Highland City, Florida
Encyclopedia
Highland City is a census-designated place
(CDP) in Polk County
, Florida
, United States
. The population was 2,051 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Lakeland
–Winter Haven
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
, established in 1837 during its war with the Seminole Indians. Zachary Taylor
, former U.S. President, commanded the fort for a short period. Fort Fraser was abandoned shortly after its construction.
In 1885, the Pemberton Ferry Branch of the South Florida Railroad
was completed between Lakeland and Bartow. The area now known as Highland City was the only stop between the two larger cities. The stop, and eventual village, was named for the Haskell brothers, who were early investors in the South Florida Railroad. E. B. Haskell was a newspaper publisher from Boston, Massachusetts and his brother Dr. C. C. Haskell, of Maitland, Florida, was an original stakeholder in the South Florida Railroad. In addition to the town of Haskell, the South Florida Railroad's #6 locomotive was named the E. B. Haskell.
The Haskell freight depot was built by the railroad company along the roadway that would later become U.S. Highway 98. (In 1958, the depot was demolished due to its proximity to the roadway, and was replaced by a new freight building). The first postmaster (and also the first freight agent of the depot) in Haskell, Thomas A. Goode, was appointed on February 9, 1887.
Developer W. F. Hallam had begun to develop the Lakeland Highlands area by 1924. Hallam built the Hallam Country Clubhouse in the area west of Highland City and the road accessing the clubhouse became known as Clubhouse Road. The development of the Highlands also brought an influx of new residents to the Haskell community.
In 1925, the community of Haskell was incorporated by the Florida legislature, which also had the effect of officially changing the community's name to Highland City. The city elected its first officials :
By 1927, the town's official area was reduced due to a lawsuit brought on behalf of a few Highland City landowners. This ended the town's short stint as an incorporated place.
As of 1996, the Highland City community had organized an active community group. The group's goals included beautification, utility upgrades and safer neighborhoods.
On December 9, 2006, the community saw the grand opening of the Fort Fraser Trail, a 7.75-mile pedestrian and bicycle trail extending from the Polk State College campus south to Bartow.
According to the United States Census Bureau
, the CDP has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²), all of it land.
Highland City's street addresses put them on the Lakeland street grid; most street names have "SE" in their name indicating that they are southeast of Lakeland's "point zero" intersection of Florida Avenue and Main Street. However, Highland City is often considered to be culturally closer to Bartow
than Lakeland. Highland City Elementary, primarily feeds into Bartow Middle School and Bartow High School
. Unlike its nearest neighbor, Lakeland Highlands
which is somewhat affluent, Highland City is a working class area with many mobile homes.
The Highland City census designated place is located on U.S. Highway 98, northwest of Bartow and east of Lakeland Highlands
. The approximate limits of the Highland City census designated place are County Road 540A to the south, Clubhouse Road to the North, Strickland Avenue to the west, and 1st Street SE to the east.
of 2000, there were 2,051 people, 766 households, and 562 families residing in the CDP. The population density
was 2,474.7 people per square mile (954.1/km²). There were 818 housing units at an average density of 987.0/sq mi (380.5/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 83.72% White, 10.24% African American, 0.54% Native American, 0.98% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.90% from other races
, and 0.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.12% of the population.
There were 766 households out of which 43.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples
living together, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.6% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 33.3% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $31,823, and the median income for a family was $36,250. Males had a median income of $26,833 versus $21,038 for females. The per capita income
for the CDP was $13,925. About 9.5% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.9% of those under age 18 and 15.5% of those age 65 or over.
Census-designated place
A census-designated place is a concentration of population identified by the United States Census Bureau for statistical purposes. CDPs are delineated for each decennial census as the statistical counterparts of incorporated places such as cities, towns and villages...
(CDP) in Polk County
Polk County, Florida
Polk County is located in central Florida between the Tampa Bay and Greater Orlando metropolitan areas. The county was established by the state government in 1861 on the eve of the American Civil War and named after former United States president James K. Polk. The county seat is Bartow and its...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The population was 2,051 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Lakeland
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
–Winter Haven
Winter Haven, Florida
Winter Haven is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 26,487 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 estimates, the city had a population of 32,577, making it the second most populated city in Polk County...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
The modern-day area of Highland City was the site of the United State Army's Fort FraserFort Fraser (Florida)
Fort Fraser was a United States Army fortification constructed in November 1837 between the modern cities of Lakeland and Bartow in Polk County, Florida. The fort's name was inspired by Upton S. Fraser, a Captain in the U.S. Army who was killed by Seminole Indians in the March to Fort King on...
, established in 1837 during its war with the Seminole Indians. Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor
Zachary Taylor was the 12th President of the United States and an American military leader. Initially uninterested in politics, Taylor nonetheless ran as a Whig in the 1848 presidential election, defeating Lewis Cass...
, former U.S. President, commanded the fort for a short period. Fort Fraser was abandoned shortly after its construction.
