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.

The Lake of the Hills Community Center is a historical landmark in Polk County on the northwestern…read morecorner of Lake Starr. A community social club formed in 1904. Early developer W. J. Howey created a land company that purchased several hundred acres around Starr Lake and in Lake Wales for home development. The railroad brought wealthy northerners to the winter community of Mountain Lake estates where the Bok Tower carillon was built. Howey believed they would also flock to his community and in anticipation of their arrival he set aside two acres for a recreational community site in 1914. In 1929 members of the local community built a one story stucco building. At first you had to be a Howey land owner to join the club but soon membership was open to anyone. On March 24, 2000, the stucco building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. In 2014 over 100 people attended a 100th Centennial Celebration and the name was changed to Lake Of The Hills Community Center. Today the Community Center is a gathering place hosting several social events throughout the year, including ice cream socials, spaghetti and covered dish dinners, meetings, monthly programs, and it is a host site for the annual 39-Mile Scenic Highway Yard Sale which is how I arrived here. The building can be rented for private events. As a fan of historic architecture it was a treat to visit this gem and see the old photos and history on the wall. The view of Starr Lake from the clubhouse is gorgeous. I love the old fashioned feel of this sweet community center that has been a stalwart of Lake Wakes for over a century.

The 1924 Caldwel-Temple Building is a 12,736 foot office building located in the commercial…read morehistoric downtown district of Lake Wales. This area of the downtown contains many examples of buildings from Florida's land boom years in the 1920's. This is an example of a two story building has three parts. In the 1920's the building contained the Draper Furniture Company, a casket manufacturer, and a Masonic lodge. At the time it was built it was the largest building in Lake Wales. In 1999 the building was purchased by the Jahna company that manufactures concrete roof tile. Jahna had ties to Lake Wales because it was where the company founder Emil Jahna Sr. brought his family in 1925 from Sarasota, Florida to open Ridge Stone and Tile. At first they operated out of a three room house remodeled into an office in 1961. In 1980 they built a larger office next to the original corporate location on Tillman Avenue where they operated for the next 20 years. In 1999 the Jahna Company purchased the Caldwell-Temple Building building, renamed it the Jahna building, restored it with help from the Lake Wales historical Society, and made it their corporate office. In 2001 E.R. Jahna moved their offices to the building.

I was in Frostproof for the 30 Mile Scenic Highway Yard Sale, In search of a boost of caffeine I…read morestumbled on Mister Chris' Coffee Gallery which is located in the historic Atlantic Coast Line Train Depot in downtown Frostproof. The railroad came to town in 1911 and the station was built in 1912. The railroad helped to transport citrus from farmers all across the Lake Wales Ridge. To care for this restored landmark Mister Chris roasts coffee from around the world and ships it across the Continental United States. Today the depot is in the two acre Freedom Station Park. The park is a venue that can be rented and it also stages events such as Wall Street Market in Freedom Station Park and the "Mister Chris' Community Campfire series. This unique coffee shop combines history, music, art, and coffee, all the things I love. As you sip your coffee there are six rooms to explore: Hall of History, the Brew Ha Ha, the Study, the Paris Cafe, the Music Room and the Workshop which is the brew bar, gift shop and entertainment area. The workshop is located in what was once the depot cargo area. Chris has a collection of teapots, Beatles memorabilia, train stuff related to the depot, antique furniture, albums, collectibles, art, and on and on. I put my coffee down in a table and was startled to see a fish swimming under it. I didn't realize it was a fish tank table. There are surprises around every corner. Mr. Chris is a trusting soul. Coming from South Florida I couldn't believe he leaves all of his things out for people to look through and enjoy. This is such a wonderful business. I would come here every day if I could.

Such a great place! Loved the decor and atmosphere. There was live entertainment tonight and she…read morewas pretty good. We only had a cup of coffee which was good. I look forward to returning the next time I visit Frostproof.

Not something I would drive out of my way for but if you're headed to Bok tower Gardens it's not…read moretoo far out the way. We decided to give the haunted street a try after seeing it on social media. When you drive up you see The elementary school next door has Casper's their mascot which I loved! We got to the line read the sign and pulled up to the line. I put the car in neutral and guess what..nothing lol which I didn't have high hopes but it was cool to check out the area.

