Lakeland, Florida
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Lakeland, Florida | |
 |
|
| Country | United States |
|---|---|
| State | Florida |
| County | Polk |
| Mayor | Ralph L. "Buddy" Fletcher |
| Area | |
| - City | 52 mi² – 133 km² |
| - Land | 46 mi² - 119 km² |
| - Water | 6 mi² - 15 km² |
| Elevation | 141 m |
| Population | |
| - City (2005) | 87,860 (estimated as of 2003) |
| - Density | 1,711 mi² 660.8/km² |
| - Metro | 541,840 |
| Time zone | EST (UTC-5) |
| - Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| Website: http://www.lakelandgov.net/ | |
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 78,452 and is the largest city in Polk County. According to the 2004 U.S. Census Bureau's Estimates, the city had a population of 88,357. As of 2005, the population is approaching 90,000.
Lakeland's sister cities are; Richmond Hill in Canada, Imabari in Japan, and Bălţi in Moldova.
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[edit] History
Lakeland was first settled in the 1870s, developed as the railroad reached the area in 1884, and was incorporated January 1, 1885. The town was founded by Abraham Munn (a resident of Louisville, Kentucky), who purchased 80 acres of land in what is now downtown Lakeland in 1882 and platted the land for the town in 1884. Among the names considered (and rejected) for the town by its residents were Munnville, Red Bug and Rome City.
The Florida boom resulted in the construction of many significant structures in Lakeland, a number of which are today listed on the National Register of Historic Places. This list includes the Terrace Hotel, New Florida Hotel (Regency Towers), Polk Theatre, Promenade of Lake Mirror, Polk Museum of Art, Park Trammell Building (formerly the Lakeland Public Library and today the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce), and others. The city also has several historic districts with many large buildings built during the 1920s and 1940s. The Cleveland Indians held spring training here from 1923 to 1927 at Henley Field Ball Park.
The "boom" period went "bust" quickly, and years passed before the city recovered. Part of the re-emergence was due to the arrival of the Detroit Tigers in 1934 for spring training. (The team continues to train in Lakeland and owns the city's Florida State League team, the Lakeland Flying Tigers.) The development of the Lakeland Municipal Airport as a major facility in central Florida transportation was another factor. The 1930’s also featured the arrival of renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright. In 1938 he came to Lakeland at the request of Florida Southern College President Ludd Spivey to design a "great education temple in Florida." For 20 years Wright worked on his "true American campus" creation. He planned 18 structures, 12 of which were completed and six left on the drawing board. He called his project "A Child of the Sun," so named from the architect’s own description of being "out of the ground, into the light, a child of the sun." It is the largest on-site collection of Frank Lloyd Wright buildings in the world.
In 1990 Lakeland made its Hollywood debut when the Southgate Shopping Center was featured in the hit movie Edward Scissorhands starring Johnny Depp and Winona Ryder.
Lakeland made national headlines on September 28th, 2006 when Polk County Sheriff's Deputy Vernon "Matt" Williams and his K-9 partner, Diogi, were shot and killed after a routine traffic stop in the Kathleen area of the town. The incident sparked outrage among the central Florida law enforcement community. More than five-hundred law officials came together in search of Angilo Freeland, the suspect wanted in connection with the murder. The next morning Freeland was found hiding under a fallen tree. He was shot 68 times, and died on the scene. Deputy Williams and Diogi were laid to rest on October 3rd, 2006 after a funeral that included an one-hour and 45 minute procession to Auburndale.[1]
Lakeland is home to one of the first Hindu temples in the United States. Publix Super Markets is also headquartered here. The first Red Lobster restaurant was opened here.
[edit] Geography
Lakeland is located at (28.041248, -81.958978)GR1. Lakeland is 141 feet above sea level.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 133.3 km² (51.5 mi²). 118.7 km² (45.8 mi²) of it is land and 14.5 km² (5.6 mi²) of it (10.90%) is water.
In July 2006, Lakeland temporarily lost one of its lakes, Scott Lake, to 5 sinkholes.[2]
[edit] Demographics
As of the censusGR2 of 2000, there were 78,452 people, 33,509 households, and 20,373 families residing in the city. The population density was 660.8/km² (1,711.3/mi²). There were 38,980 housing units at an average density of 328.3/km² (850.3/mi²). The racial makeup of the city was 73.52% White, 21.26% African American, 0.28% Native American, 1.34% Asian, 0.06% Pacific Islander, 1.76% from other races, and 1.79% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.41% of the population.
