Bartow

About Sun Ridge offers homebuyers access to wildlife amenities, grocery stores and local eateries. Homebuyers appreciate the area because it is an easy commute to Orlando and Tampa. Sun Ridge includes a 55-plus neighborhood of manufactured homes as well as subdivisions with single-family ranch-style and contemporary houses. “The area has a good community vibe. People walk down the street and meet their neighbors and know them,” says Teri Markley, a broker salesperson with Century 21 Watson & Myers Realty. She has sold homes there for 29 years and used to live in the area. Homes Many folks buy into the co-op housing in the Oakwood Estates 55-plus community. The mobile home park’s 1980s steel-frame houses are valued between $90,000 and $160,000. The neighborhood offers lifetime leases without monthly rent. The gated community’s amenities include two solar-heated swimming pools, a tennis court, a mini golf course and cable TV. Residents participate in monthly potlucks, weekly bingo, casino trips, cruise trips and themed dance parties. To the south of Oakwood Estates but north of Thornhill Road, homebuyers can purchase 1990s stucco-exterior bungalows and ranch-style houses for between $250,000 and $320,000. Stucco-exterior multi-story contemporaries built between the early 2000s and today cost between $300,000 and $360,000. South of Thornhill Road, 1990s bungalows and ranch-style houses sell for between $180,000 and $240,000. “It’s a pretty stable area, meaning there is not a lot of turnover,” Markley says. Schools Children often begin their educations at Eagle Lake Elementary, which has a 17-to-1 student-teacher ratio and a C-plus Niche rating. Westwood Middle School students are 19% proficient in math and 26% in reading. The school has a C-minus Niche rating. Teens typically move on to Lake Region High School, which has a C Niche rating and a 93% graduation rate. The high school also offers a slate of Advanced Placement classes. Shopping About 4 miles northeast, Harborside serves surf and turf meals to patrons overlooking Lake Shipp. Locals travel 2 ½ miles east to chow down on smoked meats at Blackburn’s BBQ or have breakfast with friends at Eagle Lake Family Diner. Folks grab pizza and subs at Hungry Howie’s and grab a meal on the go at the McDonald’s on the neighborhood’s north end. “The area mostly has grocery and fast-food shopping. There’s no downtown shopping or anything,” Markley says. Residents purchase groceries at the Publix on Winter Lake Road. People pick up prescriptions at the nearby CVS. Walmart and Aldi are 5 ½ miles northeast. Parks The Marshall Hampton Reserve is 2 ½ miles northwest of Sun Ridge. Live oaks, sweet gum and palmettos populate the over-1,100-acre wetland reserve. It includes a 60-acre pond and miles of hiking and horseback riding trails. Animals include bobcats, gopher tortoises and barred owls. The popular Lake Hancock is immediately west of Sun Ridge. Locals take motorized boats onto the lake to catch catfish, bluegill and bass. Just north of Sun Ridge, Simmers-Young Park offers ten multi-purpose fields, baseball and softball fields, a playground, picnic tables and picnic shelters. Events The nearby Auburndale Speedway regularly hosts stock car races. Locals enjoy boat tours of Winter Haven’s connecting chain of lakes. Children often take field trips to the Polk County Historical Museum. Polk City, about 17 miles north of Sun Ridge, is known for the Fantasy of Flight aviation museum, home to over 150 aircraft. Folks travel 9 miles east to Legoland Florida Resort, which boasts over 50 rides and a lazy river. The Universal Orlando Resort and the Walt Disney World Resort are within 50 miles of Sun Ridge. Tampa’s beaches are about 55 miles west of Sun Ridge. Transportation Sun Ridge is just east of U.S. Highway 17. Folks travel 8 miles southwest to Bartow Regional Medical Center. Interstate 4 takes residents 55 miles northeast to Orlando and 47 miles west to Tampa, where folks appreciate the beaches. When residents take flights, they typically use Tampa International Airport. “The easy commutes to Orlando and Tampa are a big draw for many homebuyers,” Markley says.

