One of our favorite bits of Lakeland is the city’s historic charm. Come along with us for a virtual tour through Lakeland’s seven districts on the National Register of Historic Places.
You’ll find a combination of historic buildings and new businesses in the Munn Park district.
Photo by @nicolefeller_
Munn Park
Munn Park has been around longer than Lakeland itself, being labeled as a “public square” a year before the city’s incorporation in 1885. The area served as the backdrop for Lakeland’s bustling rail yard. Today, city officials are planning to revitalize the park at the center of the historic district.
Lake Morton residents are just steps away from a lake, library, and art museum.
Photo by @raelinmonet
East Lake Morton + South Lake Morton
These neighboring districts founded in the early 1900s now showcase historic bungalow and Mediterranean-style homes, as well as Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture. Lakelanders and royal swans alike flocked to this area — you can’t beat those lakeside views.
This Biltmore Cumberland historic home features a porte-cochere (aka a covered driveway).
Photo via Florida Memory
Biltmore Cumberland
East of downtown, this district contains two neighborhoods and 200+ historical buildings. The area, developed in the 1920s, is now known for its bungalow homes and schools like Lakeland High School + Florida Southern College.
Dixieland
As homes popped up here from the 1920s to 1940s, Dixieland was dubbed a “fashionable suburb” by the local papers. The district was deemed historic in 1994. Today, don’t miss out on local favorite businesses, from bakeries and coffee shops to furniture design and antique stores.
This style is called Tudor Revival — it’s one of 14+ you’ll find in Beacon Hill.
Photo via City of Lakeland
Beacon Hill
This district also included the Alta Vista community when it achieved historic status in the 1990s. It’s known as the most eclectic historic district with at least 14 architectural styles. During the 1920s land boom, a single lot of land was $600-$4,500. Can we get in on that deal, please?
Canopy roads are an iconic aspect of several historic districts, including Lake Hunter Terrace.
Photo via City of Lakeland
Lake Hunter Terrace
West of Lake Hunter, this district was established during the mid to late-1940s and features many homes built in the modern masonry vernacular style that was popularized after World War II. It’s considered the first modern development to achieve historic status in Lakeland.
