OLD POLK COUNTY COURTHOUSE

Old Polk County Courthouse is a Florida historical marker in Bartow, Polk County, dedicated 2005.

Polk County · dedicated 2005 · 100 E. Main Street, Bartow

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Polk County was established February 8, 1861 formed from eastern Hillsborough County and western Brevard County and comprised one of two counties created after the state's secession from the union. Polk County was named after James Knox Polk the eleventh president of the United States. Polk served from 1845 to 1849, and was the first president to hold office after Florida achieved statehood. The turbulent 1860's saw Polk's seat of government changed several times. Located first at Mud Lake, the county seat soon moved to Jefferson, a surveyed town site within the present day limits of Bartow. Court and County records were maintained in the home of the county clerk the Reverend Jeremiah Hayman at Six Mile Creek. In 1867 cattleman Jacob Summerlin donated 120 acres of land at Bartow for a town site and seat of county government. Several courthouses have existed at this site, built in 1867, 1884 and 1909.

TodayHistorical map

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Barry Lawrence Ruderman Map Collection, Stanford Libraries

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under a mile from where William Gabby lived in the 1760s

what this marker records spans 1777 to 1789, overlapping William Gabby's years here

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Marker data: Florida Historical Marker Program, Division of Historical Resources, Florida Department of State

More markers nearby

THE HISTORIC L. B. BROWN HOUSEunder 1 mi
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THE W. HENRY LEWIS HOUSE10 mi
HISTORIC PUGHSVILLE NEIGHBORHOOD10 mi

On the National Register nearby

Polk County Courthouse, Old70 ft
Bartow Downtown Commercial District150 ft

Places within about 300 feet of this marker that are listed on the National Register of Historic Places. A nearby listing is not always the marker's own subject.