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Haines City Historical Museum, 1001 Ingraham Avenue, Haines City, FL (2026)

10/21/2026

DID YOU KNOW THAT HAINES CITY’S FIRST SLOGAN WAS “GATEWAY CITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA”?
Slogans tell the public about their business or organization.
Haines City’s first slogan was “Gateway City of South Florida”. It was later changed to “Haines City, Heart of Florida”. We remember it being painted on the water tower with a big red heart.
Many of our local businesses had slogans in their ads. We are pleased to list some of the historic ads showing the slogans. Which one was your favorite? Can you name others? Enjoy this part of Haines City’s history.
LOUELLA’S FLOWERS: Full Service since 1949
LINDVALL FLORIST: For Quality & Distinction in Design
OLDE FLOWER BARRELL: Flowers for Every Occasion
LA MODE BEAUTY SHOPPE: Complete Beauty Care
SWURL N CURL: Hair Fashions for Discriminating Women
RAY’s LAUNDRY: If You Want Keen Service, Call Mrs. Keen
NELL TAYLOR REAL ESTATE: I Sell Dirt - Dirt Cheap
DAN TOWNSEND & ASSOCIATES INSURANCE SERVICE: Don’t Bargain With Disaster
VICKERS INSURANCE AGENCY: Dependable Insurance Service
SCHNEIDER’S HARDWARE: Haines City’s Oldest & Most Complete Hardware Center
ALEN SHAW, REALTOR: Polk County and Central Florida Specialists
RUSS BARGAIN HOUSE: The Family Store of Haines City
PALM KREST MANOR: Care Makes The Difference
POLK COUNTY FERTILIZER COMPANY: Serving Polk County since 1936
PUBLIX: Where Shopping Is A Pleasure
MCDONALD’S: Where Your Kind of People Serve You
MEHAFFEY’S JEWELRY: Where Your Dollars Have More Cents
MIKE’S TV: Repairs In All Makes
MILLER-CLINE FUNERAL HOME: Sincere Service
MORSE’S: Florida’s Biggest Little Department Store
JIM’S TEXACO: Quick Friendly Service
LANE-HOLT FUNERAL HOME: Serving Polk County Over 40 Years
LAWHORN’S CORNER DRUG (Jones & 6th): Expert Compounding Of Your Prescriptions
LAWHORN’S CORNER DRUG (Jones & 8th): Serving Northeast Polk County With The Most Complete Drug and Sundry Service Available
LOCAL FINANCE CO: Folks Find Us Friendly
LUMS: Haines City’s “Home of Choice” Family Restaurant
H & R BLOCK: The Income Tax People
HAINES CITY MOTEL: You Do The traveling, Leave The Rest To Us
HAINES CITY MOTOR COMPANY: Your Ford Dealer Since 1921
HAINES CITY RENTALS: We Rent Most Anything
HEART OF FLORIDA HOSPITAL: Our Patients Are Very Special People
CLAUDE HOLMES FUNERAL HOME: We Are In The Service of Others
HUNTER’S PAINT & BODY SHOP: Your Satisfaction Is Our Best Advertising
ELLIS CHEVROLET, INC: Service Makes The Difference
GASKIN’S JEWELRY STORE: Working Man’s Jewelry Store
GOLDEN CORRAL: Making Pleasurable Dining Affordable
COMBEE & CARTER WOODWORKRS: You Name It, We Do It
BACON’S CLEANERS: If Your Clothes Are Not Becoming To You, They Should Be Coming To Us
BADCOCK FURNITURE: Badcock will Treat You Right
SIEGEL’S DEPARTMENT STORE: Florida’s Biggest Little Department Store
SMITH BROS: Haines City’s Oldest Independent Food Store
SORRELL’S SERVICE STATION: A World of Friendly Service
SMITH FURNITURE CO: It’s Easy To Pay.…The Smith Furniture Way
State Restaurant: For Service At It’s Finest
SUNI CITRUS: They Moo For More
RIDGE CHEVROLET: Serving NE Polk County Since 1939
RIDGE MANOR MOBILE HOME PARK: At The Top Of The Ridge
BELISLE NURSERY: Landscape Beauty Is Planned…It just Doesn’t Happen
BELK-LINDSEY: Your Happy Shopping Store
BANK OF CENTRAL FLORIDA: We Always Have Time For You

