Lakeland History Room

Hours: 

Mon - Thurs. - 9 am - 7 pm
Fri - Sat: 9 am - 5 pm
Sun: 1:30 pm - 5 pm

Lakeland History Room Service Desk: 863.834.4284

Lakeland History Room Librarian Supervisor: LuAnn Mims
Ph: 863.834.4269
Email: luann.mims@lakelandgov.net

Image from the Greetings from Lakeland postcard collection

• Using the Lakeland History Room

  Services: 

  • Research assistance with local history 
  • House/property records research 
  • Family Genealogy, Newspapers and Obituaries — please contact LuAnn Mims at 863.834.4269 or email LuAnn.Mims@lakelandgov.net
  • DIY Digitize Lab — guided assistance by appointment only to reformat analog materials to digital formats (excluding film). Please contact Rebecca Whalon to schedule an appointment in the DIY workspace at 863.834.4212 or email Rebecca.Whalon@lakelandgov.net

   

• Digital Collections

  The Lakeland History Room collection features a variety of materials—documents, photographs, maps, building plans, audio/visual media, and scrapbooks with specialty items like citrus crate labels, artwork, yearbooks, posters, and postcards. There are also 8000+ images viewable online via our Digital Collection on CONTENTdm.

  Click on the icons below to explore digital collections, photo albums, and story maps of Lakeland history:

                      

                        

   

• In-Person Classes and Self-Paced Learning

  In-Person Classes 

  Genealogy:

  • Generators – meets the first Monday of each month @6pm- is an ad hoc group that discusses genealogical topics of interest
  • Beginning Genealogy – offered twice a year – basic introduction to researching your family history
  • Get Started with Ancestry.com – offered twice a year – guided tour through the premier genealogical database
  • Focus on Family Search – offered twice a year – step by step look at this FREE family history resources

  Archival:

  • Photograph Preservation instruction offered in person twice a year to introduce reformatting from analog to digital concepts

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  Self-Paced Learning: Organizing and Preserving Your Materials

  Trying to get your personal memorabilia better organized?  Start with the Personal Archiving at Home video series. These short videos give detailed instruction on how to take care of your treasured memorabilia – photographs, slides, negatives, papers, audio and video tapes and more. Topics include preservation, storage, digitization, standard formatting, organization tips and adding to your family archives.

  Part I: Historic Preservation
  Part II: Organization & Maintenance
  Part III: Digitization

   

• Lakeland History and Culture Center Lecture Series

  Florida Grapefruit: Sweet and Tart
  with Florida Department of Citrus
  Lakeland Public Library Meeting Room 
  Thursday, February 12th at 10 AM 

  Join us in the Meeting Room at the Lakeland Public Library on Thursday, February 12th at 5:30 PM as the Florida Department of Citrus presents about the history of Florida grapefruit in "Florida Grapefruit: Sweet and Tart."

  Learn more about the history and marketing concepts of the exotic “forbidden fruit” now known as grapefruit! This unique part of Florida's citrus history is shared by the team from the Florida Department of Citrus. Come celebrate National Grapefruit Month with us and learn all about this sweet and tart Florida fruit!

  No registration required.

  Find out more information about "Florida Grapefruit: Sweet and Tart".  No registration is required. All ages welcome.

   

   

   

   

   

• History Tours

  Lakeland History Room Staff host historical walking tours for the public featuring Lakeland history, as well as providing curated exhibit tours of the Lakeland History and Culture Center.

  • Stories and Stones – Saturdays (check dates/registration) monthly walk and talk biographical tours of Lakeland’s oldest cemeteries – Roselawn, Tigers Flowers and Lake View
  • Green Hat and White Gloves – Second Tuesdays monthly (check dates and registration) walking tour of Lake Mirror with “Serena Bailey” Lakeland’s first librarian (1929-1959)
  • From the Groves — Lakeland's Citrus Story – curated exhibit tour available by appointment

   

  For more information contact, LuAnn Mims: 863.834.4269, LuAnn.Mims@lakelandgov.net 

• Lakeland History & Culture Center

  Opened on September 8, 2022, the Lakeland History and Culture Center features a 1400 square foot exhibit space dedicated to telling the many stories of our community.

  The inaugural exhibit, Ties That Bind: 1880-1925, Lakeland's Formative Years, showcased the early days of Lakeland's founding and the role of the railroads in helping to develop the area.

  Explore the current exhibit, From the Groves — Lakeland’s Citrus Story, to discover how the citrus industry impacted Lakeland’s economy, why Lakeland was formerly called the “World Citrus Center,” the location of early groves, who helped to market the products, and what defines the local citrus industry today, as well as hear reflections through oral histories from people historically connected to citrus.

  This free, self-guided, interactive exhibit is open:

  Monday-Thursday  9am-7pm
  Friday-Saturday 9am-5pm
  Sunday 1:30pm-5pm

  For information about curated tours, call LuAnn Mims at 863.834.4269

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  Learn more about the Lakeland History & Culture Center.

Popular at the Lakeland History Room

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  Ancestry.com

  Start your family history search here at the library! Ancestry.com offers free access to all library patrons. (In library only)

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  Digital Photo Collection Feature: Lakeland Parks and Recreation

  Explore Lakeland’s History through Photos! 

  The City of Lakeland Parks, Recreation and Cultural Arts Department oversees all municipally owned and operated parks, pools, recreation centers, golf course, athletic leagues, reservations, gardens, cemeteries and public libraries.

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  ...Ready to Play

  Our story begins with you...what better way to tell the many stories of Lakeland and its history, than visually by showcasing highlights from our Digital Collection through Flickr.   

  Check out our featured album:

  ...Ready to Play

  Sports, Teams, Individuals, Recreational, Competitive...Lakeland has them all. 

  Enjoy this "...Ready to Play" photographic stroll through our area's sports programs, including early Detroit Tigers baseball teams.

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  Lakeland Stories Feature: Frances Langford

  Discover more about Lakeland’s History through Stories! 

  Julia Frances Langford Stuart (1913-2005) was a nationally renown singer, actress and entertainer. Over the course of her multi-decades career, she appeared in thirty-six films, along with dozens of radio and television shows. Her music career was showcased in Broadway productions and movies. Born in Hernando, Florida, she moved at a young age with her family to Lakeland. Fran attended Lakeland High School, where her musical interests grew through the mentoring of music educators, Harry and Dorothy Mayhall. She participated in local amateur shows to gain live experience and public exposure, and also sang at dances held at local venues such as the American Legion Post 4.  At one event cigar manufacturer, Eli Witt, heard her sing. He hired her to appear regularly on a Tampa radio program he sponsored, leading to her “discovery” that launched her music career.

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