Winter Haven | |
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 Central Avenue at the west side of downtown (Central Park is located behind the photo) | |
 Seal | |
| Nickname: "The Chain of Lakes City"[1] | |
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  Winter Haven  Winter Haven | |
| Coordinates:28°01′23″N81°44′04″W / 28.02306°N 81.73444°W /28.02306; -81.73444 | |
| Country | United States |
| State | Florida |
| County | Polk |
| Platted (Harris Corners) | 1884-1885[2][3] |
| Incorporated (town) | June 22, 1911[2][3] |
| Incorporated (city) | November 27, 1923[3][4] |
| Government | |
| • Type | Commission–Manager |
| • Mayor | Nathaniel J. Birdsong, Jr. |
| • Mayor Pro Tem | Brian Yates |
| • Commissioners | Lucretia Tracy Mercer, Bradley T. Dantzler, and Clifton E. Dollison |
| • City Manager | T. Michael Stavres |
| • City Clerk | Vanessa Castillo |
| Area | |
• City | 41.52 sq mi (107.53 km2) |
| • Land | 32.84 sq mi (85.05 km2) |
| • Water | 8.68 sq mi (22.47 km2) |
| Elevation | 161 ft (49 m) |
| Population (2020) | |
• City | 49,219 |
| • Density | 1,498.8/sq mi (578.68/km2) |
| • Urban | 253,251 (US: 161st)[6] |
| • Urban density | 1,774.5/sq mi (685.1/km2) |
| • Metro | 725,046 (US: 80th) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| Area code | 863 |
| FIPS code | 12-78275 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2405773[7] |
| Website | www |
Winter Haven is a city inPolk County, Florida, United States. It is located about 51 miles (82 km) east ofTampa and about 47 miles (76 km) southwest ofOrlando, with neighboringLakeland located to its west. The city's population was 49,219 at the2020 census, making it the second most populous city in Polk County after Lakeland. It is a principal city of theLakeland-Winter Haven, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area.[8]
TheTimucua and theCalusa were the earliest known inhabitants of the Winter Haven area.[9] Both of these groups were deeply affected by war and disease from the Spanish conquest of Florida in the early 1500s. The Timucua were particularly affected by the expedition ofHernando de Soto. By the 19th century, both these groups no longer existed. During these expeditions the Spanish explorers claimed the entire peninsula of Florida for theSpanish monarchy.
In the 19th century theCreek and theSeminole were known to live and hunt in this area.[10] During theSeminole Wars the Seminole leader, Chipco, and his followers were known to live in the Winter Haven area. Several small skirmishes during the war were fought in and around Winter Haven.[11]
In 1819, after the signing of theAdams-Onís Treaty, the United States gained control of Florida. The first American or European settlers in the area were encouraged to settle there by theArmed Occupation Act of 1842.[10]
During the 1840s and 1850s, theUnited States government conducted the first surveys of the area. Henry Washington conducted the first survey of the area in 1843. In 1849, Dr. John Westcott completed an extensive survey of the area, including mapping many of the local lakes.[10] The first maps of the area were published by theUnited States government in 1854.[10] In 1883,Henry Haines working forHenry Plant and thePlant System, successfully built the first railroad across Polk County, passing just north of Winter Haven. Lake Haines, in Winter Haven, was named after Haines, who served as a colonel in theConfederate States Army.
The arrival of the railroad created the first real growth in area.[2] The area wasplatted from 1884 to 1885, and would first be known as Harris Corners.[2][3] This name was in reference to F.A.K. Harris, who opened the first mercantile store in the area around this time.[3] The name Winter Haven was later suggested, in reference to the area's pleasant climate.[3]
By the end of the century, the population grew to approximately 400 and on June 22, 1911, the City of Winter Haven was officially incorporated as a town.[2][3] TheChain of Lakes canals were begun in 1915. The first Florida boom took place in the 1920s as towns sprang up all over the peninsula. Florida's potential as a place to live and a place to visit was first realized in the 1920s, but theGreat Depression slowed growth until afterWorld War II. On November 27, 1923, Winter Haven was officially reincorporated from a town to a city.[3][4] Winter Haven Hospital was founded in 1926 and has been in the city ever since.