About Located in central Bartow, Gordon Heights has "a small town feel and a modern touch," says Jordan Prais, a local real estate agent of 8 years with 54 REALTY. Considered the historical capital of Polk County and home to Bartow's courthouse, city hall and other municipal buildings, this suburban neighborhood also provides access to nine public and private school options, main roads, family-friendly events and historically rich parks. According to Prais, developments in the community, affordable homes and its proximity to Tampa and Orlando have made this area desirable and cause people looking to move from adjacent cities to find homes in Gordon Heights. Ranch, farmhouse and southern colonial style homes  This neighborhood offers a variety of home styles, with the most common being ranch-style houses. Often sitting on a little less than a quarter acre of land, these homes range from $100,000 for a 2-bedroom fixer-upper to $500,000 for a remodeled 5-bedroom. Along older roads, like East Church Street, southern colonial-style homes are pushed back from the road, hiding behind tall, established palm trees and oak trees draped in Spanish moss. These historic homes sell for upwards of $600,000. Ranch-style farmhouses that cost upwards of $700,000 sit in pockets of this neighborhood and offer residents more space and privacy with larger lots. Ease of access to Bartow County schools Along with lower home prices and its proximity to Tampa and Orlando, Prais says that many families choose Gordon Heights because of its access to schools. Elementary students attend James E. Stevens Academy, which has an 11:1 student-teacher ratio and a C- Niche rating. Bartow Middle School has a C rating from Niche, and offers several after-school activities, like Young Men of the Future and Ladies Leaving Legacies. Bartow Senior High School, which has a B rating from Niche and offers IB and international exchange student programs. The schools nationally certified academies help prepare students for prospective career paths in field including nursing, criminal justice and design. Three major highways meet Three significant highways intersect this neighborhood: Highway 60, US-98, and US-17. Access to these roads allow residents to travel to adjacent cities with ease. Although there are jobs in the area, including a Flanders-PrecisionAire factory, the neighborhood’s access to highways put Tampa and Orlando an hour's drive from Gordon Heights, making commutes to work possible. Buses provided by Polk County's Citrus Connection move commuters through Bartow, although the neighborhood is car dependent. Chalk Walk and Tow Jam    Every 3rd Friday, Gordon Heights residents attend Bartow's Friday Fest, hosted by the non-profit organization Main Street Bartow INC. Affectionately known as "Tow Jam" by locals, this event includes music, drinks, barbecue, vendors and entertainment. Main Street Bartow INC. plans several other community events, like the annual Bartow Chalk Walk, while also working to improve Bartow by reviving downtown with art, promoting local businesses, and economically strengthening community assets. Where locals shop  While Gordon Heights has standard chain restaurants, local favorites include Boney Mac's Barbecue, Lew's BBQ Potion, and The Original Mike's Grill. Whether residents are craving tacos, seafood, pizza, or traditional American cuisine, they can find what they need right at home. Publix, Aldi and Walmart are conveniently located at the heart of the neighborhood. At Bartow Shopping Center, residents shop at Harbor Freight, Amscot, Save-A-Lot and other retail stores. Parks for playing or learning   A cornerstone in Gordon Heights is the Polk Street Community Center and Playground, which includes baseball fields for Little League games and a banquet facility. Mary Holland Park is where residents spend time playing soccer, enjoy picnics by the ponds and walk their dogs. Just a few miles away, Fort Blount Park is decorated with pillars that tell the story of the 1851 settlement of Bartow, sitting across from the Polk County History Center & Genealogical Library. The park is also where the annual Chalk Walk is held.

