Eagle Lake, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Eagle Lake, Florida
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| City of Eagle Lake | |
Overlooking Eagle Lake at sunset.
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| Motto(s):
"Growing With People In Mind"
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Location in Polk County and the state of Florida
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 Eagle Lake, Florida
Location in Florida
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| Country | United States of America |
| State | Florida |
| County | Polk |
| Settled | Circa 1880 |
| Incorporated | 1921 |
| Government | |
| • Type | Commission–Manager |
| Area | |
| • Total | 4.21 sq mi (10.90 km2) |
| • Land | 2.38 sq mi (6.17 km2) |
| • Water | 1.83 sq mi (4.73 km2) |
| Elevation | 171 ft (52 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 3,008 |
| • Density | 1,262.27/sq mi (487.43/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
33839
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| Area code(s) | 863 |
| FIPS code | 12-18875 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2403526 |
| Website | http://www.eaglelakefl.gov |
Eagle Lake is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area. Most of the town being centered around a subsection of U.S. Highway 17. The population was 3,008 as of 2020.
Contents
History
Eagle Lake began c. 1880 as a settlement when John Bingham purchased 160 acres on a knoll between the areas now known as Eagle Lake, Crystal Lake, and Spirit Lake. He named the lake on which his original cabin was constructed Eagle Lake because of a nesting in a nearby pine tree. About the same time, in 1882, Louisa McLeod purchased 115 acres in the area to the east. As the land was sold, the city began to take shape and was laid out around 1887.
Earlier on, Eagle Lake was known for its local businesses. These included a brickyard, a turpentine mill, and two citrus packing houses that were both lost in the 1940s. During the mid 1950s and into the 1960s, the city was host to a wooden bathing house with dressing rooms, long wooden covered dock, dance hall, picnic facilities, and a diving platform at the Crystal Beach Pavilion on the southwest side of Eagle Lake. During the 1980s, the city adopted the motto "Growing with People in Mind". It continues to be the tenet of the city today.
Geography
Eagle Lake is located within the Central Florida Highlands area of the Atlantic coastal plain, with a terrain consisting of flatland interspersed with gently rolling hills.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 1.4 square miles (3.6 km2), of which 1.4 square miles (3.6 km2) is land and 0.1 square miles (0.26 km2) (3.50%) is water.
Climate
Eagle Lake is located in the humid subtropical climate zone, as designated by (Köppen climate classification: Cfa).
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
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| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1930 | 600 | — | |
| 1940 | 862 | 43.7% | |
| 1950 | 1,060 | 23.0% | |
| 1960 | 1,364 | 28.7% | |
| 1970 | 1,373 | 0.7% | |
| 1980 | 1,678 | 22.2% | |
| 1990 | 1,758 | 4.8% | |
| 2000 | 2,496 | 42.0% | |
| 2010 | 2,255 | −9.7% | |
| 2020 | 3,008 | 33.4% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 and 2020 census
| Race | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
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| White (NH) | 1,628 | 1,663 | 72.20% | 55.29% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 157 | 424 | 6.96% | 14.10% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 10 | 7 | 0.44% | 0.23% |
| Asian (NH) | 49 | 51 | 2.17% | 1.70% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) | 0 | 1 | 0.00% | 0.03% |
| Some other race (NH) | 10 | 28 | 0.44% | 0.93% |
| Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) | 38 | 116 | 1.69% | 3.86% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 363 | 718 | 16.10% | 23.87% |
| Total | 2,255 | 3,008 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 3,008 people, 796 households, and 573 families residing in the city.
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 2,255 people, 641 households, and 462 families residing in the city.
Library
The Eagle Lake Public Library is a member of the Polk County Library Cooperative. The library is located at 75 North Seventh Street Eagle Lake, Florida 33839. It is a part of the city hall complex.
Transportation
The main highway going through town is U.S. 17. At the southern end of town, the highway divides into two three-three lane one way segments, with the northbound section on 5th Street and the southbound segment on 4th Street. On the north side of town, the two segments converge to become. a six-lane divided highway. US 17 leads northward to Winter Haven and southward to Bartow. Eagle Lake also intersects with County Road 540. This thoroughfare provides access to State Road 570 and U.S. 98 for travel to nearby Lakeland, FL, and major metropolitan cities Tampa and Orlando. Eagle Lake is also located close to Bartow Municipal Airport. This location provides a travel hub for private flights in and out of the Central Florida area.
Education
Public schools
Public schools in Eagle Lake (and all of Polk County) are operated by Polk County Public Schools.
- Eagle Lake Elementary
- Pinewood Elementary
- Lake Region High School
Colleges and universities
- Polk State College has campuses located in Lakeland, Winter Haven, and Lake Wales.
- Florida Polytechnic University is located within about 15 minutes of the city.
- Florida Southern College and Southeastern University are located in Lakeland.
- Warner University is located in Lake Wales.
- Webber International University is located in Babson Park.
Recreation and leisure
The city has a baseball / softball complex that has three 200' fields and one 275' field. Additionally, the City Hall complex hosts basketball, racquetball and shuffleboard courts, as well as a skate park and playground for children.
There are also two boat ramps available for access to Lake McLeod and Eagle Lake. At the Eagle Lake ramp, there is also a municipal park that has a pavilion, playground, beach, and restroom facilities.
