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.

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!

What an outstanding experience to tour this campus! The…read moreguide Jack C is simply amazing. Me & Barby took the one & one half hour tour & really enjoyed it. We found free parking on College St one block away. It cost about $30 & you can get a AAA discount. They give you a small audio ear piece & you can hear Jack in your ear as you walk from building to building. If you're a FLW fan, this is a singular experience.

I'm just here to add to the chorus of voices offering praise for this comprehensive and enjoyable…read moreFLW extended tour. The guide we had was knowledgeable and a great storyteller. I also appreciated some of her strong opinions about the architecture and the architect. Our tour had many delights along our walking/exploring journey. We went a little long, which everyone appreciated, and I was not tempted to look at my watch once. (Pro Tip: The Ashley Gibson Barnett Museum of Art (The AGB) at Florida Southern College is extraordinary, and you will find several local-flavor restaurants nearby.)

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.

Founded in 1854 by pioneer families on public land, the two acre Oak Hill Cemetery was the first…read morecemetery in Bartow. Bartow is a town located in Polk County in Central Florida. The cemetery is located on the 300 block of West Parker Street. In 1880 the cemetery came into private ownership and it was formerly plated in 1885. The 500 graves are situated in an east/west orientation. It is an example of a traditional graveyard whose design was developed in the mid to late 1800's. The oldest markers were hand carved while newer markers were made commercially. The 1860 grave of William Owen is believed to be the oldest in the cemetery. On February 12, 2003, the cemetery was added to the National Register of Historic Places. The cemetery is known for containing the remains of 42 of Confederate soldiers, including Evander McIver Law (1836-1920), who founded the South Florida military Academy. At the time of his death, he was the longest living Confederate Major General. There is one Union soldier buried here, James Shediger who married a southern woman from Bartow. There are also WWI veterans. Other notable burials include Jacob Summerlin (1820-1893) , known as the King of the Crackers and believed to be the first child born in Florida after it was ceded by Spain. He donated the land that was vital to the founding of Bartow as the County Seat. His marker depicts the symbol of the Masons. Also here is Henry McKenzie (1885-1974) who served in the Florida legislature for 38 years. Oak Hill Cemetery was not on city property and could not be enlarged because it was too close to downtown so in 1890 Bartow purchased the land for the larger Wildwood Cemetery. Oak Hill provides a historic and genealogy record of the earliest residents of Bartow. It is the oldest man made structure in Bartow and it is maintained by the city. The cemetery is a stop on the Polk County Heritage Trail which highlights the places that were instrumental to the history and development of Polk County. The Polk County History Center offers free tours of Oak Hill Tours on the first Saturday of the month November - April. The tour starts at the History Center with a short walk of approximately one mile to include historic landmarks along the route to the cemetery. For more information, contact (863) 534-4386.

This facility is part of the City of Lakeland Parks and Recreaton…read more The LHS Class of 1972 held their 40th Class Reunion here. It's a beautiful building built in the 1920's. It has a fantastic veranda that overlooks Lake Mirror.

Recently attended a wedding here, very nice and spacious venue. Was decorated nicely with flowers…read moreand twinkle lights. Holds a lot of people. Nice views for photos! Indoor venue but has an outside patio attached.

The W. Henry Lewis House is a wooden two story house built in 1901 in a Queen Anne style . The town…read moreof Fort Meade was incorporated in January of 1885. W. Henry Lewis (1860-1940) arrived to the area in 1883 and from 1890 to 1891 he served as town alderman. He was a successful cattleman and in later years he also farmed citrus. He also held interests in several Polk County banks and helped to organize and served as president of the First State Bank of Fort Meade The Queen Anne style of the home was developed by English architect Richard Norman Shaw for English manor houses and the style was popular in the 1860's. The style is characterized by a large house with steeply pitched roofs and gables. After Mr. Lewis's death, the was purchased by his daughter Virginia and her husband Carlton Marsh. Virginia lived here until her death in 1998. The house was added to the National Register of Historic Places on September 19, 2012. The house is a private residence so you can only view it from the outside.