During this period, the population of Winter Haven began to grow substantially. Many beautiful single-family homes were built in Winter Haven at this time in the colonial revival style. Over 50 these homes are on theNational Register of Historic Places today. They are noted for their architectural style and grace. Most of these historic homes are located in theInterlaken neighborhood. There are fourhistoric districts in Winter Haven. They areInterlaken,Pope Avenue,Winter Haven Heights, and thedowntown area.
In 1930,George W. Jenkins opened the firstPublixsupermarket in Winter Haven.[12] His second store and the first stand-alone Publix store, was a 27 ft by 65 ft building at 199 West Central Avenue, opened in 1935, which exists today as the Regenerations thrift store.[12][13][14] During the 1930s and 1940s, citrus magnate,John A. Snively operated one of the largest fruit packing plants in the world in Winter Haven.[15]
Another defining event in Winter Haven was the opening ofCypress Gardens in 1936 byDick Pope Sr. and his wife, Julie Pope. They first got the idea for the park from aGood Housekeeping magazine that they were reading. By the 1950s, Cypress Gardens was nationally famous. It featured a beautifulbotanical garden,water skiing shows, and a staff ofsouthern belles. Many famous celebrities of that time visited the park, includingElvis Presley,Frank Sinatra,Betty Grable, andKing Hussein of Jordan. In the 1980s, the Anheuser-Busch corporation purchased the park. They continued to operate the park until 1995. After that, the park struggled, finally closing for good in 2009. On January 21, 2010, the site of Cypress Gardens was formally announced as the selected location for theLegoland Florida theme park,[16] which opened on October 15, 2011. Legoland Florida has successfully retained some of the tradition and history of the original site, including part of the original botanical garden and a water ski show.[17]
Winter Haven features many buildings designed by the architectGene Leedy, one of the founders of theSarasota School of Architecture. Regency Medical Center, which is Winter Haven Hospital's women's hospital, was built in 1987.[18] Some of Leedy's structures are part of theDowntown Winter Haven Historic District.
The Orange Dome, located near the corner of Cypress Gardens Blvd and US Hwy 17, was built in 1964. For 48 years, it hosted the annual Citrus Festival and other civic affairs. In February 2012, the Orange Dome was demolished to make way for The Landings, a proposed $150 million mixed-use development that was intended to include high-end retail stores, restaurants, hotels, apartments and a new movie theater to be built at the Chain of Lakes Complex.[19] However, after the construction of three fast food chain stores, the project collapsed. As of April 2013[update], the developer and the city were in negotiations to determine the future of the site.[20][needs update]
Pughsville was a neighborhood of Winter Haven whereAfrican Americans built a community after the Civil War. A historical marker on Highway 17 at Avenue O commemorates the community.[21] According to the marker, Pughsville was one of Winter Haven's earliest neighborhoods and was settled by African Americans who cleared the land in the southwest section of the city.
Pughsville was named for an early black pioneer, Reverend Charles Pugh, who was a founder of Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church. Pughsville was also home to Bethel A.M.E., St. Paul Holiness, and Church of Christ. The community was most active from the 1900s until the 1950s and had an African-American school, social halls, small grocery stores, and restaurants where some residents worked.[22] Others worked in the citrus industry or in state or federal jobs. Pughsville produced Winter Haven's first African-American commissioner and mayor Lemuel Geathers, medical doctor, fire fighter and postal worker. The community declined in the late 1970s as larger commercial establishments began arriving in the area.
