Winter Haven is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. It is fifty-one miles east of Tampa. The population was 49,219 at the 2020 census. According to the

U.S. Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of the ...

's 2019 estimates, this city had a population of 44,955, making it the second most populated city in Polk County. It is a principal city of the

Lakeland-Winter Haven, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area Polk County is located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. The county population was 725,046, as of the 2020 census. Its county seat is Bartow, and its largest city is Lakeland. Polk County comprises the Lakeland–Winter H ...

History

Pre-history

The Timucua and the

Calusa The Calusa ( ) were a Native American people of Florida's southwest coast. Calusa society developed from that of archaic peoples of the Everglades region. Previous indigenous cultures had lived in the area for thousands of years. At the time of ...

were the earliest known inhabitants of the land that would become Winter Haven. 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 of Hernando 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 the Spanish monarchy In the 19th century the Creek and the Seminole were known to live and hunt in this area."The Naming of Lakes in Polk County", Joe Spann, Polk County Historical Library, Bartow, 2007, http://www.polk.wateratlas.usf.edu/upload/documents/Naming%20of%20Polk%20Lakes.pdf During the Seminole 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.

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. During the 1840s and 1850s, the

United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country Continental United States, primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 U.S. state, states, a Washington, D.C., ...

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. The first maps of the area were published by the

government in 1854. 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 Confederate States Army, also called the Confederate Army or the Southern Army, was the military land force of the Confederate States of America (commonly referred to as the Confederacy) during the American Civil War (1861–1865), fighting ...

. The arrival of the railroad created the first real growth in area. The area was platted in 1884 and would first be known as Harris Corners. This name was in reference to F.A.K. Harris, who opened the first mercantile store in the area around this time. The name Winter Haven was later suggested, in reference to the area's pleasant climate.

Early 20th century

By the end of the century, the population grew to approximately 400 and in 1911, the City of Winter Haven was incorporated. The Chain 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 the

Great Depression The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...

slowed growth until after

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the World War II by country, vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great power ...

. 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 the

National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is the United States federal government's official list of districts, sites, buildings, structures and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic ...

today. They are noted for their architectural style and grace. Most of these historic homes are located in the Interlaken neighborhood. There are four historic districts in Winter Haven. They are Interlaken, Pope Avenue, Winter Haven Heights, and the downtown area.

Growth and development

In 1930,

George W. Jenkins George Washington Jenkins Jr. (September 29, 1907 – April 8, 1996) was an American businessman, who founded Publix Super Markets. As of 2016, the employee-owned, privately held corporation included 1,100 stores in the Southeastern United State ...

opened the first Publix

supermarket A supermarket is a self-service shop offering a wide variety of food, beverages and household products, organized into sections. This kind of store is larger and has a wider selection than earlier grocery stores, but is smaller and more limit ...

in Winter Haven. 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. During the 1930s and 1940s, citrus magnate, John A. Snively operated one of the largest fruit packing plants in the world in Winter Haven. Another defining event in Winter Haven was the opening of

Cypress Gardens Cypress Gardens was a botanical garden and theme park near Winter Haven, Florida that operated from 1936 to 2009. As of 2011, the botanical garden portion had been preserved inside the newly formed Legoland Florida. History Billed as Florida ...

in 1936 by Dick Pope Sr. and his wife, Julie Pope. They first got the idea for the park from a Good Housekeeping magazine that they were reading. By the 1950s, Cypress Gardens was nationally famous. It featured a beautiful

botanical garden A botanical garden or botanic gardenThe terms ''botanic'' and ''botanical'' and ''garden'' or ''gardens'' are used more-or-less interchangeably, although the word ''botanic'' is generally reserved for the earlier, more traditional gardens, an ...

, water skiing shows, and a staff of

southern belles ''Southern Belles'' is a 2005 comedy film directed by Paul S. Myers and Brennan Shroff. This is a story of two best friends who live in the fictitious small town of Johnson's Mark, Georgia. Dreaming of a fresh start in Atlanta they soon learn ...

. Many famous celebrities of that time visited the park, including

Elvis Presley Elvis Aaron Presley (January 8, 1935 – August 16, 1977), or simply Elvis, was an American singer and actor. Dubbed the " King of Rock and Roll", he is regarded as one of the most significant cultural figures of the 20th century. His ener ...

Frank Sinatra Francis Albert Sinatra (; December 12, 1915 – May 14, 1998) was an American singer and actor. Nicknamed the " Chairman of the Board" and later called "Ol' Blue Eyes", Sinatra was one of the most popular entertainers of the 1940s, 1950s, and ...