There were 33,509 households out of which 23.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.5% were married couples living together, 13.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.2% were non-families. 32.9% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.23 and the average family size was 2.82.
In the city the population was spread out with 21.4% under the age of 18, 10.3% from 18 to 24, 24.7% from 25 to 44, 20.6% from 45 to 64, and 23.0% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 86.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 82.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $33,119, and the median income for a family was $40,468. Males had a median income of $32,137 versus $23,771 for females. The per capita income for the city was $19,760. About 10.7% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the poverty line, including 24.2% of those under age 18 and 9.1% of those age 65 or over.
[edit] Media
The local newspaper is The Ledger.
The local radio stations are:
- WLKF 1430 AM
- WONN 1230 AM
- WWAB 1330 AM
- WPCV 97.5 FM
- WWRZ 98.3 FM
[edit] Education
[edit] High Schools
[edit] George W. Jenkins High School
2006 State of Florida Academic FCAT Performance Grade: B [1]
2006 State of Florida Academic "Adequate Yearly Progress": Yes[2]
Founded in 1993 and named after Publix founder George W. Jenkins, George Jenkins High School is a twenty-five million dollar facility situated on a ninety-five acre site in the southeast area of Lakeland. The school's mission statement is to "provide quality education for every student in a challenging and caring atmosphere through dedication to educational excellence and commitment to the community." [3] The school mascot is the Eagle. The school has received the "Five Star School" award from the Florida Commissioner of Education for 1995-1996, 1996-1997, and 1997-1998.[citation needed] The award recognized schools with exemplary community involvement.
[edit] Kathleen High School
2006 State of Florida Academic FCAT Performance Grade: D[4]
2006 State of Florida Academic "Adequate Yearly Progress": No[5]
Kathleen High School was the second high school in the city, pre-dating Lake Gibson by several decades. It was originally housed north of its present location, at the site of the current Kathleen Middle School. Ray Lewis, Super Bowl MVP with the Baltimore Ravens, is an alumnus, as is Chris Richard, a forward on the 2006 National Champion Florida Gator basketball team. The school's colors, red and white, were chosen when the school formed its first football team: a local farmer donated red jerseys. The mascot, the Red Devil, has occasionally been a source of controversy for some of the community's more outspoken Christian leaders. It is currently the smallest of the city's public high schools, and draws its students from many of the city's poorest areas. However, recent development in the northern part of the city may alter this balance. The school's library features a little-known piece of student art, a red mural painted on a pane of glass in the late 1960s.
[edit] Lakeland High School
2006 State of Florida Academic FCAT Performance Grade: C[6]
2006 State of Florida Academic "Adequate Yearly Progress": No[7]
Lakeland High School was the original high school in the city. Its mascot is the dreadnaught. Named after the British battleship HMS Dreadnought, the name was brought to LHS in the 1920s by a stern but beloved Scottish schoolmaster. The school motto is nulli secundus -- second to none. Lakeland High is home to a highly competitive high school football team that was ranked number one nationally in 2005. [8] The school has three intra-city rivals: the traditional two being Kathleen and Lake Gibson, and the newest being George Jenkins High School.
[edit] Lake Gibson High School
Established: 1979 Mascot: Braves Colors: Garnet & Gold
[edit] Santa Fe Catholic High School
Established: 1961 Mascot: Crimson Hawk Colors: Crimson
[edit] Colleges
[edit] Florida Southern College
Founded in 1885, Florida Southern College has a strong liberal arts core, as well as notable pre-professional programs (including business, communications, pre-medical, pre-law, nursing, education, sciences, as well as others). The college is affiliated with the United Methodist Church and welcomes students from all faith backgrounds and cultures.
The college is nationally acclaimed for academic excellence, exceptional student life programs, and championship athletics.[citation needed] Florida Southern is consistently ranked in the Top 10 colleges in its U.S. News & World Report category.[citation needed] It is also listed in The Princeton Review’s Best Southeastern Colleges, based on FSC students’ satisfaction votes.[citation needed]
[edit] Polk Community College
Over 24,000 degrees have been awarded by Polk Community College since it's opening in 1964 and an even larger number of people have taken college courses for transfer or to obtain job entry skills. The main campus is located in the neighboring town of Winter Haven. In 1978, the College acquired a 130-acre citrus grove, adjacent to Traviss Technical Center, as the site of a second campus that would serve the population in the Lakeland and Bartow area.