10/19/2026

EXCERPTS FROM 1918 HAINES CITY HERALDS!
We are proud to own many bookbound Haines City Heralds. There are only a few loose editions for 1918, some with only the front page and most with national news and few photos. The 1918 issues are very fragile and boxed. They are treasured!
We are listing some of the articles with the headings. Much of the news was about World War I.
We hope you enjoy our early Haines City History!
March 23. - HAINES CITY RETURNS: F. M. Long, Mayor, J. R. Yale, Clerk, R. L. Ingram, Marshall.
April 6 - BOOKS WANTED FOR SOLDIERS: Please donate books for war effort.
April 29 - NEW SCHOOL FOR DUNDEE: Dundee is to get a fine new school at a cost of $5,000.
June 15 - THE GIANT IS AWAKE AT LAST!: It has taken a year of sustained effort and the mobilizing of an army of close to two million men, before we awoke from our slumber, but we are wide awake at last and doing things with a big D.
June 38 - MOVIES TO TEACH SOLDIERS: The government is now instructing recruits in warfare through the use of motion pictures on the screen.
July 17 - NATIONAL NEWS: 110 “Y” Entertainers. General Pershing has officially detailed to the YMCA the need of entertaining of our soldiers in France. Now 110 professionals are giving vaudeville shows, concerts and entertainment, often under fire.
August 21 - AVIATORS HERE: Friday morning a car full of soldiers and a truck full of more soldiers and an injured wing from an airplane, passed through Haines City on the way to the aviation camp in Arcadia.
August 31 - HOME LIGHTS: The Florida Ice and Power Company had their dynamo taken to Tampa to be repaired and on Tuesday night Haines City had electric lights from our own power house again instead of obtaining the current from Lake Wales.
September 14 - REGISTRATION DAY A SUCCESS IN HAINES CITY: Registration rooms were opened on September 12, 1918. All business houses were closed all day, and we believe that Haines City achieved something that no other town did on that day; registered 54 whites and 36 colored; without a single argument or dispute whatsoever.
October 19 - SCHOOL CLOSED: School closed Monday afternoon this week as a preventative measure against the Spanish Flu Epidemic, in case it should develop here.
November 2 - AP NEWS ARTICLE: GERMANY MUST SURRENDER!
November 9 - BIG PATRIOTIC PARADE AT HAINES CITY MONDAY: Haines City will hold a Big Patriotic War Work Campaign Rally in the school auditorium.
November 30 - PRESIDENT WILSON’S THANKSGIVING PROCLAMATION (printed in paper)
December 21 - AERIAL MAIL SEVICE: Government plans for a country wide aerial mail service. War Department has turned over hundreds of planes for the mail service.
December 21 - CHRISTMAS WINDOWS: Local businesses displayed beautiful windows with items for sale including local fruits.
The Haines City Heralds will be on display when we relocate in the railroad depot.

10/16/2026

ARE YOU IN THIS PHOTO OF HAINES CITY CITRUS GROWERS ASSOCIATION PACKING HOUSE LADIES?
Polk County celebrated its Centennial in 1961 marking 100 years since its creation on February 8, 1861.
The year 1961 featured a year-long county wide celebration with parades, historical pageants and community events.
The Haines City Citrus Growers Association, formed in 1909, joined with Haines City and Polk County in celebrating our centennial.
In April, 1961, all the HCCGA packing house ladies adorned bonnets to celebrate. If you didn’t wear a bonnet, you had to wear a chicken button. The men had to wear beards, or wear a chicken button. Wished we had their photo too!
Enjoy the 1961 photo taken of the ladies. Are you in the photo? Your mom? Your aunt? We recognize some of the lovely faces, but cannot remember the names. Please help us identify them to list names on back of the photo.
The photo was donated by Lola Elliott, a longtime Haines City resident and follower of our museum page. Lola worked at several downtown businesses in the 1950’s - 1970’s and has a wealth of knowledge about Haines City people and businesses. Thank you Lola for donating the photo.
Please know that we welcome photos and Haines City memorabilia for our museum.
We all enjoyed celebrating Polk County’s Centennial and are happy that we have this photo to add to our collection. Enjoy!

