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91º | Scattered thunderstorms | 60% chance of rain | Sunrise 7:04 a.m. | Sunset 7:53 p.m.
 
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Putting a name to the place

What’s that Lakeland landmark named after?
marble arcade
The Marble Arcade, c. 1900 | Photo via Florida Memory
What’s in a name? We’re uncovering the mysteries behind the monikers of some of Lakeland’s most famous landmarks. See how many locations’ backstories you know.

Marble Arcade

This downtown high-rise at 129 S. Kentucky Ave. was built in 1926, and unfortunately its name doesn’t mean you’ll find any games there. The name comes from its original “arcade” architectural style (think: A succession of arches like the Coliseum in Rome) lined with black marble.

Joker Marchant Stadium

You won’t find Batman hanging around at any Lakeland Flying Tigers games. The team’s stadium is named after Marcus “Joker” Marchant, Lakeland’s first Parks and Recreation director, who helped bring TigerTown to life.

The exterior of a green two-story building with "Peggy Brown Center" etched into a stone sign. The entryway is an open arch and a palm tree stands in front of the left corner.

Look for the Peggy Brown Building around Lake Mirror — it’s the green one next to Barnett Family Park.

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Photo by LALtoday

Peggy Brown Building

This public building on Lake Mirror gets its name from one of Lakeland’s former mayors and longest-serving commissioners. Peggy C. Brown was elected as mayor of Lakeland in 1976 and 1984, and she served on the City Commission from 1974 to 1995.

Lake Crago

This man-made lake was named in 1964 to honor Arthur Crago, a Polk County resident who worked in the phosphate industry, revolutionizing some of its processes. Arthur was also devoted to land conservation and repair, earning the Conservationist of the Year award from the Kiwanis Club in 1965.

Cleveland Heights

In 1923, Lakeland was looking to grow by adding a neighborhood. Enter real estate developer H.A. Stahl. He bought 560 acres of land for just under a million dollars and named the area after his hometown of — surprise, surprise — Cleveland, OH. Who knows how the neighborhood might have transformed if the Great Depression hadn’t caused the development to switch hands?

Is there another name you want to know the history behind? Drop us a line in our survey below and we’ll see what we can find.
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B. I knew some, but some were surprising.
C. No, I learned something new.
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Events
Friday, Aug. 18
  • Growing & Cooking with Herbs | Friday, Aug. 18 | 12-1 p.m. | The Peggy Brown Building, 215 S. Lake Ave., Lakeland | Free | Join UF/IFAS Extension Polk County to learn about herbs that grow well in Central Florida and get tips on how to use them in meals.
  • Haus Gets Bloomed | Friday, Aug. 18 | 4-7 p.m. | Haus 820, 820 N. Massachusetts Ave., Lakeland | Free | Bring your camera to capture content with florals by Bloom Shakalaka at this drop-in event.
Saturday, Aug. 19
  • Jeremiah’s Italian Ice Grand Opening | Saturday, Aug. 19-Sunday, Aug. 20 | 12-10 p.m. | Jeremiah’s Italian Ice of Lakeland, 2117 E. County Rd. 540A, Lakeland | Free entry | Visit Lakeland’s newest Italian ice spot for its grand opening — free samples, deals, and prizes are up for grabs.
  • Cypress Gardens Water Ski Show | Saturday, Aug. 19 | 5 p.m. | Martin Luther King Jr. Park, 199 Lake Silver Dr., Winter Haven | Free | Bring a lawn chair or blanket to watch astounding stunts by this team that’s been water skiing for over 100 years.
Sunday, Aug. 20
  • Fine Art at the Magnolia | Saturday, Aug. 19-Sunday, Aug. 20 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Magnolia Building, 702 E. Orange St., Lakeland | Free | Attend this indoor art show to see works by 19 artists, including featured artist Beth Garcia.
  • Shoreline Sunday | Sunday, Aug. 20 | 2-5 p.m. | Swan Brewing, 115 W. Pine St., Lakeland | Free entry | Enjoy an afternoon on the shores of Lake Wire with live music by John Frinzi, drinks, and food truck eats from Umami Smoke.
Events calendar here
Click here to have your event featured.
Travel

The cheapest US destinations to fly to, according to travel experts
A plane flying over a blue sky, possibly to a cheap US destination, with palm trees below.
Start dreaming of your next vacation. | Photo by Tom Cattini via Pexels
Our partners at Going search for cheap flights for a living (and then email you about them for free). Check out their list of the cheapest destinations in the US to fly to, including:

No. 3: San Francisco

  • Last year, the Going team found 89 flight deals here.
  • Fun fact: San Francisco International Airport has direct flights from 88 US cities.

