Bartow, Florida

Bartow (Template:IPAc-en Template:Respell) is a city and the county seat of Polk County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1851 as Fort Blount, the city was renamed in honor of Francis S. Bartow, the first brigade commander of the Confederate Army to die in combat during the American Civil War. It is part of the Lakeland−Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 787,404, as of July 1, 2022.<ref name="QF">Template:Cite web</ref> According to the 2020 Census, the city had a population of 19,309.

Located near the source of the Peace River, Bartow is approximately Template:Convert east of Tampa, Florida and Template:Convert southwest of the Greater Orlando area. The city is near the center of "Lightning Alley" and has frequent afternoon thunderstorms in the summer, but typically has sunny and mild winters. Government, mining, and agriculture are the major sectors of the area's economy. The primary roads in the Bartow area are U.S. Route 17, U.S. Route 98 and State Road 60, which provide access to locations throughout Central Florida.

The official city nickname is the "City of Oaks and Azaleas". Three districts within the city are on the National Register of Historic Places. Other historic landmarks include the Old Polk County Courthouse built in 1909 and Bartow High School, formerly Summerlin Institute, the oldest high school in the county. Summerlin Academy now uses the space and was named for the historic school. Although Bartow has been eclipsed in population, importance and name recognition by other cities in the county, particularly Lakeland and Winter Haven, the city has retained its small city heritage and its distinctive Southern culture. With the annexation of Template:Convert of former phosphate mining land owned by the Clear Springs Land Company, Bartow's population is projected to increase to over 25,000 by 2025 and over 45,000 by 2030.

History

A Spanish map of the Florida peninsula drawn in 1527 shows a native settlement called Rio de la Paz near present-day Bartow.<ref name="Polk County History">Template:Cite web</ref> Little is known about these Native Americans who made their home near present-day Bartow. It is likely that their population suffered high mortality from European diseases, such as smallpox and measles.<ref name="Polk County History" /><ref name="Ancient Native:The Ancient One">Template:Cite web</ref> The remnants of these pre-Columbian peoples probably joined the Creek Indians who migrated from the north to become the Seminole Indian tribe.<ref name="Polk County History" />

The first non-Indian settlement in the area was a colony of Black Seminole, free blacks and escaped slaves who established Minatti south of Lake Hancock in the late 1810s.<ref name="Over the Branch">Template:Cite web</ref> These "maroons", as they were commonly called, were slaves who escaped from Georgia and the Carolinas.<ref name="Interaction Between Blacks and Indians">Template:Cite web</ref> The Black Seminole of Minatti were allies of the Red Stick Creek in Talakchopko, a village that preceded present-day Fort Meade.<ref name="Interview with Cantor Brown, PhD">Template:Cite web</ref> The Seminole leader Osceola had strong ties to Talakchopko. Many of the events leading up to the Second Seminole War were associated with Osceola and the Minatti war chief Harry.<ref name="Interview with Cantor Brown, PhD" /> By the end of the Second Seminole War in 1842, both Minatti and Talakchopko had been destroyed by US forces.<ref name="Free Blacks, Red Stick Creeks, and International Intrigue in Spanish Southwest Florida">Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Page needed

a green two story house with shingles

The Benjamin Franklin Holland House located at 590 East Stanford Avenue

The Armed Occupation Act of 1842 facilitated European-American settlement of the Florida peninsula in the 1840s, although the act prohibited settlement near the Peace River, as this was considered Seminole land.<ref name="Polk County History" /><ref name="Armed Settlement Act Text">Template:Cite web</ref> Enforcement of that part of the act was not strictly enforced; however, and settlers eventually moved into the area.<ref name="Polk County History" /> As the settlement grew, the residents began to plant citrus trees and build one-room school houses and churches.<ref name="Polk County History" /> In 1851, Fort Blount was established by Redding Blount. Bartow developed east of this site.<ref name="A look back in time">Template:Cite web</ref> At some point in the 1850s, Fort Blount was renamed as Peace Creek or Peas Creek, which was a translation of the Spanish Rio de la Paz of early maps.<ref name="A look back in time" />

About a month after the secession of Florida in 1861, the state established Polk County from the eastern portion of Hillsborough County.<ref name="Sheriffs of Polk County">Template:Cite web</ref> A few months later, the American Civil War began with the Battle of Fort Sumter. Because of the turmoil of secession and the war, the county had no official county seat for its first six years.<ref name="Polk County Courthouse">Template:Cite web</ref> The state legislature had directed the voters of Polk County to choose a site for the county seat and mandated that the site be named "Reidsville".<ref name="Polk County Courthouse" /> During the war, the area's major contribution to the Confederacy was supplying food, particularly cattle and beef.<ref name="Cow Hunters and Cattle Barons">Template:Cite web</ref> The Union army and navy had effective control of the west coast of Florida, and many cattlemen retreated inland and formed the "Cow Cavalry" as a defense against Union troops.<ref name="Florida's Role in the Civil War: 'Supplier of the Confederacy'">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Cow Hunters and Cattle Barons" /> One of the wealthiest members of the Cow Cavalry was Jacob Summerlin.<ref name="Cow Hunters and Cattle Barons" /> After Summerlin purchased the Blount property in 1862, he donated a large parcel of land to build a county courthouse, two churches and a school.<ref name="Polk County Courthouse" /> Later that year, the town which had been known as Fort Blount, Peace Creek, Peas Creek, and briefly Reidsville, was permanently renamed Bartow in honor of Francis S. Bartow, the first Confederate brigade commander to die during the war.<ref name="Polk County Courthouse" />

a two-story green house with Victorian ornamentation

The L.B. Brown House located at 470 South Second Avenue

Bartow recovered slowly from the war.<ref name="Polk County Historical Association Quarterly 6-2003">Template:Cite web</ref> The first Polk County Courthouse was built in 1867, which firmly established the city as county seat.<ref name="Polk County Courthouse" /> Although Florida formally rejoined the union in 1868, the Reconstruction era did not end in Florida until 1877.<ref name="Timeline of Florida History">Template:Cite web</ref>

