Bartow, Florida

History

Main article: History of Bartow, Florida

A Spanish map of the Florida peninsula drawn in 1527 shows a native settlement called Rio de la Paz near present-day Bartow.{{cite web |access-date=2010-09-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727182027/http://www.polkcountyhistory.org/History.asp |archive-date=July 27, 2011 |access-date=2010-09-09 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101017085248/http://www.ancientnative.org/tao.php |archive-date=October 17, 2010 |url-status=dead

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.{{cite web |access-date=2010-09-28 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727182905/http://www.polkcountyhistory.org/pdf/june98.pdf |archive-date=July 27, 2011 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070308114556/http://www.africanaheritage.com/RiverSlaveryinFLexcerpt.asp | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2007-03-08 | access-date = 2010-10-19 | access-date = 2010-10-19 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100902134431/http://lookingforangola.org/Interview_Canter_Brown_Jr.asp | archive-date = September 2, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070309065117/http://www.africanaheritage.com/BrownTalesofAngolaexcerpt.asp | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2007-03-09 | name-list-style = amp | access-date = 2010-10-19

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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-10-19 |access-date=2010-09-11 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091226230300/http://mainstreetbartow.com/time.asp |archive-date=December 26, 2009

About a month after the secession of Florida in 1861, the state established Polk County from the eastern portion of Hillsborough County.{{cite web |access-date=2010-09-13 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100125082058/http://www.polksheriff.org/InsidePCSO/Pages/SheriffsofPolkCounty.aspx |archive-date=January 25, 2010 | access-date = 2010-10-07 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101101130759/http://jud10.org/Courthouses/Polk/polk.html | archive-date = November 1, 2010 | url-status = dead | access-date = 2010-10-19 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101004011804/http://www.floridamemory.com/PhotographicCollection/photo_exhibits/ranching/| archive-date= October 4, 2010 | url-status= live}} 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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-10-19

Bartow recovered slowly from the war. The first Polk County Courthouse was built in 1867, which firmly established the city as county seat. Although Florida formally rejoined the union in 1868, the Reconstruction era did not end in Florida until 1877.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-10-19 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101122182633/http://floridamemory.com/Exhibits/timeline/ | archive-date = November 22, 2010 | url-status = dead

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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-10-15 | access-date = 2010-10-15 | access-date = 2010-10-19 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101013183934/http://www.taplines.net/fs/fs.html| archive-date= October 13, 2010 | url-status= live}} A year later, the Bartow Branch of the South Florida Railroad, connecting Tampa and Orlando, was completed.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-10-19 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110525045440/http://taplines.net/southflorida/southflorida2 | archive-date = May 25, 2011 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091017022634/http://bartowhighschool.com/Web%20Pages/history.htm | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2009-10-17 | access-date = 2010-10-07

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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-09-16

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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-09-12 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101130051135/http://polk-county.net/subpage.aspx?menu_id=8&nav=gov&id=120 | archive-date = November 30, 2010

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.{{cite web |access-date=2010-09-12 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101204060330/http://www.bartow-airport.com/airhistory.htm |archive-date=December 4, 2010

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.{{cite news | access-date = 2010-10-21 | access-date = 2010-10-21 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101012000935/http://www.dep.state.fl.us/geology/geologictopics/mine_map0802.pdf | archive-date = October 12, 2010 | url-status = dead | access-date = 2010-10-15

In the late 1990s phosphate operations in the area moved southward, and much of the former phosphate land became available for sale.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-10-21 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110725192613/http://www1.fipr.state.fl.us/PhosphatePrimer/0/AE4CF5150A93866485256F800079933B | archive-date = July 25, 2011 | access-date = 2010-09-10 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101004063453/http://www.theledger.com/article/20090725/NEWS/907265017| archive-date= October 4, 2010 | url-status= live}} After nearly a decade of delays, the plan received final approval in 2009. The Clear Springs Development includes plans for more than 11,000 new homes, 1,000,000 ft2 of commercial space, three schools, and a golf course. According to the Central Florida Regional Planning Council, Bartow's population is projected to grow to over 25,000 people by 2015.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-09-10 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101004152955/http://clearspringsco.com/first-phase-of-clear-springs-to-include-10000-homes-town-center-shopping-area/| archive-date= October 4, 2010 | url-status= live}}{{cite news | access-date = 2010-09-10