Ten years later, PCC, in conjunction with the University of South Florida, opened the first of eight buildings (LAC) at the Lakeland campus. In August 1991, a second academic building (LLC) was completed on the Lakeland campus, relocating 25 full-time faculty and equipping the new library, classrooms and learning labs with over 125 PCs and associated hardware and software. Additional classrooms, offices, and labs are part of the USF/PCC Joint Use Technology Building set to open December 2006.
[edit] Southeastern University of the Assemblies of God
Southeastern University of the Assemblies of God, an Assemblies of God university, welcomes students from a variety of denominations.[citation needed] The setting for this Mediterranean-styled campus in Lakeland, Florida, consists of Palm trees and orange groves. Students enjoy a year-round average temperature of 72 degrees.[citation needed] Situated between two lakes on more than 68 acres, this location provides students easy access to the cultural and recreational opportunities of nearby Tampa, Orlando and the Florida Sun Coast.
[edit] Other
University of South Florida currently shares a campus with PCC, but has started plans for a 15,000-student, four-year campus just outside incorporated Lakeland.
[edit] Attractions and points of interest
[edit] Historic districts
- Beacon Hill-Alta Vista Residential District
- Biltmore-Cumberland Historic District
- Dixieland Historic District
- East Lake Morton Residential District
- Lake Hunter Terrace Historic District
- Munn Park Historic District
- South Lake Morton Historic District
[edit] Local Communities & Neighborhoods
- Imperial Lakes Community is located off of Shepard Road.
[edit] Buildings and locations
- Central Avenue School
- Cleveland Court School
- John F. Cox Grammar School
- Florida Southern College
- Henley Field Ball Park
- Lake Mirror Promenade
- Lake Parker Park
- Lakeland Center
- Old Lakeland High School
- Lakeland Public Library
- Joker Marchant Stadium
- James Henry Mills Medal of Honor Parkway
- Oates Building
- Polk Community College
- Polk Museum of Art
- Polk Theatre
- Silver Moon Drive-In
- Southeastern University of the Assemblies of God
- University of South Florida, Lakeland campus
- USA International Speedway
- Winston School
- Without Walls International Church
[edit] Notable Lakelanders
- Lindsey Alley, former Mouseketeer of the New Mickey Mouse Club and actress.
- Andy Bean, PGA golfer.
- Lawton Chiles, now deceased former Senator and Governor of Florida.
- Rhea Durham, Victoria's Secret model
- Paul Edinger, NFL player.
- Faith Evans, Singer.
- Lee Janzen, PGA golfer who has won the U.S. Open twice.
- George W. Jenkins, founder of Publix Super Markets.
- Frances Langford, famous singer, actress, and radio star during the 1930s and 1940s.
- Ray Lewis, NFL player; Super Bowl champion
- Howard Marshall, Former NASA scientist, former Cypress Gardens ski performer, PCC Collegiate High School teacher.
- Mike Marshall, Bluegrass musician and world reknown mandolinist.
- Rocco Mediate, PGA golfer.
- Freddie Mitchell, Former NFL Player
- R. Albert Mohler, Jr., president of Southern Baptist Theological Seminary.
- Joe Nemechek and Wayne Anderson, NASCAR Nextel Cup drivers.
- John Wesley "Boog" Powell, MLB player.
- Andrew Reynolds, Professional skateboarder
- Forrest Sawyer, NBC reporter and anchor.
- Rod Smart, NFL player; former XFL player "He Hate Me".
- John Daniel "J. D." Sumner, American singer and songwriter.
- Keydrick Vincent, NFL player, Pittsburgh Steelers
- Lance Niekro, Major League baseball player, San Fransisco Giants
- Joe Niekro, former Major League baseball player
- Lance Davis, former Major League baseball player, Cincinnati Reds
- Matt Diaz, Major League baseball player, Atlanta Braves
- Lou Whitaker, former Major League baseball player, Detroit Tigers
- Denison Marrs, former emo/space rock band
- Some members of Copeland, alternative/emo band
- Matt Grothe, Starting Quarterback, University of South Florida, a BCS Big East Conference Division 1-A football program. A graduate of Lake Gibson High School.
- Justin Forsett, University of California-Berkeley running back
[edit] Sister Cities
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- City of Lakeland official site
- The Ledger newspaper
- Lakeland Florida Youth Football
- WLKF AM
- WONN AM
- WPCV FM
- WWRZ FM
- WWAB AM
- Maps and aerial photos
- Street map from Google Maps, or Yahoo! Maps, or Windows Live Local
- Satellite image from Google Maps, Windows Live Local, WikiMapia
- Topographic map from TopoZone
- Aerial image or topographic map from TerraServer-USA
