Bartow, Florida
Bartow is a city of 20,438 people in Polk County, Florida, founded in 1851.
Why visit Bartow
Townapedia lists 14 museums and landmarks, 4 parks and trails, 30 places to eat and 2 places to stay in and around town.
Highlights include Bartow Downtown Commercial District and Bartow Multiple Property Submission.
July is the warmest month, with average highs of 92°F; January lows average 50°F.
Weather in Bartow
Forecast from the National Weather Service. Full forecast
About Bartow
Bartow is a city and 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 of the Confederate Army to die in combat during the American Civil War. It is part of the Lakeland−Winter Haven Metropolitan Statistical Area, which had an estimated population of 787,404, as of July 1, 2022.
From the Wikipedia article Bartow, Florida (this version), under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Museums and landmarks14
Bartow Downtown Commercial District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.4 mi
Historic district in central Bartow, Florida
Bartow Multiple Property Submission
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.8 mi
Buildings in Bartow which were added to the NRHP as part of the Bartow Multiple Property Submission
Benjamin Franklin Holland House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Bartow, Florida, NRHP-listed
Homeland School
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 4.7 mi
School building in Florida, United States of America
John J. Swearingen House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.1 mi
Historic home in Bartow, Florida
Lawrence Brown House
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 0.9 mi
Historic home in Bartow, Florida, USA
Mann Manor
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.6 mi
National historic site located at 325 West Main Street, Bartow, Florida in Polk County
Northeast Bartow Residential District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.3 mi
Historic district in Florida, United States
Oak Hill Cemetery
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.7 mi
Cemetery in Bartow, Florida, USA
Old Polk County Courthouse
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.5 mi
Courthouse in Florida, United States
South Bartow Residential District
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.2 mi
Historic district in Florida, United States
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Thompson and Company Cigar Factory
Monument and historic site · National Register of Historic Places · 1.0 mi
Historic building in Bartow, Florida, United States
2 more on the map.
Parks, trails and playgrounds4
Restaurants and cafes30
Broadway Diner
Restaurant · American, Diner · 1.9 mi
1380 Broadway Avenue
Tu-Su 06:00-14:30
18 more on the map.
Where to stay2
History
A Spanish map of the Florida peninsula drawn in 1527 shows a native settlement called Rio de la Paz near present-day Bartow. Little is known about these Native Americans who made their home near present-day Bartow. It is likely that their population suffered high mortality from European diseases, such as smallpox and measles. The remnants of these pre-Columbian peoples probably joined the Creek Indians who migrated from the north to become the Seminole Indian tribe.
The first non-Indian settlement in the area was a colony of Black Seminole, free blacks and escaped slaves who established Minatti south of Lake Hancock in the late 1810s. These "maroons", as they were commonly called, were slaves who escaped from Georgia and the Carolinas. The Black Seminole of Minatti were allies of the Red Stick Creek in Talakchopko, a village that preceded present-day Fort Meade. The Seminole leader Osceola had strong ties to Talakchopko. Many of the events leading up to the Second Seminole War were associated with Osceola and the Minatti war chief Harry. By the end of the Second Seminole War in 1842, both Minatti and Talakchopko had been destroyed by US forces.
From the History section of Bartow, Florida on Wikipedia, under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Churches and places of worship8
Shopping6
Gas and EV charging6
Schools, colleges and libraries33
Polk State College - Clear Springs Advanced Technology Center
School · 4.0 mi
310 Technology Drive, Bartow
Polk County Sheriff'S Central Center
School · 0.4 mi
2390 Bob Phillips Rd, Bartow
Polk County Sheriffs Regional Detention Center
School · 0.4 mi
2390 Bob Phillips Rd, Bartow
Healthcare4
Map of Bartow
107 places. The map loads OpenStreetMap tiles when you open it.
Climate by month
Monthly table
| Month | High | Low | Rain | Snow |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan | 73°F | 50°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| Feb | 76°F | 52°F | 2.1 in | 0.0 in |
| Mar | 80°F | 56°F | 2.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Apr | 84°F | 61°F | 2.7 in | 0.0 in |
| May | 89°F | 66°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Jun | 91°F | 71°F | 8.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Jul | 92°F | 73°F | 7.6 in | 0.0 in |
| Aug | 92°F | 73°F | 7.8 in | 0.0 in |
| Sep | 90°F | 72°F | 7.3 in | 0.0 in |
| Oct | 85°F | 66°F | 3.0 in | 0.0 in |
| Nov | 79°F | 58°F | 1.5 in | 0.0 in |
| Dec | 75°F | 53°F | 2.2 in | 0.0 in |
U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 for Bartow 1Se Hcn (1 mi away), NOAA NCEI.
People and cost of living
American Community Survey 5-year estimates, 2020-2024, U.S. Census Bureau. Estimates have margins of error, larger for small towns.
Disaster history
Polk County has had 30 federal disaster declarations since 2000, most often for hurricanes.