10/14/2026

DO YOU KNOW WHO ROBINSON DRIVE IN HAINES CITY IS NAMED AFTER?
The street is named after S. J. Robinson. The street begins at Tenth Street and goes east to 30th Street.
Mr. Robinson and his wife and children, Earl and Hildegard, came to Haines City in 1912.
They purchased Robinson Point on Lake Eva and built a large home and also planted a grove. The children attended Haines City’s first two-story, wooden school building on Hinson Avenue.
Mr. Robinson opened S. J. Robinson, Contractor, and later changed the name to S. J. Robinson and Son, Contractors when Earl joined the firm.
You might say Mr. Robinson built most of Haines City! He was a wonderful builder and in great demand. He built the Masonic Lodge Building, McWilliams Apartments, Exchange Packing House, Old Armory, Armory Annex, Haines City’s first High School (old red brick building), the old Christian Church, the old Baptist Church on First Street, the Groves Hotel, Pete Sones Garage on Hinson Avenue, several homes on Tenth Street on Lake Eva, and the majestic Randall, Brumbaugh and English homes on Peninsular Drive.
Many of the homes and buildings constructed by the Robinsons still exist in town and are in good condition. The naming of Robinson Drive was well deserved by the family.
Earl organized the National Guard in Haines City and served as its Commanding Officer while living here.
Hildegard was in the first Haines City High School graduating class in 1922 in the school built by her father. She ran the restaurant connected to the Polk Hotel. She had a beautiful voice and sang at churches and for weddings and funerals.
A few years ago, our Haines City Historical Museum members had the pleasure to tour the historic home at 2208 Peninsular Drive. It is a beautiful two story home built in 1914 by Mr. Robinson. It had been beautifully restored and upon touring the basement, we were pleased to see Mr. Robinson’s signature and date written on a column.
The Robinsons were very active in the community and well liked by everyone.
After Mr. Robinson passed away, the family moved away.
We would like to thank the entire Robinson family for their contributions made to Haines City and for being a part of our history.

10/12/2026

REMEMBER THE ANGLE FAMILY?
Joseph Frank Angle (Sr.) was born in Welsh Run, Pennsylvania on July 24, 1864. He was married to Anna Lavina Angle who was born on January 13, 1868.
They had five children: Esther, Louis, Harley, Frank, and Josephine who passed away at the age of three.
Frank, Sr. Was a retired Vice President and Cashier of the National Bank of Belleville in Belleville, Kansas. He had friends in Haines City being the Randall’s and Cheneys. His son Louis came to Haines City to check the area out if suitable for the family to relocate here. Yes! The report was good and the family came down by train with all their belongings and animals.
The family arrived in Haines City in 1913, when the town had a few wooden buildings, kerosene lantern street lights and livestock wandering the streets.
Louis, Harley and Frank, Jr. attended the town’s first school which was a two story wooden building on Hinson Avenue. Esther attended Stetson with the Randall girls.
Frank, Sr. built the building on Railroad Avenue that housed the Florida Fruit Production Company which later moved to the four-story building at Hinson Avenue and the south end of Lake Tracey that became Polk Canning Company. Mr. Angle then manufactured guava jelly in the building and Shultz’s Ford Agency rented the other side of the building.
Frank, Sr. later opened a real estate company on Sixth Street advertising Haines City for “Health, Wealth and Comfort.” Acreage in town sold for $20 per acre and further out for $15 per acre.
With all the citrus being planted in the area, the growers selected Esther for their first citrus poster girl. She later married Dr. H. E. Cline. After her death in 1956, her family moved away.
Louis was married to Katherine Woerte Angle. He was in the citrus industry and moved to Tampa.
Frank, Jr. married Sarah Ivy from Lakeland. They leased the storeroom at 606 Jones Avenue from Sam Seigel on October 9, 1945 to open a jewelry store. Terms were $50 per month for five years, then $40 per month for the last five years. They operated Angle Jewelers in Haines City and also had a location in Winter Haven. The future brides remember registering our selections for crystal, silver and place settings at the store.
Frank and Sarah had a daughter Anne and a son Bert. Anne was married to Gilbert “Gator” Coleman and had Miss Anne’s Kindergarten at their home on Peninsular Drive. Bert worked at the jewelry store.
Harley lived in Graham Park with his first wife Florrie. After her death, he married Wynelle. He was the Cashier at the State Bank of Haines City for many years and became a director on its Board of Directors. He was also a citrus grower and owned many properties in the area. He also deeded some property for a city park in Graham Park.
Interesting story: Harley was working at the State Bank on February 28, 1937, when the bank was robbed! He was hit on the head seven times, blindfolded and taken for hostage along with $4,700. The getaway car, with Harley bound and in the floor, sped north. The car stopped near Clermont and dumped Harley out. He found help and the Sheriff brought him back to Haines City. The robber was never caught! It was the talk of the town for quite awhile.
Sadly, Frank, Sr. passed away in 1939, Anna passed in 1933, Esther passed in 1956, Louis passed in 1980, Harley passed in 1989, Frank, Jr. passed in 1966, Anne passed in 1988, and Bert passed in 2003. They are all buried at Forest Hills Cemetery in the Angle family plot.
We would like to thank the entire Angle family for their contributions made to Haines City and for them being a part of our history.