The 1880s and 1890s were a period of growth for the city of Bartow; from 1880 to 1900, the city would grow from 386 residents to 1,983.<ref name="1900 Census Data">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="1880 Census Data">Template:Cite web</ref> On July 1, 1882, the town was incorporated as a city.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> In 1885, the Florida Southern Railroad, a north–south route from North Florida to Southwest Florida opened in Bartow.<ref name="Florida Southern’s Narrow Gauge Years 1879-1896">Template:Cite web</ref> A year later, the Bartow Branch of the South Florida Railroad, connecting Tampa and Orlando, was completed.<ref name="http://taplines.net/southflorida/southflorida2">Template:Cite web</ref> The railroads were catalysts for growth of the area; during the Spanish–American War, the Bartow rail yards became a crucial part of the supply line directed at US troops in Cuba.<ref name="Polk County Historical Association Quarterly 6-2003" /> In 1887, Summerlin Institute, the first brick schoolhouse south of Jacksonville, was built.<ref name="History of Bartow High School">Template:Cite web</ref>

By the turn of the century, Bartow had become the most populous city south of Tampa on the Florida peninsula – larger than Miami or West Palm Beach.<ref name="1900 Census">Template:Cite web</ref>

As the city grew, a number of industries moved into the Bartow area. In the first few decades of the 1900s, thousands of acres of land around the city were purchased by the phosphate industry. Bartow would become the hub of the largest phosphate industry in the United States.<ref name="Polk's Profile">Template:Cite web</ref>

Polk County was the leading citrus county in the United States for much of the 20th century and the city has several large groves. In 1941, the city built an airport northeast of town.<ref name="Airport History">Template:Cite web</ref> The airport was taken over by the federal government during World War II and was the training location for many Army Air Corps pilots during the war.<ref name="Airport History" /> The airport was returned to the city in 1967 and renamed as Bartow Municipal Airport.<ref name="Airport History" />

For most of the 20th century, Bartow's growth was modest, especially in comparison to the rest of the county and state. While other cities in Polk County aggressively annexed adjacent land and allowed rapid growth, the government of Bartow generally took a more cautious approach.<ref name="18,000-Acre Development Near Bartow Awaits Approval">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Map of Phosphate Mining Areas" /> Bartow's growth was also limited because most of the land surrounding the city was owned by phosphate mining companies, making residential growth impractical.<ref name="18,000-Acre Development Near Bartow Awaits Approval" /><ref name="Map of Phosphate Mining Areas">Template:Cite web</ref> Although Bartow had been the largest city in Polk county in 1900, by the 1910 U.S. Census, Lakeland had surpassed it in population.<ref name="1970 Census Data">Template:Cite web</ref> Bartow remained the second largest city in the county until sometime in the 1950s, when Winter Haven superseded it.<ref name="1970 Census Data" />

In the late 1990s phosphate operations in the area moved southward, and much of the former phosphate land became available for sale.<ref name="18,000-Acre Development Near Bartow Awaits Approval" /><ref name="Florida's Phosphate Deposits">Template:Cite web</ref> In 1999, Connecticut financier Stanford Phelps purchased the former Clear Springs phosphate lands east and south of city limits; he announced plans for an 18,000-acre development, the largest project in Polk County history.<ref name="18,000-Acre Development Near Bartow Awaits Approval" /><ref name="Clear Springs Construction a step closer">Template:Cite news</ref> After nearly a decade of delays, the plan received final approval in 2009.<ref name="Clear Springs Construction a step closer" /> The Clear Springs Development includes plans for more than 11,000 new homes, Template:Convert of commercial space, three schools, and a golf course.<ref name="18,000-Acre Development Near Bartow Awaits Approval" /> According to the Central Florida Regional Planning Council, Bartow's population is projected to grow to over 25,000 people by 2015.<ref name="Clear Springs Plan Moving Forward">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="18,000 Acre Development near Bartow Awaits Approval">Template:Cite news</ref> When buildout of the Clear Springs Development is completed by 2030, the population of the city is projected to be over 45,000 residents.<ref name="Clear Springs Plan Moving Forward" /><ref name="18,000 Acre Development near Bartow Awaits Approval" />

Geography and climate

Geography

flooded plain with oak trees in the distance

Flooding of the Peace River after a hurricane

Bartow is located slightly southwest of the geographical centers of both Polk County and peninsular Florida.<ref name="PolkVision/Our Region">Template:Cite web</ref> The city is approximately Template:Convert east of Tampa and Template:Convert southwest of Orlando.<ref name="Distance from Bartow to Tampa">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Distance from Bartow to Orlando">Template:Cite web</ref> The cities of Bartow, Lakeland, and Winter Haven form a roughly equilateral triangle pointed southward, with Bartow being the south point, Lakeland the west point, and Winter Haven the east point.<ref name="Publication 04-39-087">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Map of Bartow, Lakeland, Winter Haven showing 'triangle'">Template:Cite web</ref> The city is located near the headwaters of the Peace River at Lake Hancock.<ref name="Peace River Watershed">Template:Cite web</ref> Bartow is located within the Central Florida Highlands area of the Atlantic coastal plain with a terrain consisting of flatland interspersed with gently rolling hills.<ref name="Florida's Geological History">Template:Cite web</ref>

According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2000 the city had a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (1.23%) is water. As a result of the annexation of over Template:Convert of undeveloped land, primarily the Clear Springs land, the area of the city has quadrupled to over Template:Convert with more annexation still pending.

