Lake Alfred, Florida facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Lake Alfred, Florida
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| City of Lake Alfred | |
Location in Polk County and the state of Florida
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| Country | United States of America |
| State | Florida |
| County | Polk |
| Incorporated | 1915 |
| Area | |
| • Total | 13.10 sq mi (33.93 km2) |
| • Land | 9.20 sq mi (23.82 km2) |
| • Water | 3.90 sq mi (10.10 km2) |
| Elevation | 131 ft (40 m) |
| Population
(2020)
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| • Total | 6,374 |
| • Density | 692.90/sq mi (267.54/km2) |
| Time zone | UTC-5 (Eastern (EST)) |
| • Summer (DST) | UTC-4 (EDT) |
| ZIP code |
33850
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| Area code(s) | 863 |
| FIPS code | 12-37525 |
| GNIS feature ID | 2404856 |
Lake Alfred is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was approximately 6,374 at the 2020 US census.
Contents
History
The city was established soon after the South Florida Railroad reached the area in 1883. It had a number of early names, including Fargo, Chubb and Bartow Junction.
The settlement was named Fargo by snowbirds escaping the cold of Fargo, North Dakota. They at first named the settlement after their hometown, but the United States Postal Service protested after a series of mix-ups with the town of Largo. The town then became Chubb and later Bartow Junction because it lay at the junction of a railroad leading south into the county seat Bartow.
The name Lake Alfred was adopted in 1913 and was taken from the nearest large lake, named after Alfred Parslow, who came to Florida in 1877 and obtained a charter to build the Jacksonville, Tampa and Key West Railroad.
In 1917, the State of Florida established the first off-campus center for the University of Florida in Lake Alfred, the Citrus Experiment Station to study ways of improving citrus growing. Today this location is known as the UF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education Center.
Geography and climate
Lake Alfred 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 8.6 square miles (22 km2), of which 4.9 square miles (13 km2) is land and 3.7 square miles (9.6 km2) (42.84%) is water.
The exact coordinates for the location is at 28°06′15″N 81°43′35″W / 28.10417°N 81.72639°W.
Lake Alfred is located in the humid subtropical zone, as designated by the (Köppen climate classification: Cfa).
Demographics
| Historical population | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Census | Pop. | %± | |
| 1920 | 317 | — | |
| 1930 | 629 | 98.4% | |
| 1940 | 920 | 46.3% | |
| 1950 | 1,270 | 38.0% | |
| 1960 | 2,191 | 72.5% | |
| 1970 | 2,847 | 29.9% | |
| 1980 | 3,134 | 10.1% | |
| 1990 | 3,622 | 15.6% | |
| 2000 | 3,890 | 7.4% | |
| 2010 | 5,015 | 28.9% | |
| 2020 | 6,374 | 27.1% | |
| U.S. Decennial Census | |||
2010 and 2020 census
| Race | Pop 2010 | Pop 2020 | % 2010 | % 2020 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| White (NH) | 3,165 | 3,177 | 63.11% | 49.84% |
| Black or African American (NH) | 854 | 1,027 | 17.03% | 16.11% |
| Native American or Alaska Native (NH) | 12 | 20 | 0.24% | 0.31% |
| Asian (NH) | 85 | 122 | 1.69% | 1.91% |
| Pacific Islander or Native Hawaiian (NH) | 0 | 7 | 0.00% | 0.11% |
| Some other race (NH) | 20 | 41 | 0.40% | 0.64% |
| Two or more races/Multiracial (NH) | 76 | 216 | 1.52% | 3.39% |
| Hispanic or Latino (any race) | 803 | 1,764 | 16.01% | 27.67% |
| Total | 5,015 | 6,374 |
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 6,374 people, 2,218 households, and 1,493 families residing in the city.
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 5,015 people, 1,839 households, and 1,372 families residing in the city.
Transportation
Highways
US 17 / US 92 – Lake Alfred lies near the western end of the concurrency between US 17 and US 92. The concurrency of US 17/92 leads eastward to Haines City and further toward Kissimmee; US 17 leads southward to Winter Haven; and US 92, westward to Auburndale and further to Lakeland.
CR 557 – Leads northward to I-4 and toward Polk City
Mass transit
The city is served by buses of Winter Haven Area Transit, primarily the Route #15 bus.
Railroads played a role in the development in the history of the Lake Alfred. The city is currently served by the CSX Carters Subdivision, which was previously part of the Main Line of the Atlantic Coast Line Railroad. Amtrak uses the line but does not stop in the city. At one time the city served as the junction of the ACL Bartow Branch.
Airports
Two airports serve Lake Alfred, both of which are located in Winter Haven, west of the city. The Winter Haven Regional Airport along US 92 and the adjacent Jack Browns Seaplane Base located on the northeast shores of Lake Jessie.
Lake Alfred Public Library
Lake Alfred Public Library was started in 1962 by the Junior Women's Club. It was housed in the Dees Building on West Haines Blvd. 1000 books were donated by Lake Alfred residents and merchants. The books were also processed by volunteers. Merchant W.R. Dees provided the storefront requiring a low enough rent that the Junior Women's Club could pay. The club also held bake sales, rummage sales, and dances to raise money to provide for material needs such as furniture. The grand opening was October 1962. Within a year a larger storefront opened in the same building and volunteers once again moved the library. Volunteers ran the library causing for unpredictable hours in which the library was open. Sometimes it was only open 3 hours a week. In 1967, the city provided a small house in Lion's Park for the growing library to move to, and in 1969, the city hired a part-time professional librarian, and funded new books and supplies. In 1972, the City of Lake Alfred created a library board made up of seven members appointed by the city commission and city manager. It was not until 1973 that Lake Alfred took over the ownership and responsibility for the Lake Alfred Public Library. It was moved to the new Public Safety building on Pomelo Street with the library in between the police and fire department. In 2012, the library moved to a new building on North Seminole Avenue after the Friends of the Library group received money bequeathed by Florida Citrus Hall of Fame member, Edwin Moore,. The library is part of the Polk County Library cooperative. The library offers wireless printing, technology classes, print and e-books, WiFi, and children's programming The library is located at 245 N. Seminole Ave. Lake Alfred, Florida 33850.
Gallery
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Mansion at Mackay Gardens & Lakeside Preserve
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Lake Alfred Public Library
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Lake Rochelle boat ramp
Notable people
- Dawayne Bryan, racing driver
- Ahmed Johnson, professional wrestler
- Manisha Singh, attorney and Assistant Secretary of State for Economic and Business Affairs
See also
In Spanish: Lake Alfred para niños