City roots run deep along East Bartow’s streets. The suburban area, which encompasses the eastern portion of Bartow, the county seat of Polk County, is known for its recently updated historical homes. Some are set beside preserved churches, such as St. James African Methodist Episcopal Church, which opened more than 120 years ago and is now one of the county’s oldest. Burkett Chapple Primitive Baptist Church, established in the 1890s, displays similar stained-glass windows, as does Mt. Gilboa Baptist Church, another relic from the late 19th century. The community’s loose, gridded layout emphasizes the nostalgic feel, shaded by massive oaks tangled with Spanish moss and sturdy palms. “There are few red lights in East Bartow, just small city streets,” says Bartow native Teri Markley, Realtor and broker associate with Century 21 Watson & Myers Realty. “It’s definitely an older bedroom community.” However, the southern portion of the community is devoted to industrial employers and county services, including the Central County Jail. “People know it’s there, but it doesn’t really affect them,” Markley says. The area receives a CAP Index crime score of 7 out of 10, slightly higher than the national average of 4. Most of the homes in East Bartow are modest ranch-style, although buyers may find the occasional bungalow or cottage. Sidewalks are rare, but wide streets make it easy for residents to walk to the small community playground between the homes on Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard. Homes just west of South Holland Parkway hug the city’s central historic district, so it’s not uncommon to find properties that predate many nearby businesses. “I have a home for sale now that was originally built in 1887,” says Angie Reynolds, a lifetime resident of Polk County and a Realtor with Porchlight Homes LLC. “It’s neat to see how people have updated these homes.” While many of these three-bedroom houses have been renovated and cost between $200,000 and $300,000, some are sold as-is in the $150,000 to $200,000 range. While some students may attend Floral Avenue Elementary, which receives a C-plus from Niche, many enroll in B-rated Bartow Elementary Academy, a magnet school in the city's heart. After attending C-rated Bartow Middle, teens can move on to B-plus-rated Bartow Senior High, which offers career academies for criminal justice, culinary arts, medical science and teaching. The school is also well-known for its German American Partnership Program, a student exchange program active for over 20 years. Additional options include Union Academy, a magnet middle school that scores a B-plus on Niche. High schoolers interested in joining the military often enroll in Summerlin Academy, a Polk County Public School of Choice started by Bartow High’s former JROTC instructor. Carver Recreation Center, located across the street from Union Academy, is a year-round destination for youth sports. Its new gymnasium features basketball hoops that can be lowered to accommodate younger players, and the center often hosts local volleyball tournaments. There’s also a community garden, a spacious playground and a host of activities to keep kids busy once school lets out. “People from all over town take their children to Carver for its summer rec program,” Markley says. Right up the road is Bartow Golf Course, a public 18-hole course known to locals as “The Tow.” While there are no large lakes in Bartow, there are a few reservoirs with walking paths, including one at Summerlin Park. From here, it’s a quick stroll down the sidewalk to Nye Jordan Park, best known for its new pickleball courts and sprawling playscape with a climbing wall. East Bartow has few restaurants, save for Mulligan’s Sports Bar & Grill at the golf course and Tom’s Chicken Shack, a local staple since the 1980s. Most shopping and dining options are downtown, clustered along Main Street between local businesses, government buildings and antique stores. “It’s a very quaint downtown,” Reynolds says. “There are cute shops and boutiques, a brewery and a bakery.” Front Page Brewing Company opened in 2019 as the city’s first craft beer establishment. Family-owned spots like Hacienda Mexico are popular during the day, while The Wine Library offers a relaxed evening experience. Casual chain restaurants are more common north of Main Street, where shoppers will also find Lowe’s Home Improvement and Publix Super Market. Bartow is a small city, but it's big for downtown events. “It’s not unusual to head to town and find the barriers up at Broadway and Main,” Markley says. This is the case every third Friday of the month during Friday Fest, a live music event affectionately nicknamed “Tow Jam.” Markley says the Bloomin’ Art Show, a 10-year tradition, is also well-attended. However, one of the most interesting events occurs at the historic L.B. Brown House, built and owned by formerly enslaved person and self-taught carpenter Lawrence Bernard Brown in the late 1800s. Now a museum, the Victorian-style house hosts the annual L.B. Brown Heritage Festival each February, regaling visitors with tales of local heroes and celebrating with live jazz and gospel music. East Bartow residents also look forward to annual parades for Juneteenth and Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Bartow is primarily car-dependent, although some commuters take advantage of the Citrus Connection buses that run throughout Polk County. Most local stops are along U.S. Route 98, known to locals as South Holland Parkway. This major thoroughfare runs past Bartow Regional Medical Center and through Lakeland to Interstate 4. Bartow Executive Airport sits about 8 miles northeast, but most people make the 25-mile trip to Lakeland Linder International Airport to catch a plane.