Physiography and soils

Bartow is located on the South Central Florida Ridge, as classified by the USDA.<ref name="MLRAs in FL">Template:Cite web</ref> Most soils in the Bartow area are sandy; other soils have sandy surface layers and clay subsoils, and the eastern outskirts of town have a clay-rich floodplain through which the Peace River flows. Drainage outside of the floodplain ranges from good to excessive for the most part except for a poorly drained band which cuts across the northern part of town. Much of Bartow is built on the Fort Meade soil series, which is well drained, high in organic matter, and rich in phosphorus, an uncommon combination in Florida, much appreciated by area gardeners.<ref name="Official Series Description -Fort Meade Series">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Web Soil Survey">Template:Cite web</ref>

Climate

a map of west central Florida showing the paths of three hurricanes whose convergence point is near Bartow

Paths of hurricanes Charley (blue), Francis (green) and Jeanne (red) in 2004

Bartow, like most of Florida, is located in the humid subtropical zone (Köppen climate classification: Cfa). The climate of Bartow and other inland cities is slightly different than those cities on the coasts of Florida. Typically, the ocean or gulf tends to moderate the climate of cities on the coast. As Bartow is further from the coast than almost any other city in Florida, it tends to have higher daytime temperatures cooler temperatures at night. Regardless, the climate pattern prevalent throughout central Florida is evident in Bartow: hot, humid summers with frequent afternoon thunderstorms and relatively drier and milder winters.

On average, a tropical system brings hurricane-force winds to the Polk County area less than once every ten years, although the 2004 hurricane season in which three hurricanes hit within 44 days was a case study in the law of averages.<ref name="Forecast Of Atlantic Hurricane Activity For Oct. 2004">Template:Cite web</ref> Until 2004, the most recent storm to bring hurricane-force winds to the Bartow area had been Hurricane Donna in 1960.<ref name="2004 Hurricane Season Taught Polk to Stay Vigilant">Template:Cite news</ref> While Florida's vulnerability to hurricanes is well known, hurricanes are not the most common severe weather threat seen in the Polk County area. The area is in the center of "lightning alley", the most concentrated lightning strike area in the United States.<ref name="alley">Template:Cite web</ref> Lightning is not the only threat from central Florida thunderstorms. The more severe storms bring the threat of tornadoes, although Florida tornadoes very rarely reach the size of those elsewhere in the United States. Even hail is not out of the question; one storm in March 1996 caused a one-foot accumulation of hail in areas of Bartow.<ref name="Florida Hazardous Weather By Day">Template:Cite web</ref>

Freezes are an occasional occurrence in the Bartow area and can be a problem if temperatures remain below freezing for a sustained period of time. On average, the area can expect an annual minimum temperature of Template:Convert, putting it in plant hardiness zone 10a. Snow is a rare phenomenon in the area, perhaps a few times every century.<ref name="Snow, Sleet Pelt Frigid Polk">Template:Cite news</ref>

Demographics

Bartow racial composition
(Hispanics excluded from racial categories)
(NH = Non-Hispanic)

Race	Pop 2010<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	Pop 2020<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>	% 2010	% 2020
White (NH)	10,216	10,576	59.06%	54.77%
Black or African American (NH)	4,023	4,245	23.26%	21.98%
Native American or Alaska Native (NH)	36	33	0.21%	0.17%
Asian (NH)	187	284	1.08%	1.47%
Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH)	10	6	0.06%	0.03%
Some other race (NH)	21	103	0.12%	0.53%
Two or more races/Multiracial (NH)	259	645	1.50%	3.34%
Hispanic or Latino (any race)	2,546	3,417	14.72%	17.70%
Total	17,298	19,309

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 19,309 people, 6,546 households, and 4,378 families residing in the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 17,298 people, 5,909 households, and 4,097 families residing in the city.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2010, the population density was 377.1 inhabitants per square mile of land (976.7/km²).<ref name="2010 Census: Pop and HU">Template:Cite web</ref> There were 7,130 housing units<ref name="FactFinder 2010 census" /> at an average density of 155.4 per square mile of land(402.5/km²).<ref name="2010 Census: Pop and HU" /><ref name="FactFinder 2010 census">Template:Cite web</ref>

In 2010, there were 5,909 households, of which 67.4% were families (one or more other people related to the householder by birth, marriage, or adoption), 27.4% consisted of individuals, 35.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 43.2% were heterosexual married couples living together, 18.5% had a female householder with no husband present, and 30.1% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.57 and the average family size was 3.12. Among housing units, 87.7% were occupied and 1.4% were for seasonal, recreational, or occasional use; 63.5% of occupied housing units were owner-occupied and 36.5% were occupied by renters. an average density of 155.4 per square mile of land(402.5/km²).<ref name="2010 Census: Pop and HU" /><ref name="FactFinder 2010 census"/>