Geography and climate

Geography

Bartow is located slightly southwest of the geographical centers of both Polk County and peninsular Florida.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-10-17 | access-date = 2010-10-17 | access-date = 2010-10-17 | access-date = 2010-10-17 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110816102319/http://fipr1.state.fl.us/fipr/fipr1.nsf/0/7bdd9643b1c47a2485256b2f00569595/%24FILE/04-039-087Final.pdf | archive-date = August 16, 2011 | access-date = 2010-10-17 | access-date = 2010-10-17 | url-status = usurped | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101015170317/http://www.protectingourwater.org/watersheds/map/sarasota_bay_peace_myakka/peace/ | archive-date = October 15, 2010 | access-date = 2010-10-14

According to the United States Census Bureau, in 2000 the city had a total area of 11.4 sqmi, of which 11.2 sqmi is land and 0.1 sqmi (1.23%) is water. As a result of the annexation of over 26000 acre of undeveloped land, primarily the Clear Springs land, the area of the city has quadrupled to over 52 sqmi with more annexation still pending.

Physiography and soils

Bartow is located on the South Central Florida Ridge, as classified by the USDA.{{cite web |access-date=2010-09-10 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101008050915/http://www.mo15.nrcs.usda.gov/technical/mlra_fl.html |archive-date=October 8, 2010 |url-status=dead | access-date = 2010-09-10 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101014083135/http://ortho.ftw.nrcs.usda.gov/osd/dat/F/FORT_MEADE.html | archive-date = October 14, 2010 | url-status = dead | access-date = 2010-09-10

Climate

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.{{cite web | name-list-style = amp | access-date = 2010-09-29 | archive-date = August 21, 2014 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20140821090959/http://hurricane.atmos.colostate.edu/forecasts/2004/oct2004/ | url-status = dead | access-date = 2010-10-19 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. 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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-09-16

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 32 F, putting it in plant hardiness zone 10a. Snow is a rare phenomenon in the area, perhaps a few times every century.{{cite news | access-date = 2010-09-27

|Jan avg record high F = 83.2 |Feb avg record high F = 85.4 |Mar avg record high F = 87.9 |Apr avg record high F = 91.3 |May avg record high F = 94.6 |Jun avg record high F = 96.2 |Jul avg record high F = 96.3 |Aug avg record high F = 95.9 |Sep avg record high F = 94.4 |Oct avg record high F = 91.5 |Nov avg record high F = 87.4 |Dec avg record high F = 83.7 |year avg record high F = 97.3

|Jan avg record low F = 34.1 |Feb avg record low F = 37.2 |Mar avg record low F = 42.4 |Apr avg record low F = 50.2 |May avg record low F = 58.8 |Jun avg record low F = 67.8 |Jul avg record low F = 70.3 |Aug avg record low F = 70.5 |Sep avg record low F = 67.4 |Oct avg record low F = 53.2 |Nov avg record low F = 44.1 |Dec avg record low F = 37.6 |year avg record low F = 32.3

|Jan record high F = 90 |Feb record high F = 91 |Mar record high F = 97 |Apr record high F = 99 |May record high F = 101 |Jun record high F = 103 |Jul record high F = 102 |Aug record high F = 100 |Sep record high F = 98 |Oct record high F = 97 |Nov record high F = 96 |Dec record high F = 90 |year record high F = |Jan record low F = 18 |Feb record low F = 22 |Mar record low F = 23 |Apr record low F = 34 |May record low F = 45 |Jun record low F = 56 |Jul record low F = 60 |Aug record low F = 61 |Sep record low F = 55 |Oct record low F = 32 |Nov record low F = 25 |Dec record low F = 18 |year record low F =

Demographics

As of the 2020 United States census, there were 19,309 people, 6,546 households, and 4,378 families residing in the city.