According to theUnited States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 25.4 square miles (66 km2), of which 17.7 square miles (46 km2) is land and 7.7 square miles (20 km2) (30.45%) is water. Winter Haven is located within the Central Florida Highlands area of theAtlantic coastal plain with a terrain consisting of flatland interspersed with gently rolling hills.[23] It has an average elevation of 146 feet (45 m) above sea-level.[24] The city is located at theheadwaters of thePeace River.[25]
Winter Haven has 50 lakes within its borders,[26] including its famousChain of Lakes. The lakes are by far the city's most distinctive feature. Winter Haven bills itself as "The Chain of Lakes City". The city has two prominent chains of lakes; the northern chain has nine lakes interconnected by a series of canals.[27] The southern chain features sixteen lakes interconnected by a series of canals. The southern chain has several prominent lakes, includingLake Eloise,Lake Howard, andLake Lulu.[27] In 2011, after six years of construction and political infighting, Winter Haven opened a canal lock system connecting the two chains.[28] Most of the lakes in Winter Haven formed in a similar fashion to sinkholes, through dissolving of the limestone ground. These types of lakes are called "solution lakes".[26] The lakes in Winter Haven teem with life, includingalligators,bald eagles,great blue herons, and more. The Winter Haven lakes are a world-renowned spot for bass fishing.[24]
Winter Haven is located in thehumid subtropical zone (Köppen climate classification:Cfa). The average temperature is 74.6 °F (24 °C). The city averages 46.12 inches (1,171 mm) of rain per year. The months of June, July, August, and September, which includes the height of theAtlantic hurricane season, are by far the rainiest time of the year. Those four months, which average 26.63 inches (67.6 cm) of rain, account for more than half of the annual rainfall. Winters in Winter Haven are dry and sunny, with high temperatures of 72–76 °F (22–24 °C) and lows of 51–55 °F (11–13 °C). Frost occurs about once per year on average.
| Climate data for Winter Haven, Florida (Winter Haven's Gilbert Airport), 1991–2020 normals, extremes 1941–present | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Month | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Year |
| Record high °F (°C) | 89 (32) | 91 (33) | 94 (34) | 98 (37) | 103 (39) | 103 (39) | 101 (38) | 100 (38) | 98 (37) | 96 (36) | 99 (37) | 95 (35) | 103 (39) |
| Mean maximum °F (°C) | 83.0 (28.3) | 84.9 (29.4) | 87.8 (31.0) | 91.0 (32.8) | 95.1 (35.1) | 96.3 (35.7) | 96.7 (35.9) | 96.2 (35.7) | 94.5 (34.7) | 91.4 (33.0) | 87.4 (30.8) | 83.9 (28.8) | 97.7 (36.5) |
| Mean daily maximum °F (°C) | 72.5 (22.5) | 75.6 (24.2) | 79.7 (26.5) | 84.6 (29.2) | 89.7 (32.1) | 92.2 (33.4) | 92.9 (33.8) | 92.7 (33.7) | 90.8 (32.7) | 86.1 (30.1) | 79.5 (26.4) | 74.4 (23.6) | 84.2 (29.0) |
| Daily mean °F (°C) | 62.2 (16.8) | 65.1 (18.4) | 69.1 (20.6) | 73.8 (23.2) | 79.3 (26.3) | 83.0 (28.3) | 84.1 (28.9) | 84.1 (28.9) | 82.5 (28.1) | 77.1 (25.1) | 69.8 (21.0) | 64.6 (18.1) | 74.6 (23.7) |
| Mean daily minimum °F (°C) | 51.9 (11.1) | 54.6 (12.6) | 58.5 (14.7) | 63.1 (17.3) | 69.0 (20.6) | 73.8 (23.2) | 75.4 (24.1) | 75.6 (24.2) | 74.1 (23.4) | 68.0 (20.0) | 60.0 (15.6) | 54.8 (12.7) | 64.9 (18.3) |
| Mean minimum °F (°C) | 34.0 (1.1) | 37.7 (3.2) | 42.5 (5.8) | 51.6 (10.9) | 60.2 (15.7) | 68.7 (20.4) | 70.8 (21.6) | 71.8 (22.1) | 68.5 (20.3) | 55.2 (12.9) | 44.8 (7.1) | 39.1 (3.9) | 32.0 (0.0) |
| Record low °F (°C) | 19 (−7) | 25 (−4) | 23 (−5) | 32 (0) | 46 (8) | 50 (10) | 59 (15) | 62 (17) | 59 (15) | 41 (5) | 26 (−3) | 19 (−7) | 19 (−7) |
| Averageprecipitation inches (mm) | 2.49 (63) | 2.44 (62) | 3.04 (77) | 2.50 (64) | 2.67 (68) | 7.36 (187) | 7.44 (189) | 6.52 (166) | 5.31 (135) | 2.22 (56) | 1.45 (37) | 2.68 (68) | 46.12 (1,171) |
| Average precipitation days(≥ 0.01 in) | 8.7 | 7.5 | 7.5 | 6.0 | 8.4 | 16.2 | 17.6 | 18.7 | 14.3 | 7.8 | 7.0 | 8.3 | 128.0 |
| Source: NOAA[29][30] | |||||||||||||
