Lake Placid, Florida

Lake Placid, Florida
Town of Lake Placid
Official logo of Lake Placid, Florida
Nickname(s): 
"Caladium Capital of the World"
"Town of Murals"
Location in Highlands County and the state of Florida
Location in Highlands County and the state of Florida
Coordinates: 27°17′42.9″N 81°22′21.5″W / 27.295250°N 81.372639°W / 27.295250; -81.372639
Country United States
State Florida
CountyHighlands
Settled1912
Incorporated
(Town of Lake Stearns)
December 1, 1925
Incorporated
(Town of Lake Placid)
June 6, 1927
Government
 • TypeMayor-Council
 • MayorJohn Holbrook
 • Vice MayorRay Royce
 • CouncilorsCharlie Wilson, Greg Sapp,
and Nell Frewin-Hays
 • Town AdministratorKevin McCarthy
 • Town ClerkEva Cooper-Hapeman
Area
 • Total4.71 sq mi (12.21 km2)
 • Land4.66 sq mi (12.07 km2)
 • Water0.05 sq mi (0.13 km2)  1.4%
Highest elevation173 ft (53 m)
Lowest elevation72 ft (22 m)
Population
 (2020)
 • Total2,360
 • Density506.22/sq mi (195.47/km2)
Time zoneUTC-5 (Eastern (EST))
 • Summer (DST)UTC-4 (EDT)
ZIP Codes
33852, 33862
Area code863
FIPS code12-38625
GNIS feature ID285272[5]
WebsiteTown of Lake Placid

Lake Placid is a town in Highlands County, Florida, United States. It is part of the Sebring, Florida Metropolitan Statistical Area. As of the 2020 census, the population was 2,360, up from 2,223 at the 2010 census.

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]

  1. ^ "Town of Lake Placid Departments". Town of Lake Placid. Archived from the original on September 27, 2007. Retrieved August 13, 2007.
  2. ^ "2020 U.S. Gazetteer Files". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved October 31, 2021.
  3. ^ North Magnolia Avenue
  4. ^ Lake June in Winter
  5. ^ "US Board on Geographic Names". United States Geological Survey. October 25, 2007. Retrieved January 31, 2008.
  6. ^ "The Town of Murals". Lake Placid Mural Society. Retrieved February 15, 2019.
  7. ^ Swanson, Yvonne (August 11, 2007). "Caladiums please the eye". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved August 13, 2007.
  8. ^ Gross, Bonnie. "Local color: Lake Placid Caladium Festival, July 27–29". Sun-sentinel.com. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  9. ^ "Home". Floridacurrents.com. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  10. ^ Newspapers, Mid Florida. "Highlands News-Sun". Mid Florida Newspapers. Retrieved November 24, 2021.
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference Dixie was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Cite error: The named reference owners was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference USTopo was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference Miami was invoked but never defined (see the help page).

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