West Bartow is a neighborhood in a quintessential Central Florida small town. “It has a very Norman Rockwellian feel. It’s quaint, especially downtown, and has lots of unique mom and pop shops,” says Virginia Condello, executive director at the Greater Bartow Chamber of Commerce. The area is quiet with sunny Florida weather, the attraction of West Bartow being the absence of big-city attractions. Yet, locals nonetheless host their own events and create a community appeal centered around the historic Main Street. West Bartow falls in between Orlando and Tampa, placing it around 45 miles from both Walt Disney World and the Florida Gulf Coast in respective directions. The immense Polk County Public Schools district and Polk County Courthouse both bring many employment opportunities to the area. With quick access to US Route 17, US Route 98 and State Road 60, locals can easily commute to surrounding areas. Diverse home styles can be found in West Bartow, but three-bedroom ranch-style houses are most common and sell in the $300,000 to $500,000 range. Contemporary-style and large Victorian homes are thrown into the architectural mix as well, often starting around $600,000. Residential streets are typically lined by well-kept lawns, palms and other trees overlayed with Spanish moss. Sidewalks are sparse, and roads tend to be relatively narrow. Bartow is on the verge of residential growth. “Surrounding land has been owned by several families whose younger members are planning to sell,” Condello says. With this newly available land, more properties are being built. Polk County Public Schools serves children in West Bartow with over 150 schools across all divisions. Primary school kids can attend Bartow Elementary Academy (BEA), which scores a B on Niche and has STEM programs. Sixth through eighth graders can then study at Bartow Middle School, rated C. Bartow Senior High School gets a B-plus and offers unique athletic opportunities, such as men and women’s weightlifting teams, golf and cheerleading. Bartow High also has International Baccalaureate programs and the military structured Summerlin Academy. The waterside Mary Holland Park and Summerlin Park collectively offer playgrounds, fishing spots, walking trails with exercise equipment, a dog park and green space. Scientific studies and advancements are also happening in West Bartow. Assure Infusions is building a production plant to safely mass produce IV bags with robot technology: an important measure after the commodity took a hit during the pandemic. The Florida Industrial and Phosphate Research Institute lab is researching how the mining of rare earth could allow the US to extract its own materials to make technology, such as iPhones, domestically. The most popular events in West Bartow happen on Main Street, such as weekly farmers markets, a Sparkling Wine Stroll through historic downtown and antique markets. The Polk County History Center and Genealogical Library displays artifacts from the area. The museum also hosts events, such as the Festival of Wreaths, which presents a silent auction, selfies with Santa and architectural tours in the museum. A beloved event also includes the Bartow Adult Concert Band’s free concert to over 500 locals. One of West Bartow’s most famous landmarks is the Wonder House. The 18-room property is an architectural marvel from the 1920s, as it has never needed air conditioning under the hot Florida sun because of its installed aqueducts. The Wonder House was built by an architect and poet who was told he had one year left to live, so he moved his family to West Bartow and built his dream home. Visitors come to the house to see its unique elements, such as ponds, elaborate porches, bridges and rooms with four doors each. The eight-bedroom, eight-bathroom historical Victorian home from the 1991 film, My Girl can be found in the neighborhood as well. Off US Highway 98, residents have access to a Walmart Supercenter nearby along with an Aldi, Lowe’s, Ace Hardware, Walgreens, Publix and casual dining options. Main Street offers sit-down options such as Unfiltered Bartow and Hacienda Mexico. Local shops populate the street as well, including This N That antique store. Proximity to major routes, such as US Route 17, US Route 98 and State Road 60 allows residents to commute to surrounding cities and throughout the county. The Citrus Connection is the neighborhood public transit provided by the Lakeland Area Mass Transit Direct. The Bartow Executive Airport is about 8 miles from the area, primarily servicing private flights, a flight school, and it houses a restaurant.