As of the 2010 United States census, there were 17,298 people, 5,909 households, and 4,097 families residing in the city.

In 2010, the population density was 377.1 inhabitants per square mile of land (976.7/km2). There were 7,130 housing units at an average density of 155.4 per square mile of land(402.5/km2).

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).

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).

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).

Religion

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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-10-15 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110615170502/http://www.gbgm-umc.org/firstumcbartow/history.html | archive-date = June 15, 2011 | access-date = 2010-09-26 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110727183316/http://www.polkcountyhistory.org/pdf/mar03.pdf | archive-date = July 27, 2011 | url-status = dead | access-date = 2010-09-11 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100912162309/http://www.bartowchamber.com/our-community/churches | archive-date = September 12, 2010 | url-status = dead

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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-09-26 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101205145429/http://www.thearda.com/mapsReports/reports/counties/12105_2000.asp | archive-date = December 5, 2010 | url-status = dead | access-date = 2010-10-19 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110727183406/http://www.polkcountyhistory.org/pdf/sept02.pdf | url-status = dead | archive-date = 2011-07-27 | access-date = 2010-09-26 | access-date = 2010-09-26 | archive-date = March 3, 2016 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160303215513/http://www.theledger.com/article/20080316/NEWS/803160428?p=3&tc=pg | url-status = dead

Economy

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 100 mi radius of the center of town, there are close to 8 million people.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-09-12 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110622091956/http://www.bartowchamber.com/economy.htm | archive-date = June 22, 2011

The dominant force in the economy of Bartow is city, county and state government. 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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-09-12 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110622092035/http://www.bartowchamber.com/major-employers.htm | archive-date = June 22, 2011 | access-date = 2010-09-12 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100826004004/http://www.dot.state.fl.us/publicinformationoffice/moreDOT/districts/dist1.shtm| archive-date= August 26, 2010 | url-status= live}}

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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-09-12 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120203204810/http://www.hklaw.com/id77/extended1/biosSGRIMES | archive-date = February 3, 2012 | url-status = dead |access-date=2010-09-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110727182710/http://www.polkcountyhistory.org/pdf/june96.pdf |archive-date=July 27, 2011

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

In terms of area, Polk County has 600000 acre dedicated to agriculture. According to the US Census of Agriculture, Polk County is the top citrus production county in Florida.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-10-14 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110727165707/http://www.pcfb.org/polkagriculture.htm | archive-date = July 27, 2011 | access-date = 2010-09-12 | archive-url = https://archive.today/20130203222925/http://www.tboblogs.com/index.php/news/story/clear-springs-sees-gold-in-blueberries/ | archive-date = February 3, 2013 | url-status = dead

Although there are no major tourist attractions in the immediate Bartow area, the city is located less than 50 mi from both the Walt Disney World Resort and Busch Gardens Tampa Bay.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-10-17 | access-date = 2010-10-17 | access-date = 2010-10-17 |access-date=2010-10-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101123054335/http://flheritage.com/facts/reports/places/index.cfm?fuseaction=ListAreas&county=Polk |archive-date=November 23, 2010 |url-status=dead

Culture

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.{{cite news | access-date = 2010-09-14 | access-date = 2010-09-14 | access-date = 2012-01-21 | access-date = 2012-01-21 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111105030540/http://lbbrown.com/events.htm | archive-date = November 5, 2011 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.{{cite news | access-date= 2015-05-23

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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-09-14 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110727181937/http://www.polkartsalliance.org/ | archive-date = July 27, 2011 | access-date = 2010-09-14 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110713194559/http://www.ledgerdata.com/guide_to_polk/561/imperial-symphony-orchestra/ | archive-date = July 13, 2011 | url-status = dead | access-date = 2011-11-06

Historic buildings and landmarks

|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061107010903/http://bartow.govoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B654C54F3-96E5-4A87-B4E6-93AB4B57D613%7D |archive-date=November 7, 2006 |access-date=2010-10-15 |url-status=dead | access-date= 2010-10-08