Nothing special. I thought it was going to be slightly more exciting, your car just rolls…read moredownward... because you're on a hill. That's pretty much it. It's quick and a bit underwhelming, but the town's backstory is kind of cool and it's free, so why not check it out if you're already nearby

One of the fun and free things you can do in downtown Lake Wales is take a free mural tour. Some of…read morethe murals represent historic moments in the town's history while others commemorate pioneers and local flora and fauna. The 20 by 80 foot Wells Fargo Mural was created in 2011 and funded by the Wells Fargo Bank. It is on the north side of their building. The mural is a composite of digital photographs chosen by the Lake Wales Historical society of historic buildings, homes, people, industries, and landmarks in town. Images were transferred to vinyl sheets which were then applied to wood vinyl attached earlier to the wall. Featured on the mural is Bok Tower and Frederick Law Olmsted, the landscape architect for Bok Tower Gardens. There is also the Walesbilt Hotel, Spook Hill, citrus trees, and the railroad. In front of the mural is a key explaining the significance of each image, The Wells Fargo Mural is a great reflection of the historical tapestry of Lake Wales.

Free admission sponsored by Wawa August 30-31. Very cool homage to native Florida wildlife -…read morehundreds of plants - 48 of them rare. Originally planted by landscape artist Olmsted in 1920s. Bok Tower has 60 tons of carillon bells and is covered with depictions of FL birds, animals, plants, and humans. Built by Bok in Art Deco style of the period, it was designated a National Historic Landmark by Calvin Coolidge.

This is perhaps the best botanical garden in the world--we haven't gone to any outside of Florida…read morethough so take that how you will. We got engaged here! 8.28.26! So take that how you will! The tower itself is a masterful design, everyone is friendly and will answer any questions you have! The cafe is stellar and the wine and tap selection will appease anyone who partakes! This was our third time going, so many gift shop goodies and plants we've taken home!

The Saint Anne Shrine may be one of the most unique religious sites in Central Florida. There is a…read more100 year old shrine in the middle of a residential neighborhood that is across the street from a lake. The history of Saint Anne dates back to the 1920's when a contingent of French speaking Catholics came from Canada to Florida to escape winter. Six miles outside of Lake Wales they built a shrine to St. Anne de Beaupre, Mary's mother and the grandmother of Jesus at their winter retreat. On the south shore of Saint Anne Lake, fellow Canadian and winter resident Napoleon Pelletier helped them to build a white chapel, a towering grotto that was a replica of the site where the Virgin Mary appeared at Lourdes in France, a pedestal with a statue of Jesus Christ. and a tiered monument to Saint Theresa. A moat was added surrounding the grotto and a bridge to cross it was built out of native Florida rock. It didn't take long for the faithful to began to flocking to the shrine. One of the stories say these included French artist, Francies Marsollier and his son stricken with tuberculosis. He pledged to dedicate his life to beautifying the shrine if his son would live. As the son began to heal, Francies painted murals in the church and created sculptures for the grounds. Another story had Napolean Pelletier arriving at the lake with his son stricken with cancer and when the boy was healed by the water of the lake, Pelletier stayed and built the shrine. As word spread of the healing powers of the lake, more people came to visit the shrine including a Catholic Bishop to bless the cross Franciers made. At its height of fame, thousands of people would show up for the Feast of St. Anne on July 26th. During WWII people stopped coming. By the early 1960s, the Catholic Diocese of Orlando de-sanctified the church and tore it down. The sculptures made by Franciers were taken to other churches or lost. In the 1980's a priest attempted to sell the shrine as a housing lot but the neighbors came together to prevent the sale and saved what was left of the shrine. Today you can still see the remains of the shrine by the lake and the grotto. To find the grotto look for the white cross between houses 1233 and 1270. In the grotto area is the grave of Napolean Pelletie. The marker says Napolean was born in Canada in 1857 and he passed away on March 7, 1942. According to the marker he is credited with building and maintaining the shrine while he was alive. Based on the offerings left it looks like the shrine is still being used today. It is so peaceful and serene here. I was the only person on a weekday. If you are visiting downtown Lake Wales it is only about a 15 minute drive out to the shrine.