On the outskirts of Bartow, Square Lake is a neighborhood made up of gated communities. This includes Floral Lakes, a 55 and up community where residents can enjoy various activities with same-age peers. Because it is so close to the city, locals have access to the several restaurants and facilities in Bartow, including the Polk County History Center & Genealogical Library. Students in the neighborhood attend Polk County Public Schools and can study abroad through an exchange program offered by the high school. Within the gates of Square Lake, homebuyers can find three- and four-bedroom homes with Spanish influence on landscaped yards. Tall palm trees and bushes decorate sprawling lots that are at least a half-acre in size. These homes can start as low as $400,000 and run upwards of $500,000. The wide streets of Floral Lakes are lined with manicured lawns. Most homes in the community are contemporary ranch styles with long, covered carports and asymmetrical shed roofs. Properties typically cost between $150,000 and $200,000, and the homeowners association fees are less than $100 per month. Outside of the gated communities, there is a variety of architectural styles. Single-family houses sit on grassy lawns with oak trees stretching to the two-way streets. Ranch styles and two-story new traditional homes are common, and prices tend to fall between $200,000 and $300,000. Inside Square Lakes is Mosaic Park, which has a baseball field, an event space and a recently renovated soccer field. There is also a playground for kids to explore. Summerlin Park, about 1 mile from Square Lake, features a walking path along Wilson Lake that locals can enjoy. “There’s ducks and turtles on the lake; it’s very peaceful,” says Lacey Sherrouse, Realtor with Faith and Family Realty and lifetime resident of Bartow. Less than 1 mile from the neighborhood, Bartow Park Sports Complex has a football, softball and soccer field and borders the Triple Nickel, also called 555, Racetrack. Floral Lakes plans activities for community involvement. Besides having a golf course, swimming pool and shuffleboard, neighbors can join a club or attend regularly scheduled events such as movie nights and ice cream socials. Because Square Lakes sits on the outskirts of Bartow, people travel 2 miles into the heart of the city for a bite to eat. “Unfiltered Coffee is amazing,” Sherrouse says. Besides serving coffee, the café features artisan retail and a classroom space for workshops. Residents get their groceries from Publix, which is about 3 miles away, or Aldi, about 4 miles away. Walmart and Lowe’s are also within a 4-mile drive of the neighborhood. The Mosaic Park hosts several events throughout the year, including the Bartow Extravaganza, which celebrates the Fourth of July with live music and fireworks. The city’s annual Halloween parade rides through, ending at a carnival in Mosaic Park. Programming includes a costume contest and cake walk. Residents will also travel into downtown Bartow for a monthly Friday Fest, which features a different theme on the third Friday of every month. Attendees can typically expect street vendors, live music and activities relating to the theme. Part of Polk County Public Schools, which earns a B from Niche, students can start at Floral Avenue Elementary School, rated C-plus, before attending Bartow Middle School, which has a C rating. Bartow Senior High, with a B-plus, allows students to study abroad with the German American Partnership Program and encourages them to enroll in the International Baccalaureate program. US Routes 60 and 98 border the neighborhood, taking residents the 2 miles into downtown Bartow and connecting to Interstate 4, which eventually goes into Tampa, about 40 miles away, and Orlando, about 65 miles away. Polk County’s public transportation, Citrus Connection, offers bus routes that carry residents from Square Lakes to the rest of Bartow and the Citrus Connection Paratransit, which provides direct transportation and is wheelchair accessible. Hurricane season is from June 1 to November 30. While Bartow is considered a low-risk area for hurricanes, locals should have a plan that covers taking shelter during a storm as well as evacuation procedures. The Floral Lakes Emergency Management Committee expects residents to follow the plan they developed in cases of extreme weather.

