Lakeland History Room

Hours: 

Mon - Thurs. - 9 am - 7 pm
Fri - Sat: 9 am - 5 pm
Sun: 1:30 pm - 5 pm

Lakeland History Room Librarian Supervisor: LuAnn Mims
Ph: 863.834.4269
Email: luann.mims@lakelandgov.net

Image from the Greetings from Lakeland postcard collection

• Using the Lakeland History Room

  Services: 

  • Research assistance with local history 
  • House/property records research 
  • Family Genealogy, Newspapers and Obituaries — please contact LuAnn Mims at 863.834.4269 or email LuAnn.Mims@lakelandgov.net
  • DIY Digitize Lab — guided assistance by appointment only to reformat analog materials to digital formats (excluding film). Please contact Rebecca Whalon to schedule an appointment in the DIY workspace at 863.834.4212 or email Rebecca.Whalon@lakelandgov.net

   

• Digital Collections

  The Lakeland History Room collection features a variety of materials—documents, photographs, maps, building plans, audio/visual media, and scrapbooks with specialty items like citrus crate labels, artwork, yearbooks, posters, and postcards. There are also 8000+ images viewable online via our Digital Collection on CONTENTdm.

  Click on the icons below to explore digital collections, photo albums, and story maps of Lakeland history:

                      

                        

   

• In-Person Classes and Self-Paced Learning

  In-Person Classes 

  Genealogy:

  • Generators – meets the first Monday of each month @6pm- is an ad hoc group that discusses genealogical topics of interest
  • Beginning Genealogy – offered twice a year – basic introduction to researching your family history
  • Get Started with Ancestry.com – offered twice a year – guided tour through the premier genealogical database
  • Focus on Family Search – offered twice a year – step by step look at this FREE family history resources

  Archival:

  • Photograph Preservation instruction offered in person twice a year to introduce reformatting from analog to digital concepts

  ---

  Self-Paced Learning: Organizing and Preserving Your Materials

  Trying to get your personal memorabilia better organized?  Start with the Personal Archiving at Home video series. These short videos give detailed instruction on how to take care of your treasured memorabilia – photographs, slides, negatives, papers, audio and video tapes and more. Topics include preservation, storage, digitization, standard formatting, organization tips and adding to your family archives.

  Part I: Historic Preservation
  Part II: Organization & Maintenance
  Part III: Digitization

   

• Lakeland History and Culture Center Lecture Series

  Lakeland Downtown Revitalization, A Brief History 
  with James H. Edwards, AICP
  Lakeland Public Library 
  October 10th at 5:30 PM 

  Join us at the Lakeland Public Library on Thursday, October 10th at 5:30 PM as James H. Edwards, AICP, former Executive Directors of the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority and Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency, presents "Lakeland Downtown Revitalization, A Brief History."

  Jim Edwards is a Lakeland native and student of Lakeland history.  He was the Executive Director of the Lakeland Downtown Development Authority and Lakeland Community Redevelopment Agency from 1987 until 2000. During that time, Downtown Lakeland’s economic fortunes improved dramatically.

  Find out more information about "Lakeland Downtown Revitalization, A Brief History"  No registration is required.

   

  ---

  Life In A Phosphate Town 
  with Richard A. Fifer
  Lakeland Public Library 
  November 7th at 5:30 PM 

  Join us at the Lakeland Public Library on Thursday, November 7th at 5:30 PM as Richard A. Fifer presents "Life In A Phosphate Town"

  Richard Fifer lived in the phosphate mining town of Pierce until age 8 when his family moved to Lakeland.  He shares his personal memories and extensive research on the phosphate industry of Central Florida through presentations and numerous written publications.  He serves on the Board of Polk County Historical Association and on the Polk County Historical Commission.

  Find out more information about "Life In A Phosphate Town"  No registration is required.

• History Tours

  Lakeland History Room Staff host historical walking tours for the public featuring Lakeland history, as well as providing curated exhibit tours of the Lakeland History and Culture Center.

  • Stories and Stones – Saturdays (check dates/registration) monthly walk and talk biographical tours of Lakeland’s oldest cemeteries – Roselawn, Tigers Flowers and Lake View
  • Green Hat and White Gloves – Second Tuesdays monthly (check dates and registration) walking tour of Lake Mirror with “Serena Bailey” Lakeland’s first librarian (1929-1959)
  • Ties that Bind, 1880-1925 – Lakeland’s Formative Years – curated exhibit tour available by appointment

   

  For more information contact, LuAnn Mims: 863.834.4269, LuAnn.Mims@lakelandgov.net 

• Lakeland History & Culture Center

  Opened on September 8, 2022, the Lakeland History and Culture Center features a 1400 square foot exhibit space dedicated to telling the many stories of our community.

  The current exhibit, Ties That Bind: 1880-1925, Lakeland's Formative Years, showcases the early days of Lakeland's founding and incorporation, as well as the role of the railroads in helping to build and develop the area.

  ---

  Learn more about the Lakeland History & Culture Center.

Popular at the Lakeland History Room

• 

  Ancestry.com

  Start your family history search here at the library! Ancestry.com offers free access to all library patrons. (In library only)

• 

  Look for the Helpers...

  Our story begins with you...what better way to tell the many stories of Lakeland and its history, than visually by showcasing highlights from our Flickr digital collection.   

  Check out our featured album:

  Look for the Helpers...

  Enjoy this photographic stroll through the commitment to service of Lakeland's Police Department, Fire Department and Emergency personnel through the years.

   

• 

  Lakeland Stories Feature: Lakeland Public Library

  Discover more about Lakeland’s History through Stories! 

  In 1941, the City of Lakeland began construction of a second airport, called Drane Field, in southwest Lakeland. After the U.S. entered World War II, the U.S. Army took over the airport and renamed it Lakeland Army Air Field, which served as a training center for the 3rd Air Force for the duration of the war. The City received control of the base back from the military in 1946, and National Airlines began flying passenger flights from Drane Field in 1947. The City eventually sold its other airport, Lodwick Field, to raise funds to help improve Drane Field, opening the first terminal building and hosting its first airshow in 1960, setting the stage for further growth and change for the airport in the subsequent decades.

   

As a convenience and for informational purposes only, the City of Lakeland provides external hyperlinks on its website, directing website users towards certain outside sites; links to these websites do not constitute the City of Lakeland’s endorsement or approval of linked websites, or the information, products or services contained therein. All links the City of Lakeland Provides are consistent with the mission of its website. However, the City of Lakeland exercises no editorial control over the information website users may find on external websites. The City of Lakeland also cannot attest to the accuracy or appropriateness of information provided by external websites and organizations.