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. 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.{{cite web | access-date= 2010-09-12 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101012101020/http://www.lbbrown.com/| archive-date= October 12, 2010 | url-status= live}} The L.B. Brown House is notable as perhaps the only house still standing in Florida built by a freedman.{{cite web | access-date= 2011-11-06

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.{{cite web | access-date= 2011-11-06 | access-date= 2011-11-06 | access-date= 2010-10-17

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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-09-11 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110622091246/http://www.bartowchamber.com/bartow-area-parks-recreation-facilities.htm | archive-date = June 22, 2011

The Tour de Tow is an annual cycling tour held in September.{{cite web | access-date = 2011-11-06 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111110113454/http://www.bartowchamber.com/cycling.htm | archive-date = November 10, 2011 | access-date = 2010-10-20 | access-date = 2010-10-20 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110622091246/http://www.bartowchamber.com/bartow-area-parks-recreation-facilities.htm | archive-date = June 22, 2011

Polk County has over 550 lakes.{{cite news | access-date = 2010-10-14 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110713195138/http://www.ledgerdata.com/guide_to_polk/article/16/polk-county-lake-facts/ | archive-date = July 13, 2011 | url-status = dead | access-date = 2010-10-14 | access-date = 2010-10-20 | access-date = 2010-11-08

Government and politics

Municipal government

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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-10-19 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110622091328/http://www.bartowchamber.com/government.htm | archive-date = June 22, 2011 | access-date = May 10, 2021 | access-date = 2010-10-07 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110713195133/http://www.ledgerdata.com/guide_to_polk/city/bartow/ | archive-date = July 13, 2011 | url-status = dead

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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-09-12 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100920064245/http://www.dep.state.fl.us/secretary/watman| archive-date= September 20, 2010 | url-status= live}} 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.{{cite web |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061107011008/http://bartow.govoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B859E9F20-D3D0-4F32-8310-CBC75E4C1DE4%7D |archive-date=November 7, 2006 |access-date=2010-09-26 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071103194903/http://bartow.govoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7B0DCE6F66-2AE7-42F7-A320-8A32EB073D0B%7D |archive-date=November 3, 2007 |access-date=2016-07-16 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070716172500/http://bartow.govoffice.com/index.asp?Type=B_BASIC&SEC=%7BD9A9AF7B-FFD2-4991-9857-C8BE924F5003%7D |archive-date=July 16, 2007 |access-date=2010-09-26 |url-status=dead

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.{{cite news | access-date = 2010-09-11 | access-date = 2010-09-11 | access-date = 2010-09-11 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061113164228/http://www.polkelections.com/home/facts/reg2.asp | archive-date = November 13, 2006 | access-date = 2010-09-11 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061113164228/http://www.polkelections.com/home/facts/reg2.asp | archive-date = November 13, 2006

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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-09-26 In the Florida Senate, Bartow is represented by Denise Grimsley.{{cite web |access-date=2010-09-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101105091435/http://flsenate.gov/cgi-bin/View_Page.pl?Tab=legislators&Submenu=1&File=index.html&Directory=Legislators%2Fsenate%2F021%2Fmap_data%2F |archive-date=November 5, 2010 |url-status=dead

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

Education

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. 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. 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. 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.

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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-09-10 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101004152955/http://clearspringsco.com/first-phase-of-clear-springs-to-include-10000-homes-town-center-shopping-area/| archive-date= October 4, 2010 | url-status= live}} 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 20 acre campus will be located near the intersection of State Road 60 and 80 Foot Road.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-09-24 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20111211184341/http://polk.edu/businessandcommunity/news/Pages/ConstructionBeginsatClearSprings.aspx | archive-date = December 11, 2011

While there are currently no colleges or universities in Bartow, there are several within a 20 mi radius of Bartow. The nearest university, University of South Florida Polytechnic is located 6 mi 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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-10-17