, Betty Grable, and King 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 the

Legoland Florida Legoland Florida Resort (stylized as LEGOLAND Florida Resort) is a vacation destination in Winter Haven, Florida. The resort features the Legoland Florida theme park itself, the Legoland Water Park, three on-site accommodations and a separatel ...

theme park, 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. Winter Haven features many buildings designed by the architect Gene Leedy, one of the founders of the Sarasota School of Architecture. Regency Medical Center, which is Winter Haven Hospital's women's hospital, was built in 1987. Some of Leedy’s structures are part of the Downtown 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. However, after the construction of three fast food chain stores, the project collapsed. , the developer and the city were in negotiations to determine the future of the site.

Pughsville

Pughsville was a neighborhood of Winter Haven where

African Americans African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans and Afro-Americans) are an ethnic group consisting of Americans with partial or total ancestry from sub-Saharan Africa. The term "African American" generally denotes descendants of ens ...

built a community after the Civil War. A historical marker on Highway 17 at Avenue O commemorates the community. 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 one 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. 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.

Geography

Fountain Walk in Downtown Winter Haven, Florida

According to the

United States Census Bureau The United States Census Bureau (USCB), officially the Bureau of the Census, is a principal agency of the U.S. Federal Statistical System, responsible for producing data about the American people and economy. The Census Bureau is part of th ...

, the city has a total area of , of which is land and (30.45%) is water. Winter Haven is located within the Central Florida Highlands area of the

Atlantic coastal plain The Atlantic Ocean is the second-largest of the world's five oceans, with an area of about . It covers approximately 20% of Earth's surface and about 29% of its water surface area. It is known to separate the " Old World" of Africa, Europe a ...

with a terrain consisting of flatland interspersed with gently rolling hills. It has an average elevation of above sea-level. The city is located at the headwaters of the

Peace River The Peace River (french: links=no, rivière de la Paix) is a river in Canada that originates in the Rocky Mountains of northern British Columbia and flows to the northeast through northern Alberta. The Peace River joins the Athabasca River in ...

Lakes

Winter Haven has 50 lakes within its borders, including its famous Chain 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. The southern chain features sixteen lakes interconnected by a series of canals. The southern chain has several prominent lakes, including Lake Eloise, Lake Howard, and Lake Lulu. In 2011, after six years of construction and political infighting, Winter Haven opened a canal lock system connecting the two chains. 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". The lakes in Winter Haven teem with life, including

alligator An alligator is a large reptile in the Crocodilia order in the genus ''Alligator'' of the family Alligatoridae. The two extant species are the American alligator (''A. mississippiensis'') and the Chinese alligator (''A. sinensis''). Additional ...

bald eagle The bald eagle (''Haliaeetus leucocephalus'') is a bird of prey found in North America. A sea eagle, it has two known subspecies and forms a species pair with the white-tailed eagle (''Haliaeetus albicilla''), which occupies the same niche as ...

great blue heron The great blue heron (''Ardea herodias'') is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North America and Central America, as well as the Caribbean and the Galápagos I ...

s, and more. The Winter Haven lakes are a world-renowned spot for bass fishing.

Climate

Winter Haven is located in the humid subtropical zone (

Köppen climate classification The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by German-Russian climatologist Wladimir Köppen (1846–1940) in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen, nota ...

: ''Cfa''). The average temperature is . The city averages of rain per year. The months of June, July, August, and September, which includes the height of the Atlantic hurricane season, are by far the rainiest time of the year. Those four months, which average of rain, account for more than half of the annual rainfall. Winters in Winter Haven are dry and sunny, with high temperatures of and lows of . Frost occur about once per year on average.

Demographics

As of the 2010 census, Winter Haven was 55.6% white, 28.2% black, 12.5% Hispanic, 2.5% Asian. As of the

census A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring, recording and calculating information about the members of a given population. This term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common censuses inc ...

of 2000, there were 26,487 people, 11,833 households, and 6,934 families residing in the city. The

population density Population density (in agriculture: standing stock or plant density) is a measurement of population per unit land area. It is mostly applied to humans, but sometimes to other living organisms too. It is a key geographical term.Matt RosenberPopu ...

was 1,498.3 inhabitants per square mile (578.4/km). There were 13,912 housing units at an average density of 787.0 per square mile (303.8/km). There were 11,833 households, out of which 21.6% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 42.1% were

married couples Marriage, also called matrimony or wedlock, is a culturally and often legally recognized union between people called spouses. It establishes rights and obligations between them, as well as between them and their children, and between ...