In 2010, the median age was 36.2 years; 25.8% under the age of 18, 9.3% from 18 to 24, 26.0% from 25 to 44, 24.1% from 45 to 64, and 14.8% who were 65 years of age or older. For every 100 males there were 112.6 females. For every 100 males age 18 and over, there were 120.1 females. an average density of 155.4 per square mile of land(402.5/km²).<ref name="2010 Census: Pop and HU" /><ref name="FactFinder 2010 census" />

According to the American Community Survey between 2009 and 2013, the median income for a household in the city was 44,297, and the median income for a family was 56,009. Among full-time, year-round workers, males had a median income of $39,540 versus $32,076 for females. The per capita income for the city was $18,994. About 17.2% of families and 22.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 33.9% of those under age 18 and 13.3% of those age 65 or over. an average density of 155.4 per square mile of land(402.5/km²).<ref name="2010 Census: Pop and HU" /><ref name="FactFinder 2010 census" />

Religion

an old church with a large steeple

The historic Homeland Methodist Church just south of town

The first two churches built in town, the First Baptist and the First Methodist churches, were constructed on land given by the city founder Jacob Summerlin in 1867. Jacob Summerlin was known as the "King of the Crackers" and owned much of the land located around Bartow.<ref name="First Methodist Church History">Template:Cite web</ref> These churches, although not housed in the original buildings, are still extant today. In 1919, more than 8,000 people came to Bartow to hear former baseball star and traveling evangelist Billy Sunday preach, which was twice as much as the population of Bartow and more than the population of the county's largest city Lakeland at the time.<ref name="Billy Sunday">Template:Cite web</ref> As of 2010, there are more than 70 churches within the Bartow area.<ref name="Our Community Churches">Template:Cite web</ref>

Like most of the Bible Belt, Bartow has a high number of people affiliated with evangelical Protestant denominations with over 62% of churchgoers belonging to evangelical denominations.<ref name="Religion in Polk">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Delineating the Two Florida's">Template:Cite web</ref> According to data published by the Glenmary Research Center in 2000, the denomination which has the largest number of adherents in Bartow is the Southern Baptist Convention with 27%, followed by the Roman Catholic church with 19%.<ref name="Religion in Polk"/> Pentecostal/Charismatic churches are also prominent making up 17% of Bartow's church attendance.<ref name="Religion in Polk"/> The Pentecostal experience known as the Lakeland revival, which attracted controversy for its claims of supernatural healing, was started up the road at the Carpenter's Home Church in Lakeland.<ref name=hundreds-of-healings>Template:Cite news</ref><ref name=faith-healing>Template:Cite web</ref> Other churches which have a presence in Bartow include the United Methodist Church at 9%, and the Episcopal and Lutheran churches with 2% apiece. While there are no synagogues in town for Jewish Bartownians, Temple Emanuel is a conservative synagogue only Template:Convert away in Lakeland.<ref name="Temple Emanuel History">Template:Cite web</ref> There are two Muslim mosques and a Hindu temple in the county.<ref name="Ledger Religion in Polk">Template:Cite web</ref>

Economy

an old two story brick office building

Stuart Building, downtown Bartow

The economy of Bartow is driven by four sectors: government, mining, agriculture, and tourism. While Bartow's population is less than 20,000, it is shaped by its proximity to several large centers of population. Within a Template:Convert radius of the center of town, there are close to 8 million people.<ref name="Polk's Profile"/><ref name="Economy of Bartow">Template:Cite web</ref>

The dominant force in the economy of Bartow is city, county and state government.<ref name="Economy of Bartow"/> As a small city which is the seat of a county with over half a million people. In addition to city and county offices, there are also a number of regional, state, and federal offices located within Bartow city limits. Nine of the seventeen largest employers in Bartow are government entities.<ref name="Major Employers">Template:Cite web</ref> The largest by far is the Polk County School Board with over 12,000 employees. Other county entities which employ many people in the Bartow area include the county commission, the sheriff's department, the clerk of court, the tax collector, and the property appraiser.<ref name="Major Employers"/> The Florida Department of Transportation District One office is located in Bartow and is responsible for southwest Florida's transportation needs.<ref name="FDOT District One">Template:Cite web</ref>

There are several large businesses with headquarters elsewhere which were founded in Bartow. The large international law firm of Holland & Knight was founded in Bartow in 1929.<ref name="Biography of Stephen Grimes">Template:Cite web</ref> What eventually become the large Burdines and Sons department store chain was founded in Bartow in 1896 as Payne and Burdines.<ref name="History of Burdines">Template:Cite web</ref> A couple years after opening his store, William M. Burdines opened a store in Miami and relocated his operations there.<ref name="History of Burdines"/>

a ten-story building with sable palms, a Spanish moss-drapped oak tree, hedges, and a court yard

The current Polk County Courthouse

Phosphate mining has been a major player in Bartow's economy since the discovery of phosphate rock in 1881.<ref name="Polk's Profile"/> Polk County is part of the Bone Valley which is the richest source of phosphate rock in the world;<ref name="Polk's Profile"/> 75% of the United States's supply and 25% of the world's supply come from the Bone Valley.<ref name="Polk's Profile"/> The largest employer in the phosphate industry is Mosaic which employs over 3,000 people in the area.<ref name="Major Employers"/>

In terms of area, Polk County has Template:Convert dedicated to agriculture.<ref name="Polk's Profile"/> According to the US Census of Agriculture, Polk County is the top citrus production county in Florida.<ref name="Polk County Ag Statistics">Template:Cite web</ref> Polk County is also ranked second in the state in production of honey and fourth in number of heads of cattle.<ref name="Polk County Ag Statistics"/> Since 1997 the new bumper crop in the area is blueberry.<ref name="Clear Springs Sees Gold In Blueberries">Template:Cite web</ref> From 2000 to 2007 the area has more than doubled its production of blueberries and accounts for more than 35% of the state's production of the fruit.<ref name="Polk County Ag Statistics"/> While spring is usually a "dead" time for every other blueberry growing area in North and South America, Polk County blueberries peak from March to May.

