Frostproof, Florida
Encyclopedia
Frostproof is a city in Polk County
, Florida
, United States
. The city is located in southern Polk County on the Lake Wales Ridge
. The population was 2,975 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 2,954.http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2004-04-12.xls It is part of the Lakeland
–Winter Haven
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
The name was a marketing ploy to convince potential landowners that the town has never had, and never would have, a frost that could destroy the large citrus
-driven economy. However, only a couple of years later, a terrible frost killed most of the citrus in Frostproof. Prior to being named Frostproof, the town was named Keystone City. However, after being confused regularly with Keystone Heights, a city in North Florida, Frostproof was coined.
W.H. Overocker applied for the first post office here in 1892, with a name of Keystone City. Postal authorities disallowed it because there was already a Keystone Heights in Florida. Joseph Washington Carson suggested Frostproof as a substitute name, but Overocker instead chose Lakemont. Carson's choice of Frostproof was based on the town's relatively minor damage from the freeze in December 1894 which ruined much of the state's citrus crop.
Carson volunteered to deliver the application to the post office in Fort Meade, and on the way changed the name from Lakemont to Frostproof, which was approved. Overocker, to his surprise, was appointed the postmaster of Frostproof. The early post office was located on the corner of Wall St. and Carson Ave. After many delays, Frostproof first got rail service in 1912.
, the city has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.5 km²), all land. Frostproof is located within the Central Florida Highlands area of the Atlantic coastal plain
with a terrain consisting of flatland interspersed with gently rolling hills.
Frostproof is located in the humid subtropical zone (Köppen climate classification
: Cfa).
of 2000, there were 2,975 people, 1,119 households, and 792 families residing in the city. The population density
was 1,196.8 inhabitants per square mile (461.3/km²). There were 1,504 housing units at an average density of 605.0 per square mile (233.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 78.22% White, 3.90% African American, 0.84% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 14.35% from other races
, and 2.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 21.65% of the population.
There were 1,119 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples
living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 101.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,412, and the median income for a family was $33,707. Males had a median income of $27,234 versus $18,273 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $15,396. About 14.7% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.1% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.
championship three times — in 1974, 1992, and 1999 — and the state softball
championship once, in 2006
Polk County, Florida
Polk County is located in central Florida between the Tampa Bay and Greater Orlando metropolitan areas. The county was established by the state government in 1861 on the eve of the American Civil War and named after former United States president James K. Polk. The county seat is Bartow and its...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. The city is located in southern Polk County on the Lake Wales Ridge
Lake Wales Ridge
The Lake Wales Ridge is a low ridge running for about 150 miles south to north in Central Florida. The greater part of the ridge is in Highlands County and Polk County, but it extends north into Osceola, Orange and Lake Counties. It is named for the city of Lake Wales, roughly at the mid point of...
. The population was 2,975 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 2,954.http://www.census.gov/popest/cities/tables/SUB-EST2004-04-12.xls It is part of the Lakeland
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
–Winter Haven
Winter Haven, Florida
Winter Haven is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 26,487 at the 2000 census. According to the U.S. Census Bureau's 2007 estimates, the city had a population of 32,577, making it the second most populated city in Polk County...
Metropolitan Statistical Area.
History
The first white settlement in the area now known as Frostproof was established in 1850. This settlement like many on central Florida at the time was set up as a fort and was called Fort Clinch. This settlement did not last long and was abandoned only months later. By the 1880s, Frostproof began to see its first permanent settlers as homesteaders were attracted to the abundant hunting in the area which included much deer and turkey, as well as ample fishing.The name was a marketing ploy to convince potential landowners that the town has never had, and never would have, a frost that could destroy the large citrus
Citrus
Citrus is a common term and genus of flowering plants in the rue family, Rutaceae. Citrus is believed to have originated in the part of Southeast Asia bordered by Northeastern India, Myanmar and the Yunnan province of China...
-driven economy. However, only a couple of years later, a terrible frost killed most of the citrus in Frostproof. Prior to being named Frostproof, the town was named Keystone City. However, after being confused regularly with Keystone Heights, a city in North Florida, Frostproof was coined.
W.H. Overocker applied for the first post office here in 1892, with a name of Keystone City. Postal authorities disallowed it because there was already a Keystone Heights in Florida. Joseph Washington Carson suggested Frostproof as a substitute name, but Overocker instead chose Lakemont. Carson's choice of Frostproof was based on the town's relatively minor damage from the freeze in December 1894 which ruined much of the state's citrus crop.
Carson volunteered to deliver the application to the post office in Fort Meade, and on the way changed the name from Lakemont to Frostproof, which was approved. Overocker, to his surprise, was appointed the postmaster of Frostproof. The early post office was located on the corner of Wall St. and Carson Ave. After many delays, Frostproof first got rail service in 1912.
Geography
Frostproof is located in between two lakes: Lake Clinch and Lake Reedy. According to the United States Census BureauUnited States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, the city has a total area of 2.5 square miles (6.5 km²), all land. Frostproof is located within the Central Florida Highlands area of the Atlantic coastal plain
Atlantic Coastal Plain
The Atlantic coastal plain has both low elevation and low relief, but it is also a relatively flat landform extending from the New York Bight southward to a Georgia/Florida section of the Eastern Continental Divide, which demarcates the plain from the ACF River Basin in the Gulf Coastal Plain to...
with a terrain consisting of flatland interspersed with gently rolling hills.
Frostproof is located in the humid subtropical zone (Köppen climate classification
Köppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
: Cfa).