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 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. 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. The

per capita income Per capita income (PCI) or total income measures the average income earned per person in a given area (city, region, country, etc.) in a specified year. It is calculated by dividing the area's total income by its total population. Per capita i ...

for the city was $20,383. About 10.5% of families and 15.0% of the population were below the

poverty line The poverty threshold, poverty limit, poverty line or breadline is the minimum level of income deemed adequate in a particular country. The poverty line is usually calculated by estimating the total cost of one year's worth of necessities for ...

, including 24.2% of those under age 18 and 7.9% of those age 65 or over.

Sports

Three-time Olympic gold medal swimmer, Rowdy Gaines, and Olympic gold medal sprinter,

Kenneth Brokenburr Kenneth "Kenny" Brokenburr is a former American sprinter. He won an Olympic gold medal as part of the 4x100 meter relay team at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia. Early life Brokenburr was born on October 29, 1968 in Winter Haven ...

both grew up in Winter Haven. Four-time NBA all-star and Olympic gold medalist guard, Otis Birdsong, also grew up in Winter Haven. Welterweight boxing champion,

Andre Berto Andre Michael Berto (born September 7, 1983) is a professional boxer who holds dual American and Haitian citizenship. He is a two-time former welterweight world champion, having held the WBC and IBF titles between 2008 and 2011, as well as the ...

, 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 Winter Haven High School is a four-year public high school located in Winter Haven, Florida, a city of 27,855 (2004 census). History The school opened in 1886 on the second floor of Boyd’s Hall, currently where City Hall stands. In 1890, a fr ...

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 are water skiing and

baseball Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each, taking turns batting and fielding. The game occurs over the course of several plays, with each play generally beginning when a player on the fielding t ...

Water skiing history

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. 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. Winter Haven is connected to 10 members of the Water Ski Hall of Fame, more than any other city in the world. These include Dick Pope Sr., Dick Pope Jr., and

Ricky McCormick Ricky McCormick (born March 14, 1952) is an American water skier. He won 11 world titles, 37 national championships. He was awarded two gold medals for Water skiing at the 1972 Summer Olympics, though as it was a demonstration sport that year the ...

. 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 perfect for water skiing. Today, several successful ski schools, for both water skiing and

barefoot skiing Barefoot skiing is water skiing behind a motorboat without the use of water skis, commonly referred to as "barefooting". Barefooting requires the skier to travel at higher speeds (30-45 mph/50–70 km/h) than conventional water skiing ...

, make their home there. Every day, all year round, water skiers can be seen practicing their sport on the lakes around town.

Spring training baseball

Winter Haven was a

Major League Baseball Major League Baseball (MLB) is a professional baseball organization and the oldest major professional sports league in the world. MLB is composed of 30 total teams, divided equally between the National League (NL) and the American League (A ...

Spring Training Spring training is the preseason in Major League Baseball (MLB), a series of practices and exhibition games preceding the start of the regular season. Spring training allows new players to try out for roster and position spots, and gives estab ...

site for many years, first at Denison Field and later at Chain of Lakes Park. Great baseball players who played spring training baseball in Winter Haven included Jimmie Foxx,

Lou Gehrig Henry Louis Gehrig (born Heinrich Ludwig Gehrig ; June 19, 1903June 2, 1941) was an American professional baseball first baseman who played 17 seasons in Major League Baseball (MLB) for the New York Yankees (1923–1939). Gehrig was renowned f ...

Willie Mays Willie Howard Mays Jr. (born May 6, 1931), nicknamed "the Say Hey Kid" and "Buck", is a former center fielder in Major League Baseball (MLB). Regarded as one of the greatest players ever, Mays ranks second behind only Babe Ruth on most all-tim ...

, Roberto Clemente,

Johnny Bench John Lee Bench (born December 7, 1947) is an American former professional baseball player. He played his entire Major League Baseball career, which lasted from through , with the Cincinnati Reds, primarily as a catcher. Bench was the leader of t ...

, and Hank Aaron. In 1928, the

Philadelphia Phillies The Philadelphia Phillies are an American professional baseball team based in Philadelphia. They compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member of the National League (NL) National League East, East division. Since 2004, the team's home sta ...

were the first Major League Baseball team to call Winter Haven their spring-home. The Phillies played at Denison Field, which featured a large, covered wooden grandstand. The Phillies played spring training games there until 1938. In 1940, the New York Giants did one season there. 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, the

Boston Red Sox The Boston Red Sox are an American professional baseball team based in Boston. The Red Sox compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight ...

