The town has two nicknames: "Town of Murals" and "Caladium Capital of the World". Lake Placid has 47 murals painted on buildings throughout the town,[6] and 98 percent of the world's caladium bulbs come from Lake Placid.[7] There are 14 caladium farms, spanning 1,200 acres, and these plants have been grown in the area since the 1940s.[8] In 2013, Reader's Digest named Lake Placid America's Most Interesting Town.[9][10]
The town is home to the Lake Placid Tower, a closed concrete block observation tower that is 240 feet (73 m) tall according to early sources[11] or 270 feet (82 m) tall according to late sources.[12] However, government sources exclude a 270-foot height, allowing only a 240-foot height.[13][14]
History
Lake Placid, which was formerly called "Lake Stearns", was chartered on December 1, 1925. Dr. Melvil Dewey, the inventor of the Dewey Decimal System, and the founder of the Lake Placid Club in Lake Placid, New York, proposed that Lake Stearns change its name to "Lake Placid". On April 29, 1927, the Lake Stearns Commissioners accepted Dr. Dewey's proposal. Subsequently, they submitted a request to the Florida State Legislature. On June 6, 1927, the community was chartered as the town of Lake Placid.
According to the United States Census Bureau, Lake Placid has a total area of 3.650 square miles (9.45 km2), of which 3.599 square miles (9.32 km2) are land and 0.051 square miles (0.13 km2), or 1.4%, are water.[15]
As of the 2020 United States census, there were 2,360 people, 764 households, and 494 families residing in the town.[19]
According to the American Community Survey, in 2016, 58.3% of households were family households – with one or more people related to the householder or related to one of a same-sex couple by birth, marriage or adoption; and 41.7% were non-family households – including same-sex couples with no other relatives. Family households included 29.0% with their own children under 18 years, 37.0% were a husband-wife family, 6.4% were a male householder with no wife present, 14.9% were a female householder with no husband present. Non-family households consisted of 12.2% males living alone – 5.8% 65 years and older – and 19.7% females living alone – 19.7% 65 years and older. The average household size was 2.63 and the average family size was 3.21. The median age of the population was 34.4 years.
From the 2016 American Community Survey, the population was spread out, with 10% under 5 years old, 15.3% from 5 to 14, 45.2% from 15 to 44, 20.9% from 45 to 64, and 16.1% who were 65 years of age or older (significant margins of error causes total to exceed 100%). The sex ratio was 106.3 males per 100 females. The educational attainment of the population who were a high school graduate or higher was 59.2%, while 12.3% had a bachelor's degree or higher. The poverty rate of the population 25 years and older was 61.0% if less than a high school graduate, 52.2% if a high school graduate, 26.8% with some college, and 13.4% with a bachelor's degree or higher. The median earnings of the population 25 years and over during the past 12 months was $14,938, consisting of $10,625 if less than a high school graduate, $15,187 if a high school graduate, $18,988 with some college, and $147,961 with a bachelor's degree. The per capita income was $17,318. 54.7% of all people had incomes below the poverty level. All figures from the survey had significant margins of error.
As of the 2010 United States census, there were 2,223 people, 833 households, and 575 families residing in the town.[20]
2000 census
As of the census of 2000, there are 1,668 people, 646 households, and 395 families residing in the town. The population density is 250.6/km2 (650.2/mi2). There are 776 housing units at an average density of 116.6/km2 (302.5/mi2). The racial makeup of the town is 76.38% White, 9.95% African American, 0.90% Native American, 0.66% Asian, 0.00% Pacific Islander, 10.43% from other races, and 1.68% from two or more races. 30.46% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race.
In 2000, there are 646 households out of which 29.6% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 44.9% are married couples living together, 11.9% have a female householder with no husband present, and 38.7% are non-families. 31.9% of all households are made up of individuals and 16.1% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.57 and the average family size is 3.26.
In 2000, in the town the population is spread out with 27.6% under the age of 18, 11.3% from 18 to 24, 25.2% from 25 to 44, 17.2% from 45 to 64, and 18.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 34 years. For every 100 females there are 97.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.7 males.
