Lake Morton wildlife at sunset | Photo via @thehikerdad
Charming, quaint, and full of history, South Lake Morton continues to grow as the “#7 best neighborhood to live in Lakeland.” Since its early days, this neighborhood has quickly become a local’s favorite part of town that attracts families. If you haven’t explored it, it might be time to rediscover why so many people — maybe even you — love to call it home.
Need to know
You’re not the only one with your eyes set on South Lake Morton. In 2022, the area’s population grew to 3,555. Wondering why? While we can’t say for sure, South Lake Morton is known for its beautiful, swan-centric lakeview, its accessibility to locals’ favorite businesses — such as Black & Brew at the Lakeland Public Library — and its close proximity to some of Lakeland’s best public schools.
South Lake Morton homes are known for their historic charm.
Like much of Lakeland, the Lake Morton Historic District is known for its “architectural integrity and historical elements.” As early as 1906 through the 1920s, construction of this Mediterranean-inspired neighborhood attracted newcomers from all over the country who desired to live in Florida.
In addition to its romanticcobblestoneroads, this area has become quite the dream as one of the United States’ most beautiful college campuses, Florida Southern College, resides in this district. The college’s mid-century modern architecture by Frank Lloyd Wright influences both the exterior and interior design of bungalow-style homes in this area.
Swans + cygnets on Lake Morton circa 1970
Photo courtesy of Special Collections at the Lakeland Public Library
Outdoors
Love the smell of fresh air and catching sun? This neighborhood is the perfect area for taking walks — especially around the lake. Here are landmarks to look out for.
Lakeland Symphony Orchestra Gallery Series: String Quartet | Thurs., Sept. 8 | 5-6 p.m., 7-8 p.m. | Polk Museum of Art | $49 | Listen to the LSO String Quartet’s repertoire at one of two performances in the museum’s Rodin exhibit. 🎻
14th Annual Honoring Heroes Dinner and Silent Auction | Fri., Sept. 9 | 6-9 p.m. | First Presbyterian Church, 175 Lake Hollingsworth Dr. | $20+ | Enjoy a delicious meal, meet the K9 team, and take part in a silent auction — proceeds benefit the LakelandPD K9 unit and LCPAAA Scholarship fund.
I Love You, You’re Perfect, Now Change | Fri., Sept. 9 | 7:30 p.m. | Lakeland Community Theatre | $20+ | This witty musical revue tackles modern love in all its forms. 🎭
The Joinery Dime | Sat., Sept. 10 | 11 a.m.-3 p.m. | The Joinery | Free | Shop goods from local makers, meet the felines of Botany Cats, and sip craft cocktails on The Joinery’s lawn.
Sunday
Micah Madore & Kat Agner w/ One Stop Food Shop | Sun., Sept. 11 | 2-5 p.m. | Swan Brewing | Try a bacon jam burger from One Stop Food Shop while duo Micah Madore and Kat Agner bring the tunes. 🍔
Monday
Lunch Pop-Ups at Catapult | Mon., Sept. 12-Fri., Nov. 18 | 11 a.m.-2 p.m. | Catapult 502 E. Main St. | Free | Support Lakeland’s small business scene and enjoy lunch crafted by five of Catapult’s entrepreneur kitchen members. *
We have amonthly guide filled with events + activities you can plan for in advance. Click the button below to bookmark ideas for upcoming date nights, family outings, and time with friends.