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. For 26 years, the Red Sox called Winter Haven their spring-home. When the Red Sox left to

Fort Myers, Florida Fort Myers (or Ft. Myers) is a city in southwestern Florida and the county seat and commercial center of Lee County, Florida, United States. The Census Bureau's Population Estimates Program calculated that the city's population was 92,245 in 20 ...

in 1992, the city of Winter Haven sought a new Major League Baseball team. Later that year,

Hurricane Andrew Hurricane Andrew was a very powerful and destructive Category 5 Atlantic hurricane that struck the Bahamas, Florida, and Louisiana in August 1992. It is the most destructive hurricane to ever hit Florida in terms of structures damaged o ...

devastated Homestead, Florida, including the spring training facilities of the

Cleveland Indians The Cleveland Guardians are an American professional baseball team based in Cleveland. The Guardians compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) American League Central, Central division. Since , they have ...

, and the Indians moved to Winter Haven. In 2008, after failed negotiations with the city to renovate Chain of Lakes Park, the Indians moved into a brand new stadium in Goodyear, Arizona after 16 springs at Chain of Lakes Park. Chain of Lakes Park today hosts Russ Matt collegiate baseball tournament. The stadium was slated for demolition, and re-development into a shopping center, called the Landings, but those plans are currently stalled.

Education

Public and private schools

Public schools in Winter Haven are operated by Polk County Public Schools. * Chain of Lakes Collegiate High School * Cypress Junction Montessori * St. Paul's Episcopal School * Oasis Christian Academy * Elbert Elementary * Garden Grove Elementary School * Garner Elementary School * Inwood Elementary * Jewett School of the Arts (Elementary & Middle) * Lake Shipp Elementary * John A. Snively Elementary School * Westwood Middle School * Jewett Academy Middle School * Denison Middle School * Winter Haven Senior High School *

Lake Region High School (Florida) Lake Region High School is a public high school located in Eagle Lake, Florida. It is operated by Polk County Public Schools, the countywide public school district. Lake Region High School (LRHS) opened August 14, 1995. Current enrollment is ...

* Frank E. Brigham Academy Elementary School *

All Saints' Academy (Florida) All Saints Academy is an independent preparatory school located in Winter Haven, Florida that is affiliated with the Episcopal Church (United States), Episcopal Church. Grades serviced within the school range from Pre-Kindergarten, at age 3, thr ...

* Rachel's School for the Custodial Arts. * Mark Wilcox Center * Winter Haven Christian School
Grace Lutheran School
* St. Joseph Catholic School * Chain of Lakes Elementary School * Eagle Lake Elementary * Wahneta Elementary

Colleges and universities

Polk State College Polk State College, formerly Polk Community College, is a public college in Winter Haven, Florida. It is part of the Florida College System. The college changed its name from Polk Community College in 2009 to reflect its first Bachelor's deg ...

(PSC) * Ridge Career Center

Notable people

, Professional welterweight boxer * Otis Birdsong, Professional basketball player * Kenny Brokenburr, Olympic gold medalist, sprinter *

Marcus Capers Marcus Jerome Capers (born December 21, 1989) is an American professional basketball player for the London Lightning of the National Basketball League of Canada (NBL Canada). He played college basketball for Washington State. Early life Capers ...

, Professional basketball player * Rowdy Gaines, Olympic swimmer * Chase Johnsey, Ballet dancer, Artistic Director of Ballet de Barcelona *

George Kalogridis George Anthony Kalogridis (born November 19, 1953) is an American corporate executive. Kalogridis is the former president of the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. Kalogridis became president of Disney Segment Development and ...

, President of

Walt Disney World Resort The Walt Disney World Resort, also called Walt Disney World or Disney World, is an entertainment resort complex in Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, Florida, United States, near the cities of Orlando and Kissimmee. Opened on October 1, 1971, ...

* Gene Leedy, Architect * Lobo, Musician *

Trey Mancini Joseph Anthony "Trey" Mancini III (born March 18, 1992) is an American professional baseball designated hitter, first baseman and outfielder for the Chicago Cubs of Major League Baseball (MLB). He has previously played in MLB for the Baltimor ...

