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Florida State...
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Florida Counties
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Florida Counties
In 1821, there were only two counties in Florida: Escambia to the west and St. Johns to the
east. From these two counties were formed 67 today. In 1968, the electors
of Florida granted local voters the power to adopt charters to govern their counties. Charters are formal
written documents that confer powers, duties, or privileges on the county.
To date, there are 19 charter counties in Florida. Collectively these
counties are home to more than 75 percent of Florida's residents.
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Polk County, Florida
Polk County History, Geography, Demographics, Cities and Towns, and Education
County Seat: Bartow
Year Organized: 1861
Square Miles: 1,875 |
Court House: PO Box 9005, Drawer CA03
County Courthouse
Bartow, FL 33831-9005
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Etymology - Origin of County Name
James K. Polk, President, US, 1845-1849.
Demographics:
County QuickFacts: Census Bureau Quick
Facts
History
Polk County became Florida's 39th county on February 8, 1861, when the State of Florida divided Hillsborough County
into eastern and western halves. The eastern half was named Polk, in honor of the 11th President of the United States,
James Knox Polk. Though not necessarily the reason for Polk County's name, Polk was sworn in as president on the day
after Florida's statehood (March 3, 1845).
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,010 square miles (5,206 kmē), of which,
1,874 square miles (4,855 kmē) of it is land and 136 square miles (351 kmē) of it is water. The total area is 6.75%
water.
Neighboring Counties:
- North: Lake County
- Northeast: Orange County
- East: Osceola County
- Southeast: Okeechobee County; Highlands County
- South: Hardee County
- Southwest: Manatee County
- West: Hillsborough County
- Northwest: Pasco County; Sumter County
Cities and Towns:
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- Auburndale |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Bartow
(County Seat) |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Davenport |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Dundee |
town |
Incorporated Area |
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- Eagle Lake |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Fort Meade |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Frostproof |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Haines City |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Highland Park |
village |
Incorporated Area |
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- Hillcrest Heights |
town |
Incorporated Area |
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- Kissimmee |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Lake Alfred |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Lake Hamilton |
town |
Incorporated Area |
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- Lake Wales |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Lakeland |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Mulberry |
city |
Incorporated Area |
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- Polk City |
town |
Incorporated Area |
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- Winter Haven |
city |
Incorporated Area |
County Resources:
Enter County Resources and Information Here
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County Resource Guide
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The history of our nation can be seen as a prolonged struggle to define the relative roles and powers of our governments: federal, state, and local. And the names we've given our counties, our most locally based jurisdictions, reflects the "characteristic
features of our country!"
But age, size and colorful names of our counties isn't the only reason to explore counties' role in American history, or the history of county government itself. In fact, the story of county government reflects the larger meanings of American history.
Today's counties are the most flexible, locally responsive and creative governments in the US. They are the most diverse, varying in size, population, geography, and governmental structure. In their politics and policies, they express a 1990's political slogan "Think globally,
act locally." |
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