Bok Tower Gardens |
Bartow Home |
Cypress Gardens |
Florida Southern College |
Winter Haven |
Sandwiched between Orlando and
Tampa Bay, Polk County is a bit like an overlooked
middle child, sometimes overshadowed by flashier
younger and older siblings.
But shine a spotlight on the county that sits in
the geographical center of Florida and you’ll
realize that, despite its low profile, Polk County
is a special place indeed. It has picturesque small
towns and giant master-planned communities; historic
tourist attractions and a college designed by a
legendary architect; a strong arts community and
a diversified economy.
Larger than Rhode Island and as
big as Delaware, with a population of more than
a half-million, Polk County has a key selling point
that also sometimes causes it to be overlooked:
its location between two metropolises that are steadily
growing toward one another.
But Polk boasts its own rich history
and distinctive identity. Tourism was thriving in
Polk years before Walt Disney started buying land
in Central Florida, and continues to boost the local
economy.
Venerable Cypress Gardens, one of Florida’s
first major tourist draws, has been renovated and
enlarged beyond its traditional water-skiing shows
and hoop-skirted Southern belles to include an amusement
park with heart-stopping rides. And historic Bok
Tower Gardens, with its 60-bell carillon tower,
remains the perfect place for a pastoral stroll
through lush parklands.
Polk County has its share of bustling
mid-sized cities, including its two largest: Lakeland,
population nearly 90,000, which is on Money magazine’s
“Best Places to Live in America” list;
and Winter Haven, population nearly 28,000, which
is home to Cypress Gardens. Laid-back Bartow, with
a population of approximately 16,000, is the county’s
seat.
A thriving arts scene is also evident, with a string
of museums, art centers and theaters. And architecture
buffs can see the largest collection of Frank Lloyd
Wright’s work in one location on the campus
of Florida Southern College.
Fans of the Boys of Summer can
watch the Detroit Tigers tune up during spring training
in Lakeland, or the Cleveland Indians in Winter
Haven.
But it looks like housing may be
Polk’s next big industry, particularly in
the Four Corners area where Polk, Lake, Orange and
Osceola counties meet. Huge new communities, such
as ABD Development’s Providence, with plans
for 4,800 homes, are quickly coming out of the ground.
In addition, at the 365-acre former
site of Boardwalk and Baseball at U.S. 27 and 1-4,
Boardwalk Land and Development is set to build Posner
Park, a pedestrian-friendly, mixed-use development,
with brand-name retailers, boutiques, restaurants,
offices, a hotel, and multi-family residences.
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