For tickets to local and regional events, check out our 6AM Tickets resale marketplace.*
Notice a drier summer than usual? According to the National Weather Service, Lakeland had the fifth-lowest recorded rainfall this summer due to Saharan dust from across the Atlantic Ocean. Lakeland saw 14.82 inches of rain from June to August, compared to the average of 23.6 inches. (The Ledger)
Civic
More local organizationshave requested funding from Lakeland’s portion of the federal American Rescue Plan Act funds, including the African American Chamber of Commerce of Polk County, the Lakeland Chamber of Commerce, the Mayor’s Council on the Arts, and The Well. City Commission budget hearings begin tonight. (LkldNow)
Development
Dalfen International, a Dallas-based industrial developer,is planning to build two logistics facilities in Auburndale along State Road 559 near Amazon’s warehouse facilities. The buildings will have a total of 896,400 sqft, and construction is expected to finish early next year. 🏗 (Business Observer)
Outdoors
City commissioners voted to change rental fees for city-owned facilities + add a $10 fee for youth athletic league players, citing an increase in operational costs. Rental costs for some facilities, including the Lake Mirror Auditorium,will increase, while the Lake Crago Recreation Complex’s large room will cost less to rent. (The Ledger)
Cause
Tickets are now on sale for the second Engage Lakeland Dream Center Banquet happening on Tues., Sept. 27 at 6:30 p.m. at Victory Church(1401 Griffin Rd.). Purchase a ticket or sponsor a table to enjoy a steak dinner while learning about the Dream Center’s community impact.
Concert
Music to our ears. Local artist Michael McArthurwill play songs from his new album “MilkyStars” at the Polk Theatre on Sat., Sept. 24 at 8 p.m. Tickets include a copy of the album. Pro tip: Stream it on Spotify or Apple Music when it releases Fri., Sept. 16. 🎶
Opening
Reservations are now available at Purrology Cafe, a new cat café located at 5343 S. Florida Ave. For $12 an hour, you can mingle with adoptable cats + order specialty drinks made with Patriot Coffee. The café opens next Tues., Sept. 13. and it’s sure to be the cat’s meow. 🐈
Feel Good
Nonprofit organization Inspired Ambitious Young Believers (IAYB) is spreading positivity in Mulberry through community outreach + motivational murals. The latest mural, featuring painted handprints and the word “believe,” can be found in Spence Park. Learn more about IAYB’s mission and outreach activities here. (The Ledger)
Recently, Publix Employees Federal Credit Union helped seven local Title I schoolsadd reading corners to their libraries, each with anew seating areaand easy-to-read financial literacy books for students. 📚 *
Talk
Celebrate Constitution Day on Thurs., Sept. 15 with an event at Southeastern University from 10-11 a.m. Hear a talk from Florida Supreme Court Justice Charles T. Canady and register to vote with a representative of the Polk County Supervisor of Elections Office on-site from 9-11 a.m. 🇺🇸
Eat
Changes are coming to Black & Brew, including an updated online ordering platform and rewards program. To implement the changes, the downtown location will close early at 3 p.m. on Sun., Sept. 11 and the Lake Morton location will close early at 3 p.m. on Sun., Sept. 18.
Date night idea: A trip to Italy. Experiencethe flavors of Italy without leaving Lakeland at Wine and Dine: The Italian Riviera on Fri., Sept. 16. This demonstration-style cooking class (read: let their chefs do the cooking while you watch + learn) will serve up seafood stew, steak scallopini, wine + more. 🍷 *
Drink
Spice up your life with a pumpkin spice cafe con leche from La Imperial Bakery. Order yours hot or iced for the perfect autumn drink — it’s only available until Wed., Nov. 30.
Biz
Lights, camera, action. Need a place to bring your digital ideas to life? Enter: The Media Room at Catapult. The room is equipped with three different colored backdrops, controllable overhead studio lighting + more. Book the room. 📸 *
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Try This
The jig(saw) is up 🧩
Solve this Lake Morton puzzle
Can you solve this with no hints? | Photo by LALtoday, video via Jigsaw Planet
Still confused on what day it is after having Monday off? It might be time to sharpen your mind with another puzzle. When complete, this one will reveal a relaxing lakeside spot at Lake Morton, which fits perfectly after reading the neighborhood guide above. We made it slightly more difficult, but you can change the difficulty settings to your liking.
Try it here to see if you can beat last week’s time and tell us how you fare. If you missed the last puzzle, you can put together the pieces to reveal Lake Mirrorhere — noticing a theme?
THE WRAP
Today’s edition was written by Connor.
Editor’s pick: In my opinion, the best things about the South Lake Morton historic district are the historic homes. I love bungalows + Mediterranean revival styles the most, but you can read all about the different architectural styles of Lakeland’s historic homeshere.
Missed yesterday’s newsletter? Meet the new LALtoday membershipprogram, here.
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