In 1885, the Pemberton Ferry Branch of the South Florida Railroad
South Florida Railroad
The South Florida Railroad was a railroad from Orlando to Tampa, Florida, becoming part of the Plant System in 1893 and the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad in 1902.-History:...
was completed between Lakeland and Bartow. The area now known as Highland City was the only stop between the two larger cities. The stop, and eventual village, was named for the Haskell brothers, who were early investors in the South Florida Railroad. E. B. Haskell was a newspaper publisher from Boston, Massachusetts and his brother Dr. C. C. Haskell, of Maitland, Florida, was an original stakeholder in the South Florida Railroad. In addition to the town of Haskell, the South Florida Railroad's #6 locomotive was named the E. B. Haskell.
The Haskell freight depot was built by the railroad company along the roadway that would later become U.S. Highway 98. (In 1958, the depot was demolished due to its proximity to the roadway, and was replaced by a new freight building). The first postmaster (and also the first freight agent of the depot) in Haskell, Thomas A. Goode, was appointed on February 9, 1887.
Developer W. F. Hallam had begun to develop the Lakeland Highlands area by 1924. Hallam built the Hallam Country Clubhouse in the area west of Highland City and the road accessing the clubhouse became known as Clubhouse Road. The development of the Highlands also brought an influx of new residents to the Haskell community.
In 1925, the community of Haskell was incorporated by the Florida legislature, which also had the effect of officially changing the community's name to Highland City. The city elected its first officials :
| Title | Office Holder(s) |
|---|---|
| Mayor | O. H. Stringer |
| City Clerk and Treasurer | W. A. Womble |
| City Marshall | N. A. Winn |
| City Assessor | J. A. Williams |
| Councilmen | J. S. A. Walker, C. C. Moon, T. L. Frentress, C. E. Morris, and E. F. Miller |
By 1927, the town's official area was reduced due to a lawsuit brought on behalf of a few Highland City landowners. This ended the town's short stint as an incorporated place.
Town Name Confusion
A common error in referring to this place is to add an 'S' to the end of "Highland," causing the name to incorrectly read "Highlands City." For example, a new train depot, constructed in 1958, originally featured a sign with the mistakenly spelled "Highlands City" name. Lakeland Ledger reporter Courtland Anderson made special note of the error in the caption of his photo of the new depot.Modern Community
The Highland City Volunteer Fire Department (HCVFD) works in conjunction with the Polk County Fire Department to provide fire protection for the Highland City area. For many years, HCVFD operated the fire service in Highland City on a completely volunteer basis. In the last quarter of the 20th century, Polk County consolidated many of its fire districts, and the Highland City fire station became an official Polk County Fire Station, under command of the Fire Chief of Polk County.As of 1996, the Highland City community had organized an active community group. The group's goals included beautification, utility upgrades and safer neighborhoods.
On December 9, 2006, the community saw the grand opening of the Fort Fraser Trail, a 7.75-mile pedestrian and bicycle trail extending from the Polk State College campus south to Bartow.
Geography
Highland City is located at 27°57′46"N 81°52′46"W (27.962901, -81.879380).According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the CDP has a total area of 0.8 square miles (2.1 km²), all of it land.
Highland City's street addresses put them on the Lakeland street grid; most street names have "SE" in their name indicating that they are southeast of Lakeland's "point zero" intersection of Florida Avenue and Main Street. However, Highland City is often considered to be culturally closer to Bartow
Bartow, Florida
Bartow is 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 to die in combat during the American Civil War. According to the U.S. Census Bureau 2000 Census, the city had a...
than Lakeland. Highland City Elementary, primarily feeds into Bartow Middle School and Bartow High School
Bartow High School
Bartow High School, formerly Summerlin Institute and Union Academy is the only high school located in Bartow, Florida. The school is also the location of the International Baccalaureate School at Bartow High, a school which annually finishes in the top five in composite SAT scores in the United...
. Unlike its nearest neighbor, Lakeland Highlands
Lakeland Highlands, Florida
Lakeland Highlands is a census-designated place in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 12,557 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area....
which is somewhat affluent, Highland City is a working class area with many mobile homes.
The Highland City census designated place is located on U.S. Highway 98, northwest of Bartow and east of Lakeland Highlands
Lakeland Highlands, Florida
Lakeland Highlands is a census-designated place in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 12,557 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area....
. The approximate limits of the Highland City census designated place are County Road 540A to the south, Clubhouse Road to the North, Strickland Avenue to the west, and 1st Street SE to the east.
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,051 people, 766 households, and 562 families residing in the CDP. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 2,474.7 people per square mile (954.1/km²). There were 818 housing units at an average density of 987.0/sq mi (380.5/km²). The racial makeup of the CDP was 83.72% White, 10.24% African American, 0.54% Native American, 0.98% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 3.90% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 0.59% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 13.12% of the population.
There were 766 households out of which 43.1% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 48.4% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 20.0% had a female householder with no husband present, and 26.6% were non-families. 22.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 6.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.68 and the average family size was 3.13.
In the CDP the population was spread out with 33.3% under the age of 18, 7.8% from 18 to 24, 32.8% from 25 to 44, 17.5% from 45 to 64, and 8.7% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females there were 91.9 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 83.8 males.
The median income for a household in the CDP was $31,823, and the median income for a family was $36,250. Males had a median income of $26,833 versus $21,038 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the CDP was $13,925. About 9.5% of families and 13.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 19.9% of those under age 18 and 15.5% of those age 65 or over.