Walk Lakeland

By Alan Macher

Published: December 2, 2008

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Before my first visit, I thought of Lakeland as the home of Publix, the supermarket chain headquartered there since the 1920s, and the spring training home of the Detroit Tigers, who have been there almost as long.

Lakeland is a place where you can spend more than a day exploring parks and gardens, admiring historic downtown buildings restored to their former luster, and discovering a community where art and culture abound.

The first thing you need to know: Lakeland has a lot of lakes – just 38 of them have names. A good place to start a walking tour is Lake Mirror Park, where you can circle the lake on a wide walkway accented by ornate 1920s-style pillars.

A stairway leads to another Lakeland treasure, Hollis Garden, overlooking the lake. This 1.2-acre garden features more than 10,000 flowers, ornamental shrubs and trees, organized into 16 themed sections called "rooms." One of my favorites was Trees of Americana, descendants of historic trees such as the Helen Keller Water Oak.

For lunch, I stopped next door at the Garden Bistro, where I dined on the cozy terrace. As I headed up Main Street into downtown, I noticed people enjoying sweeping city views from rocking chairs on the Terrace Hotel's wide veranda. Drawn into the lobby, I was impressed with the black-and-white tile, nostalgic wicker furnishings and oversized, arching windows overlooking a lake.

Built in 1924, the Terrace was the city's first grand hotel. Although it was refurbished in 1998, the owners kept the original style while adding modern amenities. Guest rooms are furnished with soft colors and fabrics, reflecting an airy Florida feel.

I continued my stroll through the historic district along old-style brick paver sidewalks adorned with early 20th-century lamps. Tree-lined streets are flanked by restored brick buildings, some dating back to 1903.

The streets have flavorful names such as Lemon, Orange and Lime. Along Lemon Street, sculptures by finalists in the Florida Sculpture Competition are on display. From October through April, Kaleidoscope, a public fund-raising art project, will place 88 aluminum butterflies with wingspans ranging from four to seven feet in the downtown area.

Along North Kentucky Avenue, dozens of shops are brimming with antiques and art works. The Patchwork Pig, a quilt shop in a building with its original turret, has old hardwood floors and exposed brick walls.

Gloria Brooke, a potter, was the first local artist to settle in the historic district 17 years ago. Today, the Brooke Pottery shop overflows with the works of some 400 artists, displaying pottery, glass, wood and jewelry. Some of this stuff looked pricey, but I saw some attractive small pieces in the $10-$20 range.

From the outside, the Polk Theatre's basic brick front and original marquee give no hint of what awaits inside. The ornate, Mediterranean-style interior opens to a starry ceiling that creates a sunrise/sunset effect, making it a rare atmospheric theater. I sat in one of the plush seats and imagined being there on opening night, in 1928, during the golden age of cinema. Restored in 1999, the 1,400-seat theatre now features independent films and live entertainment.

Visitors traveling with kids shouldn't miss the Explorations V Children's Museum, a hands-on place of imagination and discovery. I soon realized you don't have to be a child to enjoy this place. Staffer Brenda Paul told me that parents enjoy sharing the learning experience. The most popular exhibits are a pint-size supermarket (Publix of course), complete with tiny shopping carts, and a miniature TV news anchor desk. Kids are shown on TV monitors as they read the news from prepared scripts (or sometimes make up their own).

A half-mile from downtown is the Polk Museum of Art. On the way, I passed by Lake Morton, a bird sanctuary filled with swans, ducks, herons, geese and loons, among others. The cast of bird characters seems to change every day, so bring a camera and some bread – they'll come even closer to meet you.

At the Polk Museum of Art, I expected fine works in the four permanent collections: Asian, Pre-Columbian, American/European decorative, and modern and contemporary art. But I was surprised to find the visiting show Women Only, innovative works by 20 nationally recognized women artists. The dramatic centerpiece, The Garden, a 6-foot by 6-foot-8-inch acrylic and fabric collage on canvas, was the work of Miriam Schapiro, a founder of the women's art movement.

Up the hill from the museum is Florida Southern College, home to the largest number of buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. How did the work of this renowned architect end up in Lakeland? It turns out that Dr. Ludd Spivey, the former president of Florida Southern, was a big fan of Wright. In the 1930s, he commissioned Wright to design buildings for the college. From 1941-1958, a dozen structures were completed.

Approaching the west campus, a Wright-designed covered esplanade weaves along for a mile and a half, linking many of his buildings. In the distance stands one of my favorite buildings, the Annie Pfeiffer Chapel, completed in 1941 with student labor. Its lofty tower, with its whimsical design, is known locally as "the bow tie."

For more information on discovering history and culture in the Lakeland area, visit www.lakelandchamber.com or call the Lakeland Area Chamber of Commerce at 863-688-8551.

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