No. 2: Los Angeles

  • Going finds ~10 deals per month to LA — like Chicago to LA for $138 roundtrip.
See the No. 1 cheapest place
News Notes
Development
  • The Planning and Zoning Board will hear from city planners before potentially voting on a new freestanding HCA Healthcare ER next month. If approved, the healthcare provider would build an 11,570-sqft facility at 1075 Carpenters Way. (The Ledger)
Real Estate
  • On the market for a new pad? A $4.5 million ranch-style house and farm on Moore Road in north Lakeland are up for sale. The property includes 310 acres of land, is zoned for agritourism, and even has space to add an airstrip. (Mansion Global)
Award
  • Lauren Albaum, Florida Southern College’s Vice President of Student Life, was recognized in Tampa Bay Business Journal’s latest 40 Under 40 class. She was selected for the list due to her influence on higher education. (Tampa Bay Business Journal)
Environment
  • Give your feedback on local water priorities at the Southwest Florida Water Management District’s public workshop. Join virtually on Wednesday, Aug. 23 at 5:30 p.m. to share your thoughts on minimum water levels + flows and creating water reservations. (The Ledger)
Civic
  • County officials objected to a state consent order allowing BS Ranch & Farm to remain open. Although the order requires operational improvements, Polk County says that the recycling facility has not been compliant for several years and has received many complaints. (The Ledger)
Edu
  • Does your child know what they want to be when they grow up? PCPS will host a College and Career Fair for all students and parents on Tuesday, Aug. 29 at Florida Southern College’s Jenkins Field House. Attend to learn about opportunities at several colleges and local businesses.
Pets
  • The dog days of summer continue at Bonnet Springs Park’s Bark & Brunch event. The park will celebrate International Dog Day on Saturday, Aug. 26 with dog-centric businesses, brunch by Our Noire Kitchen, and pet adoptions on site.
Biz
  • We frequently share about the many Lakelander entrepreneurs who got their start at Catapult — but do you know how Catapult got its start? See the story of how an experiment in an empty basement led to becoming a 40,000-sqft entrepreneurial center.*
Finance
  • One card, all the perks. A $200 welcome bonus, unlimited cash back, and 0% interest into 2024 all with no annual fee almost sounds too good to be true — but this card has it all.*
 
History

Let’s keep the name game going

A guide to Lakeland’s streets + the history behind them
Two street signs at a crossing for Hollingsworth Road and Lake Hollingsworth Drive
Even Lakeland’s street signs are filled with history. | Photo by LALtoday
We’ve told you the stories behind the names of places, but what about Lakeland’s iconic street names? Join us for a virtual drive around town.

Drane Field Road | In the 1940s, Lakeland established a new airport named after local congressman Herbert J. Drane. Decades later, it was renamed Lakeland Linder International Airport.

Eunice Road | This street is named after Eunice Pipkin Barnes of Florida Southern College’s founding Pipkin family. She attended FSC in the 1920s and was the top student in her class. Later, Eunice and her husband lived near campus and helped develop the surrounding area.

Hollingsworth Road | This historic road and lake are named after early pioneer John Henry Hollingsworth. John settled in the area back in the 1840s, when it was called “Middle Lakeland,” residing in the area for less than a decade.
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The Wrap
 
Connor-Keith-Headshot-LAL

Today’s edition by:
Connor
From the editor
One place I’m always learning something new about local history is the City’s Instagram account. They usually share #FlashbackFriday posts with historic photos and stories, like this one about the downtown Silver Palace drugstore with a soda counter. Keep an eye out for a new one today.
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