Although there are no major tourist attractions in the immediate Bartow area, the city is located less than Template:Convert from both the Walt Disney World Resort and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.<ref name="Distance from Bartow to Tampa"/><ref name="Distance from Bartow to Lake Buena Vista, FL">Template:Cite web</ref> The city is also less than Template:Convert from Legoland Florida in Winter Haven and Bok Tower Gardens in Lake Wales.<ref name="Distance from Bartow to Winter Haven">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Distance from Bartow to Lake Wales">Template:Cite web</ref> As a city with many historical sites dating back over 100 years, Bartow is also a point of interest for those interested in historical sites and monuments.<ref name="Florida's History Through Its Places, Bartow">Template:Cite web</ref>

Culture

a two tiered masonry sign with Bartow and the city seal at the top and the city motto at the bottom

The sign at the northwest entrance of Bartow on US 98

Annual festivals and other events

There are several annual events in the Bartow area which have a long tradition. Many of these are large events which draw people from other communities to the city such as the Cricket Club Halloween Parade and Carnival held each year since 1942 or the annual Fourth of July Celebration held at Mosaic Park.<ref name="Bartow Halloween Parade is Oct. 30">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Bartow Plans July 4 Bash">Template:Cite news</ref> The Bloomin' Arts Festival is an art show held in early March by the Bartow Art Guild.<ref name="Bartow Bloomin' Arts Festival Is This Weekend">Template:Cite news</ref> Every February brings the Annual L.B. Brown Festival at the L.B. Brown House on L.B. Brown Avenue (formally Second Avenue).<ref name="L.B. Brown events">Template:Cite web</ref> Bartow's discarded natural Christmas trees are piled around a telephone pole for the annual New Year's Eve bonfire, a unique tradition spanning more than seven decades which has sometimes been covered by national media.<ref name="Bartow's Traditional Tree Burning">Template:Cite news</ref>

The Polk County Arts Alliance based in Bartow is designated the official Art Agency by the county commission and is in charge of furthering the performing arts in the county.<ref name="Polk Arts Alliance Home Page">Template:Cite web</ref> The Bartow Performing Arts Series sponsors five performances every year. The Imperial Symphony Orchestra is an ensemble of ninety volunteer musicians throughout the county who perform a dozen or so events every year including a concert "under the stars".<ref name="The Civic Center">Template:Cite news</ref> The city also has a volunteer band, the Bartow Adult Concert Band, which performs several shows a year.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> On the third Friday of every month, Main Street is blocked off for Friday Fest at 6 p.m. for a night of live music and entertainment, informally known as "Tow Jam" by natives.<ref name="Bartow's Friday Fest 'Tow Jam">Template:Cite news</ref>

a two-story square building partially obscured by oak trees

The South Florida Military College Building

Historic buildings and landmarks

an old southern neoclassical-styled mansion with manicured lawn and palm trees

The Swearingen House

The city's Historic Architecture Review Board is responsible for the preservation, enhancement and promotion of historic buildings, landmarks and districts within the city.<ref name="Historic Architecture Review Board">Template:Cite web</ref> Three districts in the city, the Bartow Downtown Commercial District, the Northeast Bartow Residential District, and the South Bartow Residential District have been designated as historic districts.<ref name="Polk County Historic Districts">Template:Cite web</ref> New construction within these districts is regulated by the board and they have the power to veto construction which might alter the character of the neighborhood.<ref name="Historic Architecture Review Board"/>

While the towering oaks and ever-present azalea bushes which spawned the city's nickname give many of the historic landmarks of the city a distinctive Southern "look and feel", many styles of architecture are represented in Bartow's historic buildings. The South Bartow and Northeast Bartow historic districts are characterized by masonry vernacular and various revival styles, while downtown is dominated by frame vernacular and classical revival styles.<ref name="Polk County Historic Districts"/> Other buildings on the National Register of Historic Places with distinctive architectural styles include the Thompson and Company Cigar Factory built in a Mission Revival Style and the L.B. Brown House built with distinctive Victorian ornamentation.<ref name="Historic L.B. Brown House">Template:Cite web</ref> The L.B. Brown House is notable as perhaps the only house still standing in Florida built by a freedman.<ref name="Historic L.B. Brown House"/><ref name="L.B. Brown House">Template:Cite web</ref> The Old Polk County Courthouse, Bartow's most recognizable symbol seen on its city seal, was built in 1909 in a neoclassical style.<ref name="Polk County Historic Districts"/> The Polk County Historical Museum is located in the Old Polk County Courthouse and consists of exhibits presenting local and regional history from pre-Columbian to present eras, along with a history and genealogical library.

Florida Senator Spessard L. Holland was born in Bartow. His home is located on South Broadway 2 blocks north of Bartow High School. Senator Holland was a founding member of the Holland and Knight Law Firm. The firm's original office was located on South Central Avenue across the street from the Bartow Post Office.

