| Lake Wales, Florida | |
|---|---|
| — City — | |
| Location in Polk County and the state of Florida | |
| Coordinates: | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| County | Polk |
| Area | |
| • Total | 14 sq mi (36.3 km2) |
| • Land | 13.3 sq mi (34.6 km2) |
| • Water | 0.7 sq mi (1.7 km2) |
| Elevation | 148 ft (45 m) |
| Population (2007) | |
| • Total | 12,071 |
| • Density | 728.1/sq mi (280.8/km2) |
| Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) |
| • Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) |
| ZIP codes | 33800-33898 |
| Area code(s) | 863 |
| FIPS code | 12-38950[1] |
| GNIS feature ID | 0285290[2] |
Lake Wales is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,194 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 11,802 [1]. It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area. Lake Wales is located in central Florida, west of Lake Kissimmee and east of Tampa.
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The land around the present city was surveyed in 1879 by Sidney Irving Wailes, who changed the name of a lake, then known as Watts Lake, to Lake Wailes.[3]
The city of Lake Wales was established near the lake in 1911-12, planned by the Lake Wales Land Company.[4] The spelling Wales was used for the city, although the lake is still generally spelled Lake Wailes.
In 1925 the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad built a new line from Haines City joining lines to Everglades City. A depot was opened on this line at Lake Wales.
In 2004, Lake Wales endured the effects of three hurricanes which came through the area: Hurricane Charley, Hurricane Francis and Hurricane Jeanne. The three hurricanes brought hurricane force winds to the Lake Wales area within a space of 44 days.
The town lies almost in the exact center of the Florida peninsula. Lake Wales is located on the Lake Wales Ridge,[5] a sandy upland area running roughly parallel to both coasts in the center of the peninsula. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 14.0 square miles (36 km2). 13.4 square miles (35 km2) of it is land and 0.7 square miles (1.8 km2) of it (4.71%) is water.
Lake Wales is located in the humid subtropical zone (Köppen climate classification: Cfa).[6] In 2004 the eyes of Hurricanes Charley, Frances and Jeanne all passed near the town. Virtually all physical damage has been restored.
Grassy Lake Preserve is a 185 acres (0.75 km2) preserve located behind Janie Howard Wilson Elementary School. Grassy Lake is primarily made up of Lake Wales Ridge scrub land.
The City of Lake Wales has a commission-manager form of government where the commission makes executive decisions and the city manager is charged with carrying them out. Lake Wales has 5 commissioners representing five different city districts, although they are elected at-large by all city voters.[7] The commissioners are elected for 4 year terms. In 2008, Lake Wales caused somewhat of a stir by electing former Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan John Paul Rogers as District 5 city commissioner.[8] Ironically, Rogers' campaign manager was an African-American who spearheaded a large absentee ballot drive among elderly blacks to vote for Rogers.[8][9]
As of the census[1] of 2000, there were 10,194 people (2006 Estimate put the population at 13,687, according to the U.S. Census Bureau), 4,044 households, and 2,563 families residing in the city. The population density was 763.9 inhabitants per square mile (294.8/km²). There were 4,598 housing units at an average density of 344.5 per square mile (133.0/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 59.49% White, 34.59% African American, 0.30% Native American, 0.51% Asian, 0.10% Pacific Islander, 3.62% from other races, and 1.39% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 9.95% of the population.
There were 4,044 households out of which 29.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.5% were married couples living together, 18.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 36.6% were non-families. 30.5% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.0% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.44 and the average family size was 3.06.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.9% under the age of 18, 9.0% from 18 to 24, 24.4% from 25 to 44, 19.5% from 45 to 64, and 20.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 37 years. For every 100 females there were 88.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.1 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $20,884, and the median income for a family was $30,029. Males had a median income of $21,809 versus $20,568 for females. The per capita income for the city was $16,106. About 36.9% of families and 41.4% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.2% of those under age 18 and 14.4% of those age 65 or over.
Bus service is provided to Winter Haven and Frostproof by Winter Haven Area Transit.
Lake Wales is part of the Tampa/St. Pete television market, the 13th largest in the country and part of the local Lakeland/Winter Haven radio market, which is the 94th largest in the country.[16][17]
Lake Wales is home to twelve schools, six of which are charter, three of which are traditional public schools and three private schools. Dale R Fair Babson Park Elementary, Hillcrest Elementary, Janie Howard Wilson Elementary, Polk Avenue Elementary and Lake Wales High School were converted to charter status in the Fall of 2004.[18] Edward W. Bok Academy Middle opened in the Fall of 2008 to create a seamless K-12 charter system.[19] McLaughlin Middle School and Fine Arts Academy, Roosevelt Academy Of Leadership And Applied Technology School, and Spook Hill Elementary School are still traditional public schools. Lake Wales Lutheran School, Candlelight Christian Academy, and The Vanguard School are private.[20]
The district is home to 4,675 students: 56.56% White, 31.38% Black, .3% Asians, 11.66% Hispanic and .11% Native America.
Lake Wales is also home to two colleges, Warner University and Webber International University. The J.D. Alexander Center, a satellite campus of Polk State College is located in downtown Lake Wales in 2009.[20]
Lake Wales has three retirement villages. Two of them are outside city limits, but are considered to be part of Lake Wales, because it is the closest city. The first retirement village is Tower Lakes, which is on US-27. The second is Saddlebag Lake Resort, 9 miles from Lake Wales. Indian Lakes is 20 miles from Lake Wales. These last two are located on Hesperides Road.
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