Media

Bartow is part of the Tampa/St. Pete television market, the 13th largest in the country.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-10-19 | archive-date = April 1, 2012 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120401072025/http://tvbythenumbers.zap2it.com/2008/09/10/nielsen-local-television-market-universe-estimates/5037/ | url-status = dead | access-date = 2010-10-19 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101016182624/http://arbitron.com/home/mm001050.asp| archive-date= October 16, 2010 | url-status= live}} 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.{{cite news | access-date = 2011-11-06 | access-date = 2010-09-16

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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-10-14

The primary numbered routes going through Bartow are State Road 60 and U.S. Route 17 and U.S. Route 98. 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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-10-19 |access-date=2010-10-19 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100922145103/http://floridasturnpike.com/about_system.cfm |archive-date=September 22, 2010 |url-status=dead

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.{{cite news |access-date=2010-09-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100918020513/http://www.theledger.com/article/20100913/NEWS/9135071 |archive-date=September 18, 2010 |url-status=live | access-date = 2010-09-23

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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-09-14 | url-status = dead | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101204060402/http://www.bartow-airport.com/runway.htm | archive-date = December 4, 2010

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.{{cite news | access-date = 2010-10-01 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20110713195122/http://www.ledgerdata.com/guide_to_polk/article/33/buses-trains-airports-give-residents-myriad-transportation-choices/ | archive-date = July 13, 2011 | url-status = dead | access-date = 2010-10-01

Library

The Bartow Public Library is a member of the Polk County Library Cooperative. The library is located at 2150 S. Broadway Ave. Bartow, FL 33830. 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. 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.

Notable people

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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-09-24 | access-date = 2010-11-11 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101105092734/http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=A000244| archive-date= November 5, 2010 | url-status= live}} Others who were raised and schooled in Bartow include former Florida Supreme Court Chief Justice Stephen Grimes,{{cite web |access-date=2010-10-01 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110521030338/http://www.floridasupremecourt.org/justices/retired/grimes.html |archive-date=May 21, 2011 | access-date = 2010-09-24 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20101007122628/http://womenincongress.house.gov/member-profiles/profile.html?intID=101 | archive-date = October 7, 2010 | url-status = dead | access-date = 2010-10-01 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100924225723/http://adamputnam.house.gov/bio.shtml | archive-date = September 24, 2010 | url-status = dead

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.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-10-26 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20120928095641/http://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/evander-law-is-born | archive-date = September 28, 2012 | url-status = dead |access-date=2010-10-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101031004955/http://flheritage.com/services/sites/floridians/?section=b |archive-date=October 31, 2010 |url-status=dead

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.{{cite web | access-date = 2011-11-06 | access-date = 2010-10-08 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101012092255/http://www.nfl.com/players/raylewis/profile?id=LEW562347| archive-date= October 12, 2010 | url-status= live}} NBA guard Tracy McGrady,{{cite web | access-date = 2010-11-08 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101204071144/http://www.basketball-reference.com/players/m/mcgratr01.html| archive-date= December 4, 2010 | url-status= live}} and motocross star James "Bubba" Stewart.{{cite web | access-date = 2010-10-26 | archive-date = May 27, 2010 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20100527040702/http://www.motorcycle-usa.com/493/1094/motorcycle-article/James-stewart-bio.aspx | url-status = dead | access-date = 2010-10-26 | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20101031190311/http://www.theledger.com/article/20100828/NEWS/8285061| archive-date= October 31, 2010 | url-status= live}}{{cite web | access-date = 2010-10-26

Other notable people from Bartow include Lake Eola Park founder Jacob Summerlin, January 2010 *Playboy * Playmate Jaime Faith Edmondson,{{cite web | access-date = 2010-09-23 |access-date=2010-10-07 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101015091852/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0%2C9171%2C899657%2C00.html |archive-date=October 15, 2010 |url-status=dead |access-date=2010-10-08 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101009010040/http://www.blackpast.org/?q=aah%2Fsweet-ossian-1895-1960 |archive-date=October 9, 2010 |url-status=live

References

References

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