| Census | Pop. | Note | %± |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1920 | 1,597 | — | |
| 1930 | 7,130 | 346.5% | |
| 1940 | 6,199 | −13.1% | |
| 1950 | 8,605 | 38.8% | |
| 1960 | 16,277 | 89.2% | |
| 1970 | 16,136 | −0.9% | |
| 1980 | 21,119 | 30.9% | |
| 1990 | 24,725 | 17.1% | |
| 2000 | 26,487 | 7.1% | |
| 2010 | 33,874 | 27.9% | |
| 2020 | 49,219 | 45.3% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census[31] | |||
| Race | Pop 2010[32] | Pop 2020[33] | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 19,674 | 22,443 | 58.08% | 45.60% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 9,149 | 12,097 | 27.01% | 24.58% |
| Native American orAlaska Native (NH) | 65 | 112 | 0.19% | 0.23% |
| Asian (NH) | 667 | 1,218 | 1.97% | 2.47% |
| Pacific Islander orNative Hawaiian (NH) | 28 | 12 | 0.08% | 0.02% |
| Some other race (NH) | 61 | 292 | 0.18% | 0.59% |
| Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) | 493 | 1,515 | 1.46% | 3.08% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 3,737 | 11,530 | 11.03% | 23.43% |
| Total | 33,874 | 49,219 | 100.00% | 100.00% |
As of the2020 United States census, there were 49,219 people, 15,423 households, and 10,260 families residing in the city.[34]
As of the2010 United States census, there were 33,874 people, 14,025 households, and 8,762 families residing in the city.[35]
As of 2000, there were 11,833 households, out of which 21.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.1% weremarried couples living together, 12.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 41.4% were non-families. 36.0% of all households were made up of individuals, and 18.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.17 and the average family size was 2.81.
In 2000, in the city the population was spread out, with 20.9% under the age of 18, 6.8% from 18 to 24, 23.5% from 25 to 44, 21.4% from 45 to 64, and 27.4% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 44 years. For every 100 females, there were 85.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 81.2 males.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the city was $31,884, and the median income for a family was $39,657. Males had a median income of $30,943 versus $21,812 for females. Theper capita income for the city was $20,383. About 10.5% of families and 15.0% of the population were below thepoverty line, including 24.2% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.
Three-time Olympic gold medal swimmer,Rowdy Gaines, and Olympic gold medal sprinter,Kenneth Brokenburr[36] both grew up in Winter Haven. Four-time NBA all-star and Olympic gold medalist guard,Otis Birdsong, also grew up in Winter Haven.[37] Welterweight boxing champion,Andre Berto, is another famous athlete who grew up in Winter Haven.
Winter Haven has many successful sports programs, both recreational and competitive, serving the youth in the community.Winter Haven High School has won several state and district championships in various sports, including Girls Varsity Basketball State Championship in 2005, 2007, 2016, and 2017.
With so many lakes, Winter Haven is a location for fresh water fishing. The two sports for which Winter Haven is best known arewater skiing andbaseball.
Winter Haven has played a major role in the development and growth of water skiing as a sport.Dick Pope Sr. used water skiing as a way to promote his Cypress Gardens theme park starting in the 1930s, and water ski shows soon became a staple of entertainment at the park. He was also the first person to complete a jump on water skis, jumping over a wooden ramp in 1928, for a distance of 25 feet (7.6 m).[38] He pioneered a number of other water skiing tricks, including the water ski human pyramid, as part of an effort to develop his shows at Cypress Gardens. His son,Dick Pope Jr. popularized barefoot water skiing, bringing early pioneers such asDon Thomson to Cypress gardens to develop novel acts such as tumble turns, backwards barefooting, front to back and beach starts to please the theme park crowds.