There are several other notable buildings in Bartow which are not on the National Register of Historic Places. The Wonder House at 1075 Mann Road features natural air-conditioning (using rainwater), secluded outdoor bathtubs, and numerous mirrors that let occupants see who is at the door from other parts of the home.<ref name=TheWonderHouse>Template:Cite web</ref> The current owners of the Wonder House are restoring it and plan to open a museum. The Thomas Lee Wilson House, also known as the Stanford Inn, at 555 East Stanford Street was the "Sultenfuss Funeral Parlor" in the movie My Girl.<ref name="The Stanford Inn">Template:Cite web</ref> The house at 935 South Oak Avenue known as "Windsweep" was the residence used in the movie China Moon.<ref name="Florida Movies">Template:Cite web</ref>

Sports and recreation

Many of the recreational opportunities in the area are outdoor activities designed to take advantage of the warm subtropical climate. There are eighteen parks in the City of Bartow Department of Parks and Recreation.<ref name="Bartow Area Parks & Recreation Facilities">Template:Cite web</ref> Mary Holland Park, named after the wife of former Florida governor Spessard Holland, is a Template:Convert park with three lakes, a playground, an overnight camping area, and a skateboard park.<ref name="Bartow Area Parks & Recreation Facilities"/> The Bartow Civic Center is a Template:Convert complex with meeting rooms, concert facilities and a public pool.<ref name="Bartow Area Parks & Recreation Facilities"/> Bartow Park is a Template:Convert complex with softball, baseball and soccer fields and a track for remote control cars.<ref name="Bartow Area Parks & Recreation Facilities"/> The Bartow Golf Course is a par 72, 6,300 yard course designed by renowned golf course architect Donald Ross, with a restaurant and an area for barbecuing.<ref name="Bartow Area Parks & Recreation Facilities"/>

The Tour de Tow is an annual cycling tour held in September.<ref name="Cycling">Template:Cite web</ref> The Fort Fraser Trail is a Template:Convert path leading from Bartow to South Lakeland.<ref name="Grand Opening for Fort Fraser Trail Coming Up">Template:Cite news</ref> The path follows a converted CSX railroad line and is popular with area cyclists, joggers, and in-line skaters.<ref name="Grand Opening for Fort Fraser Trail Coming Up"/> Plans have been made to build a replica of the historic Fort Fraser along the path, as well as adding historical markers.<ref name="Grand Opening for Fort Fraser Trail Coming Up"/> Five picnic areas and six rest shelters are available along the path.<ref name="Ft. Fraser Trail">Template:Cite web</ref>

Polk County has over 550 lakes.<ref name="Polk County Lake Facts">Template:Cite news</ref> Most of these lakes were formerly strip mines; they are closed to the public, only 88 of the lakes are open to the public via boat ramp access.<ref name="Polk County Lake Facts"/> The area has a national reputation for largemouth bass fishing and there are tournaments held weekly almost year-round.<ref name="Florida -">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Upcoming Tournaments">Template:Cite news</ref> Some of the lakes on the east side of Bartow offer anglers the opportunity to catch 50 largemouth bass a day.<ref name="Mining Clear Springs Lunkers">Template:Cite web</ref>

Government and politics

Municipal government

a fairly large one story brick building with a flagpole and a sign saying 'Bartow City Hall' in front

Bartow City Hall

The City of Bartow has a commission-manager form of government. The city commission consists of five commissioners, each elected for a three-year term.<ref name="Bartow City Government">Template:Cite web</ref> The mayor is a member of the city commission elected annually by the commissioners, although traditionally the position is rotated.<ref name="Bartow City Government"/> As of 2022, the mayor of Bartow is Steve Githens Other commissioners are Nick Adams, Leo Longworth, Tanya Tucker and Trish Pfeiffer".<ref name="Bartow, Florida mayor">Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The city executive powers rest with the city manager, as contracted by the city commission. In 2010, the city's budget was $74.2 million.<ref name="Guide to Polk, Bartow">Template:Cite news</ref>

Electricity, waste disposal and water are municipal services provided by the city of Bartow to residents in city limits and nearby areas. Bartow is part of the Southwest Florida Water Management District and in times of drought, the city strictly enforces the restrictions set forth by the district.<ref name="Florida Water Management Districts">Template:Cite web</ref> Although it is a private entity outside of the city limits of Bartow, the Bartow Executive Airport is governed and administrated by the city commission which convenes as the Bartow Airport Authority. As of 2016, the Bartow Police Department has five sergeants, twenty officers, three K-9 officers, two school resource officers, two public safety aides, and one parking enforcement specialist, while the Bartow Fire Department has 18 full-time firemen.<ref name="Bartow PD">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="Bartow FD">Template:Cite web</ref> The city of Bartow also operates the Bartow Public library, which was founded in 1897 and has reciprocal borrowing agreements with other public libraries in Polk County.<ref name="Bartow Library">Template:Cite web</ref>

Federal and state representation

Bartow, as well as the rest of Polk County, is part of the so-called I-4 corridor. The I-4 corridor is seen by political analysts as the most politically competitive part of the state.<ref name="As I-4 Corridor goes so goes Florida">Template:Cite news</ref> Polk is considered the most conservative county in the corridor.<ref name="Candidates scramble to claim I-4 corridor">Template:Cite news</ref> Even though the majority of the residents of Bartow are members of the Democratic Party, outnumbering the Republican Party in party affiliation (53.3% to 31.7%), voters tend to support Republicans in most state and federal elections.<ref name="Voter Registration Statistics, Bartow Precincts 502-509">Template:Cite web</ref> In 2008 Republican presidential candidate John McCain's lead over Democrat Barack Obama (53.6% to 46.5) in the city was larger than that of both the county and state.<ref name="2008 Presidential Election Results, Bartow Precincts (502–509)">Template:Cite web </ref>

All of Bartow's local representation in the state and federal legislatures are members of the Republican Party. Bartow is represented in the state Florida House of Representatives by Ben Albritton.<ref name="Polk County District Map">Template:Cite web </ref> In the Florida Senate, Bartow is represented by Denise Grimsley.<ref name="District 21 Map">Template:Cite web</ref> In the United States House of Representatives, Bartow is located in Florida's 15th congressional district, and represented by Congressman Scott Franklin.

