This historical marker about Kissengen Spring is located in Mossaic Peace River Park across from…read morethe restrooms. Once located about a mile north of the park, Kissengen Spring was a natural flowing spring outside the town of Bartow, the county seat of Polk County. Sadly it no longer exists. Floridians love their springs. There is something so tranquil about their cold crystalline waters. Many Native People thought of the waters as being sacred and having healing properties. They established villages near the springs. One such natural spring used to exist n Polk County at the basin of the Peace River. It was originally named DeLeon Springs after famed Spanish Fountain of Youth explorer, Ponce DeLeon. In 1883 the springs were purchased by medical doctors named Huddleston. They wanted to turn the springs into the kind of spas and therapy facilities you see in Europe. The name "Kissengen Springs" was taken from the baths in Bad Kissengen in Bavaria, Germany. The spring produced more than 20 million gallons of water a day that discharged into the Peace River and it became a natural attraction to the people of southern Polk County. People with ailments would seek the spring where they enjoyed picnicking, boating, and swimming. There was a pavilion for parties and dancing. In the 1930's political rallies were held here. After WWII soldiers came to the spring to recuperate. In the 1950's the spring stopped due to phosphate mining in the area. Mossaic Peace River Park is on the land that used to be the phosphate mine. The springs of Florida are such a treasured resource that is truly terrible to learn about the destruction of one. There is a moving song about the demise of the spring. https://youtu.be/J5GWp2x6xik The song is performed by Dennis Mader, a member of People for Protecting Peace River.

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.

We last visited these gardens, designed by Frederick Law Olmstead (who also designed Central Park…read morein Manhattan), in early 2024. This time, more flowers were in bloom, and we saw a different variety of birds on the premises. The tower is, of course, the centerpiece of the gardens. We had the pleasure of listening to it sing at least 5 times during our visit. We briefly visited the children's garden, and recommend this if you have youngsters in tow. After we were done in the gardens, we had a nice lunch in the on-site café. Portions are large, so you may want to consider sharing.

These gardens are so beautiful and peaceful. I love walking…read morethrough every path available while smelling nature The food at the restaurant is good and fresh Everything is nice and clean

The Polk County History Center is located in the historic 1908 Courthouse located on Main Street in…read moreBartow. I love this trend of turning these historic courthouses into history museums when their cities outgrow the space. These old courthouses are designed in an elegant Neoclassical design. They also made courthouses into museums in Orlando and West Palm Beach. The 1908 courthouse in Bartow served as the Polk County Courthouse from 1908 until 1987. In 1988 the building was turned into the Polk County History Center and Genealogical Research Library. In 1989 the courthouse was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Admission to the museum is free and there is free street parking. You start your self guided tour with a video exhibition guide. The museum has 11 permanent and four temporary galleries over two floors.On the first floor is a gift shop and 7 galleries that cover history from the pioneers to the industrialists. Displays include what school was like at the turn of the century, early 1900's women's fashion, World Series championships, area landmarks, fishing, lost attractions, historic Dixie Hwy, Publix, Coke a Cola, trains, the citrus industry, cattle ranching, pioneers, and African-Americans in early Polk County. On the second floor there are two restored courtrooms, one from 1908 and one from 1926, the genealogical library, displays about Polk County's military history and the paleo Indians including, a dugout canoe from 400-570 AD, an arts and culture gallery, and displays about women's suffrage, In the temporary gallery they were having a quilt exhibit. I love that the courthouse is rumored to be haunted. A lady in white has been reported on the second and third floors and screams have been heard in the basement. Some guests have reported cold spots. As you walk around the galleries it is not too difficult to imagine that this building is haunted. I had a very nice time exploring the museums collection of fossils, clothing, military relics, and household items. The Polk County History Center is accredited by the American Alliance of Museums. This is a really great museum with a wide range of items s that will appeal to everyone and it's free. Come out and learn about the history of Polk County and Florida's heritage.

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]

As a fan of architecture and history I had to stop and check out this gem while I was traveling…read morethrough Aburndale, Florida. Once owned by Ephraim Mikell Baynard, this historic home brimming with charm. The first settlers arrived in Aburndale in the 1870's and 1880's to take advantage of natural resources and prime cattle grazing land. The town experienced more growth when Henry Plant's South Florida Railroad laid track in the area in the area in the early 1880's connecting Polk County with a larger regional economic market. In 1884 the town received a train depot and post office and the community of Auburndale continued to grow. Ephraim Mikell Baynard was born in South Carolina in 1861. In 1888 he settled in Auburndale, on the south side of Lake Stella. Baynard proved to be a savvy business man and he owned a general store and worked as a developer, cattle rancher, citrus and tomato farmer, and owner of a turpentine factory. In 1889 Baynard married Nettie Lee Brooks after she came to the area to escape an outbreak of yellow fever in Key West. The couple had two daughters Ruth and Elizabeth. In 1894 he built a stately, L shaped, two-story, wooden Folk Victorian home designed by Alfred Chipman Thorpe. The home was located just north of downtown Auburndale business district. The house has a dining room and two parlors downstairs and three bedrooms upstairs. A highlight of the home is a spindlework porch that wraps around the front of the house. Baynard's family lived in the home until 1913 as the fledgling town of Auburndale sprouted up around them. By 1951 the house had been chopped into five apartments, each with its own bathroom and kitchen and it teetered on demolition as city officials wanted the site for a parking lot. A group of students from Auburndale High School, led by guidance counselor Bonnie Burhans, stepped in to save the home. Over the next 5 years hundreds of students worked to restore the home uncovering heart pine flooring, oak fireplace mantles, handcrafted door and window frames, and century-old glass. The City of Auburndale now owns the home and it was turned into museum in 1997. The house has period furnishings including some owned by the Baynard family. After the Baynard house was restored it set off a wave pf preservation that also saw the restoration of the City Hall and the train depot with other buildings following. The Baynard House was added to the National Register of Historic Places on November 10, 2001. Ephraim Mikell Baynard was designated a Great Floridian by the Florida Department of State in the Great Floridians 2000 Program.

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.

I love 1920s architecture so I made a point to stop by this old school when I was in Haines City…read morefor the 39 Mile Scenic Highway Yard Sale. They don't make schools like this gorgeous beauty anymore. The Old Central Grammar School is also known as the Haines City Middle School Annex or as the Fellowship Dining-Ridge. The school was built in 1925 by Paul Smith. Edward Columbus Hosford (April 24, 1883 - January 2, 1939) was the architect on the project and he designed it in the Mediterranean Revival and Spanish Revival styles which were very ornate and popular in the 1920's. Hosford was a noted American architect who designed courthouses and many other buildings throughout Florida, Georgia, and Texas. In 1909 Hosford designed the old Polk County Courthouse now a museum in Bartow and 1926 he designed the old Lakeland High School. This building was added to the National Register of Historic Places on March 17, 1994. For several years the building was a community theatre before becoming part of Daniel Jenkins Academy of Technology, a middle school in the Polk County Public Schools District. Sadly this building looks to be abandoned and is surrounded by a fence. I hope Haines City finds a way to save this historic building and repurpose it as a history museum or cultural arts center as many other Florida towns have preserved their grand old buildings.

This historic school was built in 1925 and was added to the National Register of Historic places in…read more1994. The building looks to be in a state of disrepair but is still a beautiful example of Mediterranean and Spanish Revival style. It was used for a long time as a community theatre and later became a Haines City Middle School. This location is listed on Roadtrippers as one of the off the beaten places to visit.

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.