PRESS RELEASE: Secretary Byrd Designates Main Street Bartow as Florida Main Street Program of the Month

TALLAHASSEE, Fla. –

Today, Secretary of State Cord Byrd announced that Main Street Bartow, located in Polk County, has been designated the December 2024 Florida Main Street Program of the Month.

“As the county seat of Polk County, Bartow has historically made huge strides in developing its agricultural and mining presence not only within Florida, but across the country," said Secretary Byrd. "As a Florida Main Street program, Bartow has become a destination for understanding and appreciating the rich history of Central Florida while encouraging modern and sustainable economic growth."

Archaeological sites document that human history in the Bartow area spans over 12,000 years. Americans, led by Redding Blount, first settled the area in 1851, then known as Peace Creek. As the settlement grew, residents began planting citrus trees and building schoolhouses and churches. Renamed Bartow in 1862, the city evolved from a small frontier outpost to become the seat of Polk County.

In 1867, a cattleman named Jacob Summerlin donated a large part of the old Blount homestead to build the first Polk County courthouse, the first county high school, and two churches. Built in 1887, the Summerlin Institute (now Bartow High School), served as the first brick schoolhouse in Florida south of Jacksonville. Bartow grew exponentially during the last two decades of the 19^th century, becoming the 15^th most populous city in the state. During the early 20^th century, Bartow became a national hub of the emerging phosphate mining industry. Following freezes throughout North Florida, Polk County became one of the leading citrus-producing counties in the United States.  In 1941, the city constructed an airport northeast of town; the federal government used the airfield during World War II to train Army Air Forces pilots.

Main Street Bartow, Inc. (MSB) plays an important role in preserving the city’s history and its small-town feel, despite the rapid growth in the region. It was established in 1984 for the purpose of preserving and improving Bartow’s central business district and received its designation as a Florida Main Street Program in 1986, the second year of the state’s program. Since its designation, Main Street Bartow has reported over $70 million in public and private investment, 160 net new businesses providing 960 net new jobs, and logged nearly 17,000 volunteer hours. The community’s main street district supports an eclectic mix of restaurants, cafes, boutiques, antiques shops, salons, and gift and home décor stores, adjacent to government offices. Over the past 20 years, MSB has developed and managed numerous events, such as Friday Fest, the Bloomin’ Bike Ride, and Spring Fling & BBQ, that are designed to bring people downtown to experience Bartow and foster a desire to return to shopping and dining in Bartow.

“Main Street is the symbol of how we care for our community both in the physical sense of how the place looks and feels, and in the economic sense showing our mix of thriving businesses,” says Linda Holcomb, Executive Director for Main Street Bartow. “Communities value having a strong Main Street; it is considered the heart of the Community. Over the past 8 years we have gone from downtown being over half vacant to having very few spaces available. We now attract people downtown by creating an inviting, aesthetically appealing and safe downtown. A vibrant & safe downtown attracts even more businesses and people. Special events are very important to us. We manage a growing number of events designed to bring people downtown to experience Bartow and hopefully foster a desire to return and shop or dine in Bartow. These events communicate progress and excitement which attracts more investors. We continually hear ‘Wow, Bartow always has something going on.’ There is never a boring moment on Main Street Bartow.”

For more information on Main Street Bartow, visit MainStreetBartowFL.com or follow on Facebook or Instagram. 

To learn more about the Florida Main Street program, visit FloridaMainStreet.com or follow on Facebook and Instagram.

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About Florida Main Street

Florida Main Street is a program administered by the Division of Historical Resources under the Florida Department of State, which currently oversees 57 communities throughout the state. By implementing the National Main Street Center’s Four-Point Approach, Florida Main Street encourages economic development within the context of historic preservation through the revitalization of Florida’s downtowns – the community’s heart and soul.