10/09/2026

DID YOU LIVE THROUGH HURRICANE DONNA IN 1960?
As we near the end of the 2026 hurricane season, we remember Hurricane Donna. It was a very destructive category 4 hurricane that caused extensive damage from the Lesser Antilles to New England. At least 364 people were killed by the hurricane and property damage estimated at $900 million (1960 USD).
The State of Florida received the most damage from Hurricane Donna. Rainfall received was between 10 -13 inches and winds from 120 - 160 mph with gusts reaching to 170 - 200 mph in the Florida Keys.
Hurricane Donna was the only recorded hurricane to produce hurricane force winds along the entire Atlantic Coast of the United States in a continuous track.
In the State of Florida, the storm destroyed 2,156 homes and trailers, severely damaged 3,903 and inflicted minor impact on 30,529 others. Hundreds of buildings were demolished or severely damaged. Additionally, hundreds of boats were destroyed.
A total of 50% of grapefruit crop was lost, 10% of the orange and tangerine crop were ruined and the loss of uprooted citrus trees was monumental.
Hurricane Donna really hit Polk County hard. Homes, businesses and citrus groves in the Haines City Area were destroyed or sustained major damage, loss of power for days, and loss of citrus and trees. Our local government worked hard in Emergency Relief assisting our citizens to recover from this major storm.
Our citrus industry really suffered from the storm damage and it took years to fully recover.
You always prepare for a coming hurricane, hoping that it will go another route. Hurricane Donna hit us head on! After the disaster, it was wonderful how our community worked together to rebuild and recover.
A big thank you to our police, firefighters, church members, students, neighbors, business owners, family members, neighbors and many others for helping with the recovery of Hurricane Donna.
Our area has been blessed so far this 2026 hurricane season. Please keep the Panhandle Area in your thoughts and prayers as Hurricane Isaias hits their location today.
We welcome you to share your photos of Hurricane Donna.

10/07/2026

DID YOU KNOW THERE IS A CITY PARK ON SOUTH TENTH STREET?
Scenic Highway (Tenth Street) was funded in 1914 by the State of Florida. It was a 39 mile road from Hinson Avenue in Haines City through beautiful rolling hills all the way to Frostproof.
The route curved around the southeast portion of Lake Eva which extended to the area where Lake Eva Circle is now located. Drainage canals were made to Lake Eva to remove the swampy areas around the lake and the state straightened the route after 1926. The remaining area was divided with the northern half dedicated to the City of Haines City as a City Park and the southern half being designated as a retention area.
Our museum is proud to own a 1926 photo of Scenic Highway showing the Highway going around the potion of Lake Eva before the road was straightened.
The previous section of the highway was named Lake Eva Circle connected to Tenth Street on the north and south. The northern connection was later removed.
The Tenth Street Park has giant oak trees and six parking spaces overlooking Scenic Highway and the south portion of Lake Eva. There are no amenities at the park.
Next time you are driving on Scenic Highway at the bottom of the hill between Robinson Drive and Leone Drive, look to the east and you will see the park.
We would like to thank the State of Florida and the City of Haines City for making the Tenth Street Park a part of Haines City’s history.

10/05/2026

A SALUTE TO HAINES CITY’S LAKE EVA COMMUNITY PARK!
In the late 1890’s the area around Lake Eva was swampy and unusable. With the construction of drainage canals, it became a nice lakefront recreation. It was a 23 acre park area constructed with picnic facilities, swimming, playground, a football field, baseball field, city trailer park, boat ramp and an Armory with a vehicle building.
A short time later, our first civic center was located on Ledwith Avenue connected to the park. The site had a 12 court Shuffleboard Court adjacent to the property. The Haines City Shuffleboard Club hosted many tournaments there. The trailer park was removed and the entire park area was used for recreation.
The civic center could be rented by the public for events and it was also used for sock hops, civic functions, and for a polling precinct. We especially remember it being used as a temporary museum for our Heritage Days along with the entire park.
A library and a community center was also constructed at the park.
With the tremendous growth Haines City experienced, our city fathers planned a new 28.8 acre regional event center for east Polk County. After a $28 million dollar renovation project, the City of Haines City proudly debuted the redesigned LAKE EVA COMMUNITY PARK on July 4, 2009.
The park hosts two outdoor basketball courts, six tennis courts, nine open-air pavilions, one screened pavilion, two playgrounds, two miles of walking paths, public boat ramp, 240 foot fishing pier, Lake Eva Community Center with multipurpose room, art room, gymnasium, fitness center, Lake Eva Event Center, Lake Eva Aquatics Center with a 25 meter competition pool & water park, Lake Eva Tennis Pro Shop, Parks Maintenance, Bandshell, Cultural Arts Center, Haines City Community Theatre and Park Restrooms.
Many events are held at the Lake Eva Community Park including Iron Man, Haines City Rotary Chili Cookoff, Hispanic Festival, Mayor’s 5k Race, and our super Fourth of July “Thunder on the Ridge” Celebration to name a few.
The Haines City Parks and Recreation has the responsibility of maintaining the Lake Eva Community Park and Director Terrell Griffin and his staff do a fantastic job managing all the recreation and parks facilities throughout the city.
We would like to thank our city commissioners, past and present, for providing our citizens with the LAKE EVA COMMUNITY PARK and making it a major part of Haines City’s history.

