Lakeland resident Kenneth Pennington, a 30-year U.S. Navy veteran, participated in nine major engagements during WWII.
Category: History
Posted inHistory
Spanish-American War Monument Unveiled at Veterans Park
Local students helped design the tribute to soldiers who were stationed in Lakeland in 1898.
Posted inCity Hall, History
City Hall Wreath Honors Memory of Queen Elizabeth II
Two blocks north of Lake Morton, where the regal descendants of Queen Elizabeth II’s white swans still glide across its waters, a wreath honoring her life, her contribution to the city, and her passing on Thursday stands in the City Hall lobby.
Posted inHistory
Lakeland’s Signature Swans are a Legacy from Queen Elizabeth
Lakeland’s signature swans are a legacy from the early days of the reign of England’s Queen Elizabeth II, who died Thursday at age 96. After an earlier swan population dwindled, a local couple living in England appealed to the queen in 1956 for a pair from her flock. She gifted the swans, with local residents […]
Posted inHistory, Social Services
Library’s Main Branch Reopens Tuesday; History Center Launches a Few Weeks Later
It is move-in weekend for the Lakeland Public Library’s main branch along the east shore of Lake Morton. The 56-year-old facility has been undergoing a massive $1.89 million renovation for the last 18 months, including a new HVAC system, ceilings, lighting, flooring, paint, furniture, a new collection layout — and the addition of the Exhibit […]
Posted inCity Hall
Juneteenth Not a Day Off for City of Lakeland – Yet
President Joe Biden signed a law in 2021 making June 19 a federal holiday. However the state of Florida does not recognize it.
Posted inHistory, Schools
New Historical Marker Honors 1928 Founding of Kathleen School
A historical marker designating Kathleen Middle School as a Polk County Heritage Site was installed this week at the school, which opened in 1928 as Kathleen School. In its early years, the school served students in grades 1 to 12, extending education in the Kathleen community past the eight grade for the first time.
Posted inA & E, History
Library Renovations Will Debut Soon, Followed by Opening of History and Culture Center
The Lakeland Public Library’s main branch on Lake Morton is preparing to open its renovated adult section to the public in a few weeks, with the new History and Culture Center and a renovated children’s section following in May.
Posted inEvents, History
Upcoming Monument and Veterans Day Events Pay Homage to Spanish-American War Soldiers
Veterans Memorial Park will soon be home to a new public arts sculpture commemorating the Spanish-American War, and the often-overlooked historical role Lakeland contributed. Preparations for unveiling the monument include a series of public education events and parades, several of which take place this weekend.
Posted inEvents, History
Veterans Day: Monument to African American WWII Soldiers Will Be Dedicated
A monument honoring Polk County’s World War II African American soldiers will be dedicated in Veterans Memorial Park on Saturday during a pre-Veterans Day ceremony.