In 2000, the median income for a household in the town is $21,178, and the median income for a family is $28,194. Males have a median income of $21,629 versus $14,650 for females. The per capita income for the town is $11,855. 34.7% of the population and 22.7% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 55.2% are under the age of 18 and 7.3% are 65 or older.
Lake Placid is located in a fringe viewing area; its television stations originate in distant cities. Local television services offer signals from WFTV, the ABC affiliate in Orlando, WINK, the CBS affiliate in Fort Myers/Naples, WFLA, the Tampa Bay areaNBC affiliate, and WTVT, the Tampa Bay area Fox affiliate. There are no TV stations whose studios or broadcasting towers are located in Lake Placid.
Lake Placid is part of the Sebring radio market, which is ranked as the 288th largest in the United States by Arbitron.[21] It is the city of license for WWTK 730 kHz and is in that station's primary coverage area, however, there are no radio stations whose studios or broadcasting towers are located in Lake Placid.
Newspapers
The Highlands News-Sun, a Sebring-based newspaper published daily, is currently the only commercial newspaper circulating in Lake Placid. The Journal, a locally based weekly publication, had circulated for almost 60 years in Lake Placid, but ceased publication.
The structure, built by Ridge Builders, and previously called the Happiness Tower, is a closed concrete block observation tower located on US Highway 27.[22] It is 240 feet (73.2 m) tall according to early sources (before 1982),[11] although later sources (after 1986) have indicated that it is 270 feet (82.3 m) tall.[12] Because its antennae are 392 feet (119.5 m) above sea level,[14] and it rests on ground 142 feet (43 m) above sea level[13] (392–142=250), only the 240-foot architectural height is plausible. It has three observation levels, at 192 feet (58.5 m) behind windows, at 200 feet (61.0 m) on a balcony, and at 225 feet (68.6 m) atop the elevator shaft.[11] It was designed by architect A. Wynn Howell of Lakeland, built in 1960, and opened January 1, 1961.[11][23][24] It was the tallest concrete block structure in the world when it opened.[11]
For years, the tower was open to tourists who could take a 65 second elevator ride to the observation deck.[25] Because of sluggish sales, the tower closed in 2003 and is now a cell phone tower.[26][27]
There are 47 large murals on the sides of buildings in Lake Placid's "uptown" area. These have become a tourist attraction.[28] The Welcome Center sells a booklet with a map of the murals that provides specifics about the history that each one depicts, as well as information about the artist(s).[29]
The murals were planned in 1992 by Harriet and Bob Porter[30] and were painted in subsequent years by various artists, most depicting the history of the area. Some feature the trompe-l'œil technique.[31]
Toby's American Clown Museum and School
Lake Placid is home to the American Clown Museum and School, which was founded in 1993.[32] Here more than 700 significant pieces of clown memorabilia can be found.[33]
^ abcdeKimberly D. Hinder, "Florida's Earliest Tourist Towers: Placid Tower", Looking beyond the highway: Dixie roads and culture, ed. Claudette Stager and Martha Carver, University of Tennessee Press, Knoxville, 2006. Cites Sebring News articles from early 1961. "either an enclosed observation deck at 192 feet or an open observation deck at 200 feet ... the crow's nest, which was 225 feet above ground. Lauded as the world's tallest concrete-block structure when it opened, the tower topped off at 240 feet". "A. Wynne Howell" (sic).
^ abHTN Tower Story "Two Hundred and Seventy Feet", "Three Hundred and Sixty".
^Kim Leatherman, "Falling down?", Highlands News-Sun, January 16, 2019, pp. A1, A5.
^"Architectural Helps for Tourism", Florida Architect, 12/7, July 1962. "Built of reinforced concrete faced with ceramic tile and capped by roof tracery of gold anodized aluminum".
^CHL Tower Group 2003 deed, Highlands County Property Appraiser, "Consideration: $1,190,000.00" "6th day of November, 2003".
^Joey Vars, "Forgotten Tourist Tower"Crow's Nest. The e-print version of this article, by Joey Vars, is at "Forgotten Tourist Tower", Feb 2-8, 2015, Volume 49, Issue 19, p.
4. "At 270 feet high," "A. Wyatt Howell" (sic).
United States
Florida
