Old Lakeland High School, high school in Florida, United States
Old Lakeland High School is a three-story red brick building completed in 1926 and displaying late Gothic Revival features such as pointed arches and decorative details. The structure was designed by Edward Columbus Hosford and has housed several educational institutions over the decades, including the Polk Opportunity Center and Lakeland Middle Academy.
The structure opened in 1926 as Lakeland High School and reflected the town's commitment to education during that period. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1993, and a connection to state history emerged when former Florida governor Lawton Chiles, an alumnus of the high school, was honored through a school renaming in 1999.
The building is named after its original function and serves as a familiar reference point for residents and visitors navigating the area. Its pointed arches and decorative stonework reflect how education was celebrated in the town's early design and shows what architectural styles meant to the community at that time.
The structure sits on Florida Avenue and is easy to locate and observe on foot from the street. Visitors can view its distinctive architecture from the exterior and explore the surrounding area to discover other historic buildings and traces of the town's early development.
The building once faced demolition to make way for a new police station, but community members successfully advocated for its preservation and the city found an alternative location. This rescue shows how much residents value their local landmarks and demonstrates the power of collective action to protect pieces of the town's past.
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