The Florida Department of Citrus has its headquarters in the Bob Crawford Agricultural Center in Bartow.<ref>"Contact" (Archive). Florida Department of Citrus. Retrieved on September 13, 2015. "Physical Address Bob Crawford Agricultural Center 605 E. Main Street Bartow, FL 33830"</ref>

Education

an old two story brick building with an orange doors and blue banners

The Summerlin Building at Bartow High School

Template:See also The schools in Bartow are operated by the Polk County School Board, although several of them predate the establishment of the school board, and were autonomous at one time. Bartow High School, formerly Summerlin Institute, is the oldest high school in the county and one of the oldest high schools in the state of Florida.<ref name="History of Bartow High School"/> In 1923 Union Academy, became the first African-American high school in Polk County. Court-ordered integration began in Bartow during the fall of 1969, and the former black high school Union Academy became a middle school.<ref name="History of Bartow High School"/> In 1971, Summerlin Institute officially became Bartow High School, a name it had been known as informally at least since the early 1900s. There are currently seven elementary schools and two middle schools which are feeder schools of Bartow High School.<ref name="Guide to Polk, Bartow"/> Located at the campus of Bartow High School is the International Baccalaureate School of Polk County which offers an academically challenging environment and the Summerlin Academy which offers a military-oriented education.<ref name="History of Bartow High School"/>

It is expected that the rapid growth of the Clear Springs development will necessitate the building of at least two elementary schools and a middle school within the next twenty years.<ref name="First Phase of Clear Springs To Include 10,000 Homes, Town Center Shopping Area">Template:Cite web</ref> As part of this development, a new Polk State College campus called The PSC Advanced Technology Center at Clear Springs is projected to open by 2012. This Template:Convert campus will be located near the intersection of State Road 60 and 80 Foot Road.<ref name="POLK STATE COLLEGE ADVANCED TECHNOLOGY CENTER AT CLEAR SPRINGS">Template:Cite web</ref>

While there are currently no colleges or universities in Bartow, there are several within a Template:Convert radius of Bartow. The nearest university, University of South Florida Polytechnic is located Template:Convert northwest of city limits in Lakeland on a joint campus with Polk State College. Florida Southern College and Southeastern University are also located in Lakeland.<ref name="Distance from Bartow to Lakeland">Template:Cite web</ref> Warner University is located to the east in Lake Wales.<ref name="Distance from Bartow to Lake Wales"/>

Media

Template:See also Bartow is part of the Tampa/St. Pete television market, the 13th largest in the country.<ref name="Top Nielsen Markets">Template:Cite web</ref> There are two AM radio stations within the city: WQXM (1460 AM) and WWBF (1130 AM). These stations are part of the local Lakeland/Winter Haven radio market, which is the 94th largest in the country.<ref name="Arbitron Markets">Template:Cite web</ref> In addition to the stations in the local market, people in the area have the choice of both Tampa Bay and Orlando area radio stations and as of the 2010 market sweeps several of the most listened to stations in the market are in the Tampa Bay area.

The Polk County Democrat is the only newspaper published within Bartow. It is a semi-weekly paper which began publication in 1931.<ref name="Polk County Democrat">Template:Cite news</ref> The dominant daily newspaper is The Ledger out of Lakeland, although the Tampa Tribune, the News Chief out of Winter Haven, Florida and the Orlando Sentinel have some circulation in town.<ref name="The Ledger Publishers, 1996–Present">Template:Cite web</ref>

Transportation

The street grid of Bartow is a typical four quadrant grid with Main Street as the east–west axis and Broadway Avenue as the north–south axis. Broadway is co-signed with U.S. Route 98 in the northern commercial district and leads southward into the center of town before heading into one of the older residential sections of town. Main Street is the old State Road 60 leading into the historic heart of downtown Bartow.<ref name="Map of Bartow, FL">Template:Cite web</ref>

The primary numbered routes going through Bartow are State Road 60 and U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 98.<ref name="Map of Bartow, FL"/> State Road 60 is a major state highway leading to both the Gulf and Atlantic coasts and is the major east–west route through town. Originally traveling along Main Street, State Road 60 now follows Van Fleet Drive bypassing the downtown area, and is commonly known as "the 60 Bypass" by locals.<ref name="Map of Bartow, FL"/><ref name="Assessment, Accountability & Evaluation">Template:Cite web</ref> Heading east on State Road 60 leads to Lake Wales and on to Vero Beach, while westbound leads to Mulberry and eventually Tampa. U.S. 17 is the main north–south route on the east side of town. It is a four lane divided highway leading north to Winter Haven and south to Fort Meade.<ref name="Map of Bartow, FL"/> U.S. 98 is cosigned with U.S. 17 until its intersection with SR 60. Briefly cosigned with State Road 60 until its intersection with Broadway Avenue. US 98 then turns northward onto Broadway Avenue heading towards Lakeland.<ref name="Map of Bartow, FL"/> State Road 570, known as the Polk Parkway, is a toll road located (10 km) north of city limits on U.S. 98. The Polk Parkway provides direct freeway access to Tampa and Orlando via Interstate 4.<ref name="Polk Parkway">Template:Cite web</ref>