Winter Haven is connected to 10 members of theWater Ski Hall of Fame, more than any other city in the world. These include Dick Pope Sr., Dick Pope Jr., andRicky McCormick.George A. "Banana George" Blair, who still holds several water ski world records, was first introduced to the sport while visiting Winter Haven in the 1950s. Winter Haven has many lakes, including its famous chain of lakes, that are used for water skiing.[citation needed]
Winter Haven was aMajor League BaseballSpring Training site for many years, first atDenison Field and later atChain of Lakes Park. Great baseball players who played spring training baseball in Winter Haven includedJimmie Foxx,Lou Gehrig,Willie Mays,Roberto Clemente,Johnny Bench, andHank Aaron.
In 1928, thePhiladelphia Phillies were the first Major League Baseball team to call Winter Haven their spring-home.[39] The Phillies played atDenison Field, which featured a large, covered wooden grandstand.[39] The Phillies played spring training games there until 1938. In 1940, the New York Giants did one season there.[39] After baseball left Denison, the field was donated to the city for the benefit of youth athletics. The stadium was rebuilt in 1947 with a larger grandstand and in use today for college and high school football, soccer, track and field, and other events.
In 1966, theBoston Red Sox and spring training baseball returned to Winter Haven. The Red Sox played in the newly built Chain of Lakes Park, a state of the art facility at that time.[39] For 26 years, the Red Sox called Winter Haven their spring-home. When the Red Sox left toFort Myers, Florida in 1992, the city of Winter Haven sought a new Major League Baseball team. Later that year,Hurricane Andrew devastatedHomestead, Florida, including the spring training facilities of theCleveland Indians, and the Indians moved to Winter Haven.[40] In 2008, after failed negotiations with the city to renovate Chain of Lakes Park, the Indians moved into a brand new stadium inGoodyear, Arizona[40] after 16 springs at Chain of Lakes Park.
In December 2020, Winter Haven and Polk County agreed to demolish the stadium and replace it with baseball diamonds and general-purpose athletic fields.[41]
Public schools in Winter Haven are operated byPolk County Public Schools.
Winter Haven is part of theTampa/St. Pete television market, the 13th largest in the country and part of the localLakeland/Winter Haven radio market, which is the 94th largest in the country.[43][44]
Since 1911, the Winter HavenNews Chief has served the community as the local newspaper. The News Chief also published the Polk County Shopper and ran the site polkonline.com. In 2008, News Chief was taken over by theLakeland Ledger and operations were merged into that paper's Winter Haven branch.[45]
Major routes through, to, and from Winter Haven include:
US 17 – A major north/south route through Winter Haven, this highway leads northward toLake Alfred where it joinsUS 92, and southward toBartow.
US 27 – This divided highway east of Winter Haven will be a key access road forLegoland Florida in its intersection withInterstate 4 to the north.
SR 540 – This key road runs through southern Winter Haven as Cypress Gardens Boulevard, leading westward to Lakeland and thePolk Parkway, byLegoland Florida just east of town, and on eastward to US 27.
SR 542 – It cuts through the heart of Winter Haven's downtown as Central Avenue, and leads eastward directly toDundee at US 27.
SR 544 – From northern Winter Haven, SR 544 connects westward toAuburndale, hence its name, Havendale Boulevard, and leads a scenic route eastward towardHaines City.The streets of downtown Winter Haven are arranged in agrid plan. 1st Street (SR 549) is the north–south axis, with two sets of numbered streets running parallel – one to the east (e.g. 7th St. NE/SE), and one to the west (e.g. 6th St. NW/SW). Central Avenue (SR 542) is the west–east axis, with two sets of lettered avenues similarly running parallel on either side.
Local commuter bus service is provided byWinter Haven Area Transit[46] and theCitrus Connection.[47]
Winter Haven's Gilbert Airport and the adjacentJack Browns Seaplane Base are located 3 miles (4.8 km) northwest of thecentral business district.
Winter Haven has anAmtrak train station served by theFloridian andSilver Meteor.
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Sambuca di Sicilia, Italy (1984), on the occasion of the Water Ski World Cup performed on thelago Arancio, in Sambuca di Sicilia, Italy. The two cities share an association withwater skiing.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
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