10/02/2026

TODAY WE WOULD LIKE TO SALUTE HAINES CITY’ S “SWEETEST” BUSINESS, LEIGHTON’S HONEY.
Leighton’s Honey was founded by Charles Henry “Charlie” Leighton. Charlie was born on April 27, 1919. He was married to Dorothy “Dottie” Leighton who born on May 11, 1913.
They purchased two lots on Lee Jackson Highway in Pinehurst subdivision from the State Bank of Haines City on May 19, 1950 for $2,000 and established a honey production business.
Charlie operated the business as Leighton’s Orange Blossom Honey. With the many citrus groves in the area, he had ample bee keepers providing him with the sweet Florida gold. His business quickly grew and he was known throughout the state as one of the finest honey distributors.
Facts about honey! Honey is nature at its best! It is a sweet and viscous substance made by several species of bees, the best known of which is honey bees. It is used in baking, drink and everyday cooking. It is also used for cough relief and wound care. Its high sugar content concentration and low pH mean properly stored honey never spoils.
On March 15, 1965, Charlie and Dottie purchased the property at 1203 Commerce Avenue in the new Haines City Industrial Park from RUALTO Corporation. They moved Leighton’s Honey into a new modern facility. Harry Posey joined the business and they expanded it into a major honey honey production company expanding the plant and their products.
After Charlie’s passing on October 27, 1980, Harry purchased the business and continued producing excellent products. Dottie passed away on March 11, 1986 and the property was sold to Harry by her estate.
Harry loved the honey business and expanded the business with more buildings and new equipment to develop more honey products.
Paul McCord began working at Leighton’s Honey learning the business just as Harry had learned from Charlie. After Harry’s retirement, he sold the business to Paul who has continued with the production of honey with some of the same bee keepers Charlie had used.
Leighton’s Honey products are sold at Publix, on the internet and or can be purchased at the plant location on Commerce Avenue.
Paul and his wife Janet are proud to keep up the tradition of Leighton’s Honey specializing in a variety of honey products, including raw honey, flavored honey and honeycomb.
We would like to thank the Leightons, Harry Posey, and Paul and Janet McCord, and Leighton’s Honey for being a 76 year old business in our city and for being a “sweet” part of Haines City’s history.

09/30/2026

REMEMBERING YOUR LONGTIME FAMILY TELEPHONE NUMBER!
Today, we welcome a touching story by Geoff Whisler, son of the late Thomas Whisler, owner of Whisler Paints for many years in Haines City. (see Whisler post 6/9/26)
“Well, I just had a sad thing happen that I did not see coming. It caught me by surprise.
As part of closing my Dad’s affairs, I had his mail forwarded to my home. I just got a bill from Frontier for Dad’s land telephone line.
The land line that was the first phone number I recall ever memorizing in a sing-song voice, because I was in the third grade at Alta Vista School. The phone number that was my phone number all through school, growing up and graduating from Haines City High School.
The phone number I used to call from school. The number used to call Mom and Dad from Flight School. The number I had to give to the MARs station on Okinawa to talk to Mom and Dad once a month while stationed there.
You get it! Mom and Dad’s phone number from about 1960 until 2026. Call it 60 years.
If it isn’t in the top 10 of longest owned phone numbers in Haines City, I’d be shocked.
I never thought I’d get nostalgic over a dern phone number, but I am.
So here’s to 422-3246. You had a long run!”
We would like to thank Geoff for the story and again extend our deepest sympathy on the loss of his father and our dear friend, Tom Whisler.

Haines City Historical Museum

10/21/2026

10/19/2026

10/16/2026

10/14/2026

10/12/2026

10/09/2026

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