What do you get when you have a 100 year old mystery combining a supposedly magical healing spring,…read moreFrench Canadian Catholic tourists, rare Florida rock, the mother of Mary, a greedy priest, and a heroic neighborhood all in the middle of nowhere in Lake Wales? You get the marvelous Saint Anne Shrine. Yes, all that and so much more. I literally found this place by googling something else and kind of freaked out. How did this exist and I not know about it? I immediately made plans to go here since it was less than an hour away. Lots of people online made hints about how hard it was to find. Pish posh, not. How to find it: Follow your GPS. When you get to the lake, go to the left and start driving around, please go slowly. The Shrine is located between houses #1233 and #1270. When you see the large white signpost on the right hand lake side, slow down and park on the right. When you see the small white cross on the left, that is the field you walk through to get to the shrine. (Please do not disturb the neighbors. If you see them, please smile and wave. They are nice people.) The Shrine itself is modeled like a grotto and is devoted to Saint Anne, the mother of Mary. The legend* is, Napoleon Pelletier, a French Canadian Catholic tourist and his cancer stricken son were camping here and his son swam in the lake and the waters cured him. Napoleon named the lake after Saint Anne and brought all his friends down to build the shrine and it's church dedicated to her back in 1920. It became a very popular place amongst tourists of all kinds, but especially the Canadians. Unfortunately WWII put an end to that and the Diocese of St. Augustine de-sanctified the entire complex in the 1950s/60s and tore down the church and most of the shrine, leaving just the bits that are left. In 1981, a priest tried to sell the land to build a home (!) but was stopped by the neighborhood. *There are other legends. Behind and off to the side of Saint Anne's shrine, is a smallish shrine to Saint Therese of Lisieux, The Little Flower. Her Statue is long gone but was replaced by a statue of Mary, but I doubt anyone minds. It is quite interesting in how it was built, almost pyramid in nature with palm tree trunks backing it. Mosaics are everywhere. Lovely to see, but not all are in good shape. I'll be honest. The place does need some TLC. The local Catholic Church that is supposed to take care of it needs to do a better job. The neighbors do what they can and keep the weeds to a minimum and the grass mowed. I suspect they pick up trash as well because I did not see any at all. The Shrine is beautiful. That cannot be denied. No matter your faith, there is an air of calmness around. Lizards and butterflies abound everywhere. We saw a family of Florida Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis pratensis) calmly walking around yards and then to the small sandy area at the Lake. Bromeliads were blooming wild everywhere. If you are interested in Florida's hidden treasures, than this is an place that is a must-see. For more info https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ste_Anne_des_Lacs https://www.theledger.com/article/20150324/Lifestyle/608071694

I love finding a historical marker. They are filled with nuggets of interesting history about the…read moresurrounding area. I found this one while driving through Frostproof on my way to Lake Wales. This is not one of the blue state historic markers. Instead this green marker was installed by the Polk County Historical Society. When the government enacted the Indian Removal Act in 1830, the army was sent to drive all of the Native Americans out west on the Trail of Tears. The Seminoles resisted and the Second Seminole War broke out. Forts like this one in Frostproof were set up all across Florida to aid the US Army in their mission. The settlement in the area now known as Frostproof was established like many in central Florida at the time, as a fort, then called Fort Clinch. Fort Clinch was built on January 13, 1850 on the shore of what was then called Lake Mocha Poka. The fort was a stockade which consisted of six or seven buildings. garrisoned by 1st. Art., 7th Inf. U.S. Army and Florida Mounted Volunteers. Several men who served here went on to prominence during the Civil War. These included George G. Meade who would become a Union Major General, and Confederate Generals A.P. Hill, and Thomas Jonathan "Stonewall" Jackson. The fort was named after the local Lake Clinch which was named after the popular Seminole War commander Duncan Lamont Clinch (1787-1849). Clinch served in both the 1st and 2nd Seminole Indian Wars. Three forts in total were named after him, this fort in Polk County (1850), Ft. Clinch at the mouth of the Withlacoochee River (1836) in what is now Levy County, and the most famous Fort Clinch (1847) which still stands in Nassau County. This settlement was abandoned only months later on June 8th. By the 1880s, Frostproof began to see its first permanent settlers as homesteaders were attracted to the abundant hunting and fishing in the area.