Demographics
As of the censusCensus
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 2,975 people, 1,119 households, and 792 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 1,196.8 inhabitants per square mile (461.3/km²). There were 1,504 housing units at an average density of 605.0 per square mile (233.2/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 78.22% White, 3.90% African American, 0.84% Native American, 0.07% Asian, 0.07% Pacific Islander, 14.35% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.55% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 21.65% of the population.
There were 1,119 households out of which 29.7% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 52.0% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 13.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 29.2% were non-families. 24.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.8% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.66 and the average family size was 3.11.
In the city the population was spread out with 26.7% under the age of 18, 11.2% from 18 to 24, 23.6% from 25 to 44, 20.5% from 45 to 64, and 18.1% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 35 years. For every 100 females there were 101.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 98.5 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $30,412, and the median income for a family was $33,707. Males had a median income of $27,234 versus $18,273 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $15,396. About 14.7% of families and 16.8% of the population were below the poverty line, including 21.1% of those under age 18 and 9.0% of those age 65 or over.
Notable residents
- Travis HenryTravis HenryTravis Deion Henry is a former American football running back for the Buffalo Bills, Tennessee Titans and Denver Broncos. He was drafted by the Bills in the second round of the 2001 NFL Draft...
, former American footballAmerican footballAmerican football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
running backRunning backA running back is a gridiron football position, who is typically lined up in the offensive backfield. The primary roles of a running back are to receive handoffs from the quarterback for a rushing play, to catch passes from out of the backfield, and to block.There are usually one or two running... - Ben Hill Griffin, Jr.Ben Hill Griffin, Jr.Ben Hill Griffin, Jr. was a prominent American businessman, citrus grower, politician and philanthropist who was a native and resident of Florida. Griffin was an alumnus of the University of Florida, a former state legislator, a one-time candidate for governor and a patron of college sports and...
, founder of the citrus empire, politician, and on the Forbes 400 in 1989
Business
Frostproof is home to the Latt Maxcy Corporation and Ben Hill Griffin, Inc. The latter is a member of the agricultural cooperative Florida's Natural.Media
- The city has a weekly newspaper the Frostproof News. The LedgerThe LedgerThe Ledger is a daily newspaper serving Lakeland, Florida and the Polk County area. It is owned by The New York Times Company. Jerome Ferson became publisher of the newspaper on July 30, 2007....
, which is based in Lakeland, is the most common daily newspaper. While there are no television stations located in Frostproof, broadcast signals from Tampa Bay area television stations are available. Most cable and satellite providers offer Tampa Bay and Orlando area stations. There is a community website Frostproof Community Website undated regularly.
- Frostproof was mentioned in the movie IdentityIdentity (film)Identity is a 2003 American thriller-mystery film, directed by James Mangold and written by Michael Cooney. The film stars John Cusack, Ray Liotta, John C. McGinley and Amanda Peet. The plot was inspired by Agatha Christie's novel And Then There Were None.-Plot:Malcolm Rivers is awaiting...
as the hometown of Amanda PeetAmanda PeetAmanda Peet is an American actress, who has appeared on film, stage, and television. After studying with Uta Hagen at Columbia University, Peet began her career in television commercials, and progressed to small roles on television, before making her film debut in 1995...
's character.
Transportation
- State Road 17Florida State Road 17State Road 17 , also formerly known as Alternate U.S. 27, is a north–south state road in the U.S. state of Florida. It is split into two sections...
- The Scenic Highway, leading north to Lake WalesLake Wales, FloridaLake Wales is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 10,194 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 11,802 . It is part of the Lakeland–Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area... - US 27U.S. Route 27U.S. Route 27 is a north–south United States highway in the southern and midwestern United States. The southern terminus is at US 1 in Miami, Florida. The northern terminus is at Interstate 69 in Fort Wayne, Indiana...
- A four-lane divided highway running north/south just west of town, also leading northward to Lake Wales, and southward to SebringSebring, FloridaSebring is a city in Highlands County, Florida, United States, nicknamed "The City on the Circle", in reference to Circle Drive, the center of the Sebring Downtown Historic District...
. - US 98U.S. Route 98U.S. Route 98 is an east–west United States highway that runs from western Mississippi to southern Florida. It was established in 1933 as a route between Pensacola, Florida and Apalachicola, Florida, and has since been extended westward into Mississippi and eastward across the Florida...
- Running west from US 27, this road leads to Ft. MeadeFort Meade, FloridaFort Meade is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States. The population was 5,691 at the 2000 census. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 5,761...
and eventually to BartowBartow, FloridaBartow is the county seat of Polk County, Florida, United States. Founded in 1851 as Fort Blount, the city was renamed in honor of Francis S. Bartow the first brigade commander to die in combat during the American Civil War. According to the U.S. Census Bureau 2000 Census, the city had a...
and LakelandLakeland, FloridaLakeland is a city in Polk County, Florida, United States, located approximately midway between Tampa and Orlando along Interstate 4. According to the 2008 U.S. Census Bureau estimate, the city had a population of 94,406...
. Southbound, it is co-signed with US 27.
Education
The public schools in Frostproof are operated by the Polk County School Board. There are three schools in Frostproof: frostproof Middle/Senior High, Frostproof Elementary and Ben Hill Griffin Elementary. The high school in Frostproof has won the state footballAmerican football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
championship three times — in 1974, 1992, and 1999 — and the state softball
Softball
Softball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of 10 to 14 players. It is a direct descendant of baseball although there are some key differences: softballs are larger than baseballs, and the pitches are thrown underhand rather than overhand...
championship once, in 2006
External links
- Frostproof News, newspaper that serves Frostproof, Florida available in full-text with images in Florida Digital Newspaper Library
- Frostproof Chamber of Commerce