Chain of Lakes (Winter Haven) facts for kids
The Chain of Lakes is a famous group of lakes in Central Florida. There are two main parts: the northern chain and the southern chain.
The northern chain stretches across three cities: Winter Haven, Lake Alfred, and Lake Hamilton. It has ten lakes connected by canals. These lakes include Lake Haines, Lake Rochelle, Lake Echo, Lake Conine, Lake Fannie, Lake Smart, Lake Henry, Lake Hamilton, Middle Lake Hamilton, and Little Lake Hamilton.
The southern chain is mostly in the city of Winter Haven. It has 16 lakes, and sometimes 18, all connected by canals. The main 16 lakes are Lake Howard, Lake Cannon, Lake Shipp, Lake Jessie, Lake Hartridge, Lake Lulu, Lake Roy, Lake Eloise, Little Lake Eloise, Lake Winterset, Little Lake Winterset, Lake May, Lake Mirror, Lake Idylwild, Spring Lake, and Lake Summit. When there's a lot of water, Lake Blue and Lake Marianna also connect to the southern chain.
Understanding the Lakes: Water Quality
The Chain of Lakes is where the Peace River starts. The southern chain covers about 4,331 acres (about 17.5 square kilometers). The biggest lake in the southern chain is Lake Eloise, which is about 1,174 acres (about 4.75 square kilometers). The smallest is Spring Lake, at 24 acres (about 0.1 square kilometers).
Scientists have found that these lakes naturally have high levels of tannins. Tannins are natural plant materials that can make the water look brown. They also contain nutrients for algae and plants. Scientists use something called the Trophic state index (TSI) to measure water health. For these lakes, a healthy TSI number should be 60 or higher.
Right now, many lakes in both chains are listed as 'impaired' by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. This means the water quality isn't as good as it should be for swimming and fishing. The impaired lakes have TSI numbers below 60.
The Chain of Lakes is very important for the health of the whole region's water system. Many groups, like the city of Winter Haven, Polk County, and the state of Florida, are working to make the water cleaner. However, more buildings and people moving to the area can make it harder to keep the lakes healthy for the future. Everyone living nearby needs to help protect these special lakes.
A Look Back: History of the Lakes
The first people to live around the Chain of Lakes were the Calusa tribe. Later, the Creek and Seminole tribes also lived and hunted here. The Seminole people called the entire chain of lakes "We-hi-ack-pa."
European and American settlers didn't arrive until 1842. This was when a law called the Armed Occupation Act encouraged people to move to Florida. Some lakes were named by these early settlers. For example, Lake Eloise was named after the daughter of the first American settler on that lake.
In the 1840s and 1850s, the United States government began surveying the area. In 1849, Dr. John Westcott mapped the lakes. He named several lakes after his friends, like Lake Howard, Lake Hartridge, and Lake Conine. He also named a lake "Lake Canon" because of his religious beliefs, but U.S. Army map-makers later changed it to Lake Cannon during the Seminole Wars. Some small battles during the Seminole Wars happened on the lakes. A Seminole leader named Chipco lived near Lake Hamilton during the Second Seminole War.
In 1883, Henry Plant built the first railroad through Polk County, right through the Chain of Lakes area. Some lakes were named by the railroad workers. Lake Haines is named after Col. Henry Haines, a railroad official. He was an important engineer who helped build the tracks over the wet areas. Nearby Lake Henry and Haines City are also named after him.
By 1900, about 400 people lived in the area. The city of Winter Haven officially became a city in 1911. In the 1920s and 1930s, the citrus industry grew a lot. Thousands of acres of orange and grapefruit groves were planted along the lakes. Many beautiful homes were also built along the Chain of Lakes during this time.
In 1936, Dick and Julie Pope opened Cypress Gardens on Lake Eloise. Through their efforts to promote their theme park, Dick Pope Sr. helped make the Chain of Lakes famous around the world. Later, Chain of Lakes Park was built on Lake Lulu in 1966. This park was used for spring training by baseball teams like the Boston Red Sox and the Cleveland Indians. The area has continued to grow ever since.
Getting Around the Lakes: Transportation
The first railroad line built by Henry Plant and Col. Henry Haines passed near Lake Henry and Lake Haines.
Today, major roads near the Chain of Lakes include U.S. 17, U.S. 92, State Road 544, and State Road 540. You can also find Jack Browns Seaplane Base on Lake Jessie.
For fun, there's a paved path called the Chain of Lakes Trail. It's great for hiking and biking!
