Hey, history buffs. Submit your unofficial historical locations around town.
Have you ever looked at a local spot and thought, “This place deserves to be commemorated?” Our city is full of legendary locations — many of which are indicated by historical markers. Historical markers reveal significant places, streets, neighborhoods, buildings, businesses, and cultural events from the past or present. Think: The Frank Lloyd Wright Campus of Florida Southern College + the Moorehead Community.
But not all significant areas get the attention they deserve. What about the Southgate sign? Or the iconic Silver Moon Drive-In? We want to put these places on the map — literally.
Rules + details
Submit your historic place for a chance to be featured nationwide on our historical marker map. Our favorite submissions will then be featured in our newsletter, where we’ll put it to a vote. Who knows? Maybe it will receive an official historical marker.
Submissions are open through 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 3.
Finalists will be selected by our team and announced in our newsletter. These finalists will then go head-to-head in a vote for our readers’ favorite. The winner will be announced later in December. No promises that it will get an actual historical marker, but there will be one in our hearts.
Want to know more about official historical markers around town? Check out the Historical Marker Database.
The results
The votes are in for the LALtoday historical markers contest. Check out the finalists below, including the contest winner decided by your votes.
This issue of The Exhibitor from Jan. 12, 1949 shows what Silver Moon looked like less than one year after it opened.
Photo via Cinema Treasures
Winner: Silver Moon Drive-In
It was a close call, but when it came down to the wire, the choice was clear for LALtoday readers. Fifty-three percent voted for this theater, and as one of only four drive-ins remaining in Florida, we can see why. A night at the movies here transports cinephiles back to 1948 when the theater first opened, but with updated projectors and the latest film releases.
The Tudor House set off for its new location in 2014.
Photo via @ginathepetnanny
Finalist: Cob & Pen
Originally known as The Tudor House, this building was constructed nearly a century ago off of West Beacon Road and played host to guests like Elvis Presley + Barbara Bush. After being saved from demolition in 2014, the building was relocated to South Florida Avenue and reopened as one of Lakeland’s favorite eateries.
Teacher Nettie L. Adderly and Principal Q.J. Adderly stand beside Washington Park High School’s graduating class of 1939.
Photo via Lakeland Public Library Special Collections Library
Finalist: Rochelle School of the Arts
This school began in 1926 as Washington Park High School, Lakeland’s first high school for Black students. In 1949, it was renamed for William A. Rochelle, an impactful Black educator, and eventually reopened as a K-8 performing arts school in 1992 — the first performing arts school in Florida, and only the second in the nation.
Finalist: Lakeland Chamber of Commerce
The Park Trammell Building that currently houses the Chamber of Commerce was first the Lakeland Public Library. Located right on the edge of the East Lake Morton Historic District, reader Jennifer B. says this Mediterranean Revival-style building includes its original spiral staircase and a dumbwaiter that librarians once used to move books between floors.
It doesn’t stop there — we got more submissions than these. Just check out our map of unofficial historical locations — both locally and across the nation.