The explosive growth expected in the area in the next few decades has created a need for a reexamination of the area's transportation infrastructure. The Central Polk Parkway is a proposed limited access highway that would connect the Polk Parkway with U.S. 17 and State Road 60.<ref name="Proposed Central Polk Parkway Plans Being Sharpened">Template:Cite news</ref> The Northern Bartow Connector, which was expected to be completed by 2015 but was shelved as of 2016, is a partial loop around the north part of town connecting U.S. 98 with State Road 60 east of town.<ref name="County OKs Road for Bartow Connector Route">Template:Cite news</ref> However, the portion connecting U.S. 98 and U.S. 17 was completed in 2013.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

For aviation needs, Bartow Executive Airport is available. The airport has a VFR control tower, three 5,000 ft runways - including two parallel runways, a restaurant with views of the airfield, and includes an industrial park and warehouse storage.<ref name="Airport diagram">Template:Cite web</ref> Both Tampa International Airport (TPA) and Orlando International Airport (MCO) are within Template:Convert driving distance from the center of Bartow.<ref name="Distance from Bartow to Tampa"/><ref name="Distance from Bartow to Orlando"/>

Bartow has its own bus system, the Bartow Shuttle, which runs from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday. The Citrus Connection has buses that serve the Bartow downtown area from Lakeland, and Winter Haven Area Transit serves Bartow from Winter Haven and Fort Meade.<ref name="Buses, Trains, Airports Give Residents Myriad Transportation Choices">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Transit Today">Template:Cite web</ref>

Library

The Bartow Public Library is a member of the Polk County Library Cooperative.<ref name="cityofbartow.net">Template:Cite web</ref> The library is located at 2150 S. Broadway Ave. Bartow, FL 33830.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The library first started May 19, 1897 above Polk County National Bank. After obtaining a Carnegie Grant the public library was opened on February 8, 1915. It moved to the current location in 1998.<ref name="cityofbartow.net"/> The Polk County Historical and Genealogical Library is housed within the Polk County Historical Museum in the historic Old Polk County Courthouse and contains more than 40,000 items in its collection pertaining to history and genealogy of the eastern United States.<ref name = "Historical and Genealogical Library">Historical and Genealogical Library. ", Polk County website, 2023. Retrieved on April 26, 2023.</ref>

Notable people

Template:See also As it is the county seat, many government officials and politicians have been associated with Bartow since its founding. Perhaps the most notable is Spessard Holland, former Florida governor and U.S. Senator, who governed the state during World War Two and introduced the Twenty-fourth Amendment to the United States Constitution, which prohibited use of the poll tax in federal elections. Holland had opposed previous civil rights legislation.<ref name="A Guide to the Spessard L. Holland Papers">Template:Cite web</ref> Spessard L. Holland Elementary, named in his honor, opened in 2009. His predecessor in the U.S. Senate, Charles O. Andrews, also attended school in Bartow.<ref name="ANDREWS, Charles Oscar">Template:Cite web</ref> Others who were raised and schooled in Bartow include former Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Stephen Grimes,<ref name="Justice Stephen H. Grimes">Template:Cite web</ref> former Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris, who had a key role during the 2000 U.S. Presidential election,<ref name="Women in Congress:Katherine Harris">Template:Cite web</ref> and former U.S. congressman Adam Putnam.<ref name="Congressman Adam H. Putnam">Template:Cite web</ref>

The most notable military officer from Bartow is four-star general James Van Fleet, who was the commanding officer of the United Nations forces during the Korean War. Other generals associated with the City of Bartow include Albert H. Blanding, who served during World War One, and Confederate General Evander M. Law, who lived for his last forty years in Bartow.<ref name="Evander Law">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="The Great Floridians 2000 Program">Template:Cite web</ref>

Numerous men who became professional athletes were born, lived in or associated with the city of Bartow. Some were born in Polk General Hospital, a public hospital in Bartow which closed in 1995, but most were generally associated with other cities in Polk County.<ref name="Eight Hospitals Took Care Of Residents">Template:Cite web</ref> Born in Bartow and raised elsewhere in the county were NFL linebacker Ray Lewis,<ref name="Ray Lewis NFL Bio">Template:Cite web</ref> NBA guard Tracy McGrady,<ref name="Tracy McGrady, basketball-reference.com">Template:Cite web</ref> and motocross star James "Bubba" Stewart.<ref name="James Stewart Bio">Template:Cite web</ref> Other athletes who were raised and educated in Bartow include former NFL defensive back (2023 Hall of Fame class) Ken Riley, former NFL defensive back Marcus Floyd, former Cleveland Indians outfielder Frank Baker, and former NASCAR driver Rick Wilson.<ref name="Polk's Former Pros Have No Regrets">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Where is ... Rick Wilson?">Template:Cite web</ref>

Other notable people from Bartow include Lake Eola Park founder Jacob Summerlin, January 2010 Playboy Playmate Jaime Faith Edmondson,<ref name="Jaime Faith Edmondson From The Amazing Race in Playboy">Template:Cite web</ref> centenarian Charlie Smith,<ref name="Gerontology: Secret of Long Life">Template:Cite magazine</ref> lynching victim Fred Rochelle, and Ossian Sweet, a physician who challenged the color line in Detroit and was acquitted of murder charges.<ref name="Sweet, Ossian (1895-1960)">Template:Cite web</ref>

External links

• Template:Official website