Editing Winter Haven, Florida (section)

===19th century===
In 1819, after the signing of the [[Adams-Onís Treaty]], the United States gained control of Florida. The first American or European settlers in the area were encouraged to settle there by the [[Armed Occupation Act]] of 1842.<ref name="polk.wateratlas.usf.edu"/>

During the 1840s and 1850s, the [[United 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.<ref name="polk.wateratlas.usf.edu"/> The first maps of the area were published by the [[United States]] government in 1854.<ref name="polk.wateratlas.usf.edu"/> In 1883, [[Henry Haines]] working for [[Henry Plant]] and the [[Plant 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 the [[Confederate States Army]].

The arrival of the railroad created the first real growth in area.<ref name=WHInc>{{cite news | url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=fVtYAAAAIBAJ&pg=7253%2C534911 | title=Winter Haven founded by citrus | work=Lakeland Ledger | date=Feb 5, 1961 | access-date=28 October 2015 | author=Maier, Art | pages=10D}}</ref> The area was [[plat]]ted from 1884 to 1885, and would first be known as Harris Corners.<ref name=WHInc/><ref name="History-Winter Haven CoC">{{cite web
 |url          = http://winterhavenfl.com/winter_haven_info/history
 |title        = History-Winter Haven CoC
 |access-date  = 2010-09-20
 |publisher    = Winter Haven Chamber of Commerce
 |archive-url  = https://web.archive.org/web/20100822152743/http://winterhavenfl.com/winter_haven_info/history
 |archive-date = 2010-08-22
 
}}</ref> This name was in reference to F.A.K. Harris, who opened the first mercantile store in the area around this time.<ref name="History-Winter Haven CoC"/> The name Winter Haven was later suggested, in reference to the area's pleasant climate.<ref name="History-Winter Haven CoC"/>