, Baseball Player and cancer survivor * Jake Owen, Musician, Singer and Songwriter * Kathleen Parker, Author and syndicated columnist * Larry Parrish, Professional baseball player * Gram Parsons, Musician * Dick Pope Sr., Founder of Cypress Gardens * Dick Pope Jr., CEO of Cypress Gardens and member of the Water Ski Hall of Fame and Museum * John A. Snively, Citrus Magnet * Jim Stafford, Entertainer * Daryl L. Thompson, Inventor * Constance Weldon, Tuba player and academic * Ryan Yarbrough,

Tampa Bay Rays The Tampa Bay Rays are an American professional baseball team based in St. Petersburg, Florida. The Rays compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as a member club of the American League (AL) East division. Since its inception, the team's home v ...

baseball pitcher

Media

Winter Haven is part of the Tampa/

St. Pete St. Petersburg is a city in Pinellas County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 census, the population was 258,308, making it the fifth-most populous city in Florida and the second-largest city in the Tampa Bay Area, after Tampa. It is the ...

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. Since 1911, the Winter Haven

News Chief The ''News Chief'' is a daily paper located in Winter Haven, Florida that serves east Polk County, Florida. It is owned by Gannett and is located at 455 Sixth St. N.W. History The ''News Chief'' traces its beginnings to September 28, 1911, wh ...

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 the Lakeland Ledger and operations were merged into that paper's Winter Haven branch.

Transportation

Highways

Major routes through, to, and from Winter Haven include: * – A major north/south route through Winter Haven, this highway leads northward to

Lake Alfred Lake Alfred is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was approximately 5,015 at the 2010 Census. It is part of the Lakeland– Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area. History The city was established soon after t ...

where it joins US 92, and southward to Bartow. * – This divided highway east of Winter Haven will be a key access road for

in its intersection with Interstate 4 to the north. * – This key road runs through southern Winter Haven as Cypress Gardens Boulevard, leading westward to Lakeland and the Polk Parkway, by

just east of town, and on eastward to US 27. * – It cuts through the heart of Winter Haven's downtown as Central Avenue, and leads eastward directly to

Dundee Dundee (; sco, Dundee; gd, Dùn Dè or ) is Scotland's fourth-largest city and the 51st-most-populous built-up area in the United Kingdom. The mid-year population estimate for 2016 was , giving Dundee a population density of 2,478/km2 or ...

at US 27. * – From northern Winter Haven, SR 544 connects westward to Auburndale, hence its name, Havendale Boulevard, and leads a scenic route eastward toward

Haines City Haines City is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. Its population was 13,174 at the 2000 census and 20,535 at the 2010 census. It is the third most populous city in Polk County. It is part of the Lakeland– Winter Haven Metropolitan ...

. The streets of downtown Winter Haven are arranged in a grid 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.

Public Transit

Local commuter bus service is provided by

Winter Haven Area Transit Winter Haven Area Transit is a bus system based in Winter Haven, Florida. The system operates 9 of its own buses, and another 4 buses are provided for WHAT by the Citrus Connection. There are 8 routes serving Winter Haven, Auburndale, Lakelan ...

and the Citrus Connection.

Air Transport

Winter Haven's Gilbert Airport Winter Haven's Gilbert Airport is a city-owned, public-use airport located three nautical miles (6 km) northwest of the central business district of Winter Haven, Florida, Winter Haven, a city in Polk County, Florida, Polk County, Florida, ...

and the adjacent Jack Browns Seaplane Base are located northwest of the

central business district A central business district (CBD) is the commercial and business centre of a city. It contains commercial space and offices, and in larger cities will often be described as a financial district. Geographically, it often coincides with the "city ...

Intercity Rail

Winter Haven Station - Across 7th Street

Winter Haven has an Amtrak train station served by the ''

Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...

'' and '' Silver Meteor''.

Places of Interest

Attractions

Healthcare

Winter Haven Hospital Winter Haven Hospital is a hospital and health service system based in Winter Haven, Florida. The hospital is managed and supported by the Winter Haven Hospital Foundation—a 501(c)3 non-profit organization—and is owned by BayCare Health Sys ...

* Winter Haven Women's Hospital * Bond Clinic * Gessler Clinic

Sister city

* Sambuca di Sicilia, Italy (1984), on the occasion of the Water Ski World Cup performed on the

lago Arancio Lago Arancio (Italian for "orange tree lake" ) is a lake in the Province of Agrigento, Sicily, Italy. The reservoir is located on the territory of the municipalities of Sambuca di Sicilia, Santa Margherita di Belice and Sciacca Sciacca (; Gree ...

, in Sambuca di Sicilia, Italy. Both cities are in fact involved with this sport.

References

External links

City of Winter Haven Official Site
Portal style website, Government, Business, Library, Recreation and more
Winter Haven News Chief
community news
The Lakeland Ledger
newspaper serving Winter Haven and all of Polk County

Comprehensive Statistical Data and more about Winter Haven
{{authority control Cities in Florida Cities in Polk County, Florida Populated places established in 1884 1884 establishments in Florida