With development popping up amid the rural landscape of Florida’s fastest-growing county, Greater Bartow is a neighborhood that offers an intriguing mix of personas. “You have a small hometown feel where you are away from it all, but you’re close enough to do everything you want,” says Mike Troller, a Realtor with Keller Williams Realty in nearby Lakeland. Residents have access to a diverse set of amenities – from the shopping and dining options in historic downtown Bartow to outdoor recreation highlighted by a nearby lake. Cows still roam the open spaces of the neighborhood, but they continue to be joined by new homes. Mid-sized custom homes in subdivisions settings and multi-level contemporary homes in gated communities highlight the neighborhood's newest construction. “A lot of the farmland around here is being developed because available land is scarce, so there’s been a lot of residential growth,” Troller says. Traditional ranch-style homes on spacious lots are common among established housing. Prices typically range between the low $300,000s to the mid-$500,000s, although homes that include additional acreage can sell for $650,000 or more. While sidewalks make it easy to traverse individual planned communities, the neighborhood is not serviced by public transport nor is it particularly bike-friendly. Travel in and out of the neighborhood requires a vehicle. Fortunately, amenities are always close by. “We don’t walk much around here to go places, but our drives are very minimal,” Troller says. Charm City Seafood, known for its crab cakes, is the neighborhood’s lone eatery, but nearby U.S. Highway 98, also known as Bartow Road, provides quick and easy access to shopping and dining. Residents can stock up at Publix in the Golden Gate shopping center, and featured restaurants include the Broadway Diner, a go-to for traditional American breakfasts. Main Street Bartow just a few miles south of the neighborhood, provides an array of independent stores and eateries, including popular stops Two Crazy Nuts; an ice cream shop and candy store; UnFiltered, a Bohemian-style coffeehouse; and Front Page Brewing, located inside what used to be the Polk County Democrat newspaper building. “Downtown Bartow is very old-fashioned with Colonial-style buildings,” Troller says. “It’s like you’ve gone back in time, but you can still do all your shopping and dining.” Downtown also hosts popular community events, including an annual Christmas parade and a monthly Friday Fest, where Main Street is cordoned off for a community event featuring food, music and special shopping deals. The Fort Fraser Trail, which starts just outside downtown, runs through the neighborhood and past Lake Hancock for almost 8 miles, providing convenient recreation for walkers, joggers and bike riders. “That is kind of Bartow’s version of Lakeland’s Lake Hollingsworth trail, where you can walk and exercise amid nature,” Troller says. Lake Hancock, which covers more than 250 acres, is the perfect setting for boating and fishing. The adjacent Circle B Bar Reserve offers a collection of ecological diversity that nature lovers are sure to enjoy. Along primitive trails dotted with native flora, visitors are treated to the sights of alligators, birds and other creatures in their natural habitats. The reserve also is home to the interactive exhibit-filled Polk Nature Discovery Center. Students can attend James E. Stephens Elementary, a C-minus-rated school by Niche located just outside the neighborhood; Bartow Middle, a C-rated school; and Bartow High, a B-plus-rated school that offers the prestigious International Baccalaureate program. Citrus Connection bus stops are available outside the neighborhood along Highway 98, providing additional access to the amenities in and around Bartow. Residents also enjoy proximity to points of interest throughout the region. Highway 98 connects directly to Lakeland about 12 miles north. Polk County’s largest city is home to a buzzy downtown dining scene and cultural attractions that include the Florida Children’s Museum and the campus of Florida Southern College, a national landmark that is home to 13 buildings designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, the largest single-site collection of the famed architect’s work. State Road 60, which can be accessed just south of the neighborhood, connects directly to Tampa and its international airport about 40 miles west.