The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1917-10-01
WINTER HAVEN
AND POLK COUNTY


turned from a little journey to Polk
county, where | saw some wonderful
things. | made a little stop Of sew
eral hours in Plant City and when my
Coast Line train pulled in | was two
blocks from the depot. When | reach
ed the train it was ready to pull out,
but | told the conductor very posi-
lively and emphatically that | was 60
ing on that train and that | had not
yet bought my ticket or checked my
trunk. 1t is needless to state that |
Travelled on that train and found the
conductor a perfect gentleman, like
all railroad conductors usually are.
At Lake Alfred | alighted for the
purpose of changing cars to Winter
Haven. Now there is a popularity
about changing cars at Lake Alfred.
The last time changed cars there the
train pulled out of the depot like any
we'll regulated train would with the
engine at the head of the procession,
and as | sat in the coach musing over
events this particular train began to
backing some more, until | got I'M
easy and sent for the conductor and
asked him if he knew where he was
going. He told me perfectly frank
and clear that the train was headed
for Winter Haven and Barlow, and
told him that it was going about it
the wrong way. That | thought we
1,o%o IT,
| ify his statement in a few minutes
we pulled into Winter Haven back
wards, and there standing on the de-
pot platform was Miriam Thompson
! Bailey, her husband and baby Flea
nor. They were just as glad to see
me as | was to see them, and from
that on | proceeded to visit to my
hearts content.
Winter Haven is very progressive
town. They have brand new depot
and the citizens there are very proud
of it. They also have a number of
| large new brick business blocks that
are pointed to with pride. The stores
and mercantile establishments are up
to-date and the proprietors are pro-
gressive business men. who take a
real live interest in the welfare of
the town, and all of them without ex-
ception belong to either the church or
the board of trade, great many of
them belong to both.
The churches display very liberal
spirit Instead of meeting in hot
stuffy church on a summer night,
they all with the exception of the
Catholics and Baptists, punched to-
gether and secured the use of the
public park for Sunday night and
each Sunday night they would hold
a union service in the open air. The
Methodist minister would discourse
one Sunday, the Christian preacher
would tell his story the next Sunday
and so on through the Sunday each
UNCONVENTIONAL preacher would take
his turn to talk to the assembled
multitude. It was very popular
move and the park was crowded on
each occasion.
| | also found Southern College well
represented in this little town. The
principal of the high school is a grad
uate from Southern, the Methodist
preacher is a graduate from Southern
and Southern was we'll represented II
other lines and branches.
4 The real live wire in this commun
ity, the moving spirit in all popular
and progressive moves, is a mar
named J. Walker Pope. He is more
than anyone else responsible for Win
ter Haven being on the map. He has
sold more real estate than any mar
in that section. He knows more PEG
pie than any other man in Polk coun
ty. He it was that diverted the Dixie
Highway from the main line anc
switched it around the corner at Lake
Alfred so that it pointed RICH
straight through Winter Haven on it!
way to Tampa. To him as much a!
to any other man is due the fifty
miles of 15-foot wide macadam roads
throughout Polk county. Whereve1
and whenever anything tending t.
advance the interest of Winter Havel
and Polk county is preached there on
will find J. Walter Pope, marching il
the van, waving the flag and doing hi
utmost for his home community. H
: is a mover that moves things.
: Winter Haven boasts of a news
paper that is a credit to itself an,
surrounding country. Every now an
then it proves it's progressiveness b,
going out and buying in some littl
: weakling newspaper that mistook it
calling and thereby enlarges its cir
: culation and makes it factor in tn
county. This little paper, by tn
! way, owns its own building. has fine
big cylinder press, job presses and
: fine linotype machine just like tn
= Star has. When the writer hit tn
> town they gave me just two line:
= which goes to prove the high price Q
paper and ink.
y Winter Haven boasts of a gold sea
hotel just like the Colonial in Ocals
They also have a very progressiv
, chapter of Eastern Stars. I attende
one of their meetings and worked m
way in. | also went on one of thei
e picnics to Lucerne Park. This LII
cerne Park is a great proposition
= Only a few years ago it was a wilder
y ness of white sand hills and poor pin
> trees. The Gillettes of Tampa, see
:. ing the vast possibilities, gathered
u in, planted it out to citrus trees an
: sold the land, before they could get
Il fenced and today it stands as a NOR