- 2024-10-11: Hurricane Milton (Hurricane)
- 2024-10-07: Hurricane Milton (Hurricane)
- 2024-08-10: Hurricane Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2024-08-03: Tropical Storm Debby (Tropical Storm)
- 2023-08-31: Hurricane Idalia (Hurricane)
- 2023-08-28: Tropical Storm Idalia (Tropical Storm)
OpenFEMA disaster declarations summaries.
Getting there and nearby towns
Bartow Executive Airport (BOW) is the nearest airport with scheduled flights listed in OpenStreetMap, 4 miles away.
- Highland City 6 mi northwest, about 10 min by car
- Lakeland Highlands 10 mi northwest, about 15 min by car
- Medulla 11 mi northwest, about 18 min by car
- Fuller Heights 11 mi west, about 18 min by car
- Cypress Gardens 11 mi northeast, about 18 min by car
- Winter Haven 12 mi northeast, about 20 min by car
- Lakeland 14 mi northwest, about 23 min by car
- Lake Wales 14 mi east, about 22 min by car
- Auburndale 15 mi north, about 25 min by car
- Plant City 20 mi northwest, about 32 min by car
Drive times are estimates from straight-line distance, not routes.
Local news
Headlines from INDB, the NEMICO news database.
Reviews, tips and questions
Loading what members have shared...
Sources and licences
- NCES EDGE (Public domain): public schools
- NOAA NCEI U.S. Climate Normals 1991-2020 (Public domain): climate by month
- OpenFEMA (Public domain): disaster declarations
- OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL 1.0): places, airports, map data
- U.S. Census Bureau (Public domain): population, income, housing, education, commute
- Wikidata (CC0 1.0): elevation, founding date, time zone, website, landmarks and historic places
- Wikimedia Commons (see each image): photos
- Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0): overview and history text
Photo credits
- Bartow crths old01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Downed trees and power lines in Bartow, FL following Hurricane Ian - 52393685464, State Farm, CC BY 2.0
- Downed trees and power lines in Bartow, FL following Hurricane Ian - 52393383941, State Farm, CC BY 2.0
- Downed trees and power lines in Bartow, FL following Hurricane Ian, State Farm, CC BY 2.0
- Downed trees and power lines in Bartow, FL following Hurricane Ian - 52392875252, State Farm, CC BY 2.0
- Downed tree leaves tracks in the ground in Bartow, FL following Hurricane Ian (52394992943), State Farm, CC BY 2.0
- Downed trees and power lines in Bartow, FL following Hurricane Ian - 52393684609, State Farm, CC BY 2.0
- Downed trees and power lines in Bartow, FL following Hurricane Ian - 52393821160, State Farm, CC BY 2.0
- Downed trees and power lines in Bartow, FL following Hurricane Ian - 52393891888, State Farm, CC BY 2.0
- Downed trees and power lines in Bartow, FL following Hurricane Ian - 52393892033, State Farm, CC BY 2.0
- Downed trees and power lines in Bartow, FL following Hurricane Ian - 52393822030, State Farm, CC BY 2.0
- Downed trees and power lines in Bartow, FL following Hurricane Ian - 52393382401, State Farm, CC BY 2.0
- Downed trees and power lines in Bartow, FL following Hurricane Ian - 52392891872, State Farm, CC BY 2.0
- Downed trees and power lines in Bartow, FL following Hurricane Ian - 52393908608, State Farm, CC BY 2.0
- Downed trees and power lines in Bartow, FL following Hurricane Ian - 52393701499, State Farm, CC BY 2.0
- Bartow NE Res Dist02, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Bartow Downtown Comm dist Stuart bldg01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Bartow Thompson Cigar Factory pano01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Bartow S Res Dist Holland BF01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Mann Manor, Bartow, Florida, TampAGS / AGS Media, CC BY-SA 3.0
- Bartow Oak Hill Cemetery02, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Homeland FL School01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Bartow Brown LB house01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Bartow Swearingen JJ house01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Bartow S Res Dist Wilson02, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Bartow South Florida Mil Coll01, Ebyabe, CC BY-SA 2.5
- Hand laid tile rosette at Polk County History Center (Florida), SkyRose18, CC0
- Historically Preserved 1908 Courtroom, SkyRose18, CC0
- Balcony in Historically Preserved 1908 Courtroom, SkyRose18, CC0
- ISS048-E-18377 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS052-E-6048 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS063-E-53674 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS060-E-52764 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS060-E-52765 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS063-E-53675 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS052-E-6049 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit , Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- ISS063-E-53676 - View of Earth, Earth Science and Remote Sensing Unit, NASA Johnson Space Center, Public domain
- Flock Camera-LylePkwy, ThrowCop, CC0
- Damage to homes from fallen trees and wind debris in Florida following Hurricane Ian - 52395760048, State Farm, CC BY 2.0
- Damage to homes from fallen trees and wind debris in Florida following Hurricane Ian - 52395550564, State Farm, CC BY 2.0
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