, Mr. Brown had accumulated a half a million dollars. Lawrence Brown was named "A Great Floridian" by the Florida Department of State. Mr. Brown purchased a plot of land, cleared it and in 1892 he built a 1,700 square foot, two story Victorian. The house is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It is believed to be the only home built by a formerly enslaved person to still exist in Florida. The street going past the house was renamed L.B. Brown Ave. in his honor. Mr. Brown and his wife Anna Belle went on to have seven children but only one of them had a child. That child never had children so there are no direct family descendants. Mr. Brown and his wife are buried in Evergreen Cemetery. The house eventually became abandoned and it deteriorated. It was slated for demolition by the city but they were reluctant to destroy it.. In the late 1990's Clifton Lewis, president of Corporation Of Neighborhood Improvement and other Bartow residents began restoration on the home and over two years returned it to it's original grandeur. Every year in mid February, Bartow holds an annual L.B. Brown Festival to celebrate the life of L.B. Brown. You can call for guided tours of the home (863) 944-6136. When the house is closed you are free to tour the exterior and out buildings. Parking is available in the field next to the house.

An amazing piece of history sitting right there in Bartow, Florida…read more We went as a field trip with our homeschool group. The folks in charge here are so passionate about their work. The tours are informative and thorough. Split into a tour of the outside, downstairs inside and upstairs inside, our tour was led by three different people. All amazing, full of educational information and clearly excited to share their knowledge. Feel free to ask questions! They love to engage in conversation about Mr. LB Brown, his history and the home they've worked so hard to preserve. It's a beautiful place, inside and out. It's a little sad that it's not more popular for school field trips from schools in the area. It's sitting there waiting, with people ready to share! The kids in our group were moved and excited to learn so much. Afterwards, there was lots of conversation about LB Brown! That says something! Very happy to have had the opportunity to check out the LB Brown House!

The historical home El Retiro was beautiful. We paid the extra $10 per person to do the tour, and…read morewe loved it. The tiling of the home gives me true future home ideas. The tour guides were super sweet and helpful. The house had two floors and was nice and warm when we visited, which was very cold that day. I was able to take home two recipe cards that I can't wait to try. Definitely wish I lived in this home.

I don't know why it took me so long to check out this place. Maybe because I already had an annual…read morepass and I have to pay more to get in. What a pleasant surprise. This was a cool place. To be so rich that you come only in Jan & Feb to enjoy the Florida weather. This place is still functional. There outlets, & working elevators. I love the architecture of this building. I love how it was decorated for the holidays. This is now a museums. Back in the days Bok tower used to hosted dinners, a huge Christmas decorations celebrations. Now it's an official museum so it's only to walk through. $5 for members & $7 for non members. Honestly, this is one and done. It's cool but will I go back. For what not sure.

Longer trail than other local loops - with parking and a water stop. Appreciate that they keep it…read moreclean & that it's a wider trail so we're able to ride side by side for the most part.

This trail is partly hilly but mostly flat. They are doing a lot of construction on the main road…read morebeside the trail. There is a restroom on the path with a wheelchair accessible bathroom. If you ride the entire trail you will have to cross the road three times from start to finish. The trail is not usually that busy, I usually pass about 3-5 people on the trail. There are seats to stop if you need a break but no water available.