Highland City, Florida facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Highland City, Florida
Census-designated place
Location in Polk County and the state of Florida
Country	United States
State	Florida
County	Polk
Area
• Total	7.91 sq mi (20.48 km2)
• Land	7.88 sq mi (20.42 km2)
• Water	0.02 sq mi (0.05 km2)
Elevation	118 ft (36 m)
Population  (2020)
• Total	12,355
• Density	1,566.90/sq mi (604.96/km2)
Time zone	UTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
• Summer (DST)	UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP code33846	33812
Area code(s)	863
FIPS code	12-30225
GNIS feature ID	0284002

Highland City is a community in Polk County, Florida, United States. It is called a "census-designated place" (CDP). This means it's an area that the U.S. Census Bureau defines for collecting statistics. It is not an officially incorporated city with its own local government. In 2020, about 12,355 people lived here. Highland City is part of the larger Lakeland–Winter Haven metropolitan area.

History of Highland City

Early Beginnings

The area known today as Highland City was once the location of Fort Fraser. The United States Army built this fort in 1837 during a war with the Seminole Indians. Zachary Taylor, who later became a U.S. President, was in charge of the fort for a short time. Fort Fraser was left empty soon after it was built.

The Railroad and Haskell

In 1885, a railroad line called the Pemberton Ferry Branch was finished. It connected the cities of Lakeland and Bartow. The only stop between these two cities was in the area that is now Highland City. This stop, and the small village that grew around it, was named Haskell. It was named after the Haskell brothers, who were early investors in the South Florida Railroad. E. B. Haskell was a newspaper owner, and his brother, Dr. C. C. Haskell, helped start the railroad.

The railroad company built a freight depot in Haskell. This building was along the road that later became U.S. Highway 98. In 1958, the old depot was taken down and a new one was built. Thomas A. Goode became the first postmaster and freight agent in Haskell on February 9, 1887.

Growth and Incorporation

By 1924, a developer named W. F. Hallam began to build up the Lakeland Highlands area. He built the Hallam Country Clubhouse, and the road leading to it became Clubhouse Road. This new development brought many new people to the Haskell community.

In 1925, the Florida government officially made the community of Haskell an incorporated city. At the same time, its name was officially changed to Highlands City. The city then elected its first leaders:

However, the city's official area was made smaller in 1927 because of a legal case. This ended the community's short time as an incorporated city.

The Name Highland City

It's common for people to mistakenly add an 'S' to "Highland," calling it "Highlands City." For example, when a new train depot was built in 1958, its sign incorrectly said "Highlands City." A local newspaper reporter, Courtland Anderson, pointed out this mistake in his photo caption of the new depot.

When the community was briefly an incorporated city in the 1920s, the name used the plural form, "Highlands City."

Modern Community Life

Fire Protection

The Highland City Volunteer Fire Department (HCVFD) works with the Polk County Fire Department. Together, they protect the Highland City area from fires. For many years, the HCVFD was run entirely by volunteers. Later, Polk County combined many of its fire districts. Because of this, the Highland City fire station became an official Polk County Fire Station. It is now under the command of the Fire Chief of Polk County.

Community Group and Trails

By 1996, the people of Highland City had formed an active community group. This group worked to make the area more beautiful, improve public services, and make neighborhoods safer.

On December 9, 2006, the Fort Fraser Trail officially opened. This trail is 7.75 miles long and is used for walking and biking. It stretches from the Polk State College campus south to Bartow.

Geography of Highland City

Highland City is located at 27°57′46″N 81°52′46″W / 27.96278°N 81.87944°W / 27.96278; -81.87944.

According to the United States Census Bureau, the community covers about 0.8 square miles (2.1 square kilometers) of land.

Highland City's street addresses are part of the Lakeland street system. Most street names include "SE," meaning they are southeast of Lakeland's main intersection. However, many people feel that Highland City is more connected to Bartow than to Lakeland. For example, Highland City Elementary School students usually go on to Bartow Middle School and Bartow High School. Unlike its nearby neighbor, Lakeland Highlands, which is a wealthier area, Highland City is a working-class community with many mobile homes.

Highland City is located on U.S. Highway 98. It is northwest of Bartow and east of Lakeland Highlands. The approximate borders of Highland City are County Road 540A to the south, Clubhouse Road to the north, Strickland Avenue to the west, and 1st Street SE to the east.

Population Information

In 2000, there were 2,051 people living in Highland City. There were 766 households, and 562 of these were families. The population density was about 2,475 people per square mile (956 people per square kilometer). There were 818 housing units.

The people living in Highland City in 2000 were mostly White (83.72%). About 10.24% were African American, and smaller percentages were Native American, Asian, or Pacific Islander. About 13.12% of the population identified as Hispanic or Latino.

About 43.1% of households had children under 18 living with them. About 48.4% were married couples. The average household had 2.68 people, and the average family had 3.13 people.

The population was spread out by age:

• 33.3% were under 18 years old.
• 7.8% were between 18 and 24.
• 32.8% were between 25 and 44.
• 17.5% were between 45 and 64.
• 8.7% were 65 years or older.

The median age was 30 years.

In 2000, the median income for a household in Highland City was $31,823. For a family, the median income was $36,250. About 9.5% of families and 13.5% of the total population lived below the poverty line. This included 19.9% of those under 18 and 15.5% of those 65 or older.

See also

In Spanish: Highland City para niños