Listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1990. 6 historic topographic surveys show this location, the earliest from 1952.
“The Lake Wales City Hall is a historic site in Lake Wales, Florida. It is located at 152 East Central Avenue.”
Wikipedia article Lake Wales City Hall, CC BY-SA 4.0.
One of 78 National Register listings published here for Polk County · listed in 1990 · category: Building.
Sources: the Wikipedia article · the case file at the National Archives · the National Register database, National Park Service
The ground this property stands on, surveyed 36 years apart. Drag the handle to wipe between them. Both sheets are United States Geological Survey originals; neither has been altered.
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal wildfire occurrence database lists 173 fires within 5 miles of Lake Wales City Hall between 1992 and 2020, burning about 1,701 acres in total. 12 started naturally. 21 were recorded as arson. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a fire counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Reported cause | Fires |
|---|---|
| Debris and open burning | 37 |
| Railroad operations and maintenance | 33 |
| Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 29 |
| Equipment and vehicle use | 27 |
| Arson/incendiarism | 21 |
| Natural | 12 |
| Recreation and ceremony | 6 |
| Misuse of fire by a minor | 6 |
| Power generation/transmission/distribution | 2 |
The most recent of them, most recent first, with the day each was reported and the service that recorded it.
| Date | Cause | Size | Reported by | Name on the report |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3 September 2012 | Debris and open burning | 12 acres | Florida Forest Service | GENESIS (53) |
| 22 September 2003 | Debris and open burning | under an acre | Florida Forest Service | FISHER COMMAND |
| 1 September 1999 | Railroad operations and maintenance | under an acre | Florida Forest Service | not named |
| 9 August 1993 | Equipment and vehicle use | 5.0 acres | Florida Forest Service | not named |
| 29 August 2002 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Florida Forest Service | not named |
| 11 August 1993 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Florida Forest Service | not named |
| 11 August 1993 | Equipment and vehicle use | under an acre | Florida Forest Service | not named |
| 4 July 2006 | Missing data/not specified/undetermined | 1.0 acres | Florida Forest Service | 53 WARNER 2 |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The federal mineral resources record lists 13 workings within 5 miles of Lake Wales City Hall: 5 producers, 3 unknowns, 2 prospects, 2 past producers. 5 still produce. What was taken out: Sand, Diatomite, Sand and Gravel, Construction, Clay. Distance is straight-line from the map coordinates, so a quarry counted here may appear on a neighbouring settlement's page as well.
| Where | Site | Commodity | Status | Recorded |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Piper Land Clearing, Inc. - Piper Mine | Clay | Unknown | ||
| Independent Mine | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Lake Wales Sand and Gravel Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Past Producer | ||
| Sandland Pit | Sand and Gravel, Construction | Producer | ||
| Unnamed Diatomite Deposit | Diatomite | Occurrence | ||
| Unnamed Diatomite Deposit | Diatomite | Prospect | ||
| Unnamed Diatomite Prospect | Diatomite | Prospect | ||
| Csr Rinker - Lake Wales | Sand | Producer | ||
| E.R. Jahna Industries - Independent Diamond | Sand | Producer | ||
| Florida Rock Industries - Sandland Mine | Sand | Producer |
Regional context, not property-specific evidence. The National Weather Service names Lake Wales, the town this property stands in, in 42 storm reports between 1995 and 2024: 17 hail, 15 thunderstorm wind, 6 tornado, 1 lightning. The reports record 4 injuries. Each account below is quoted exactly as the forecast office filed it, from the NOAA Storm Events Database, and each date opens the federal record of that event.
| When | Event | Place named | Harm | What the report says |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| March 1998 | Tornado (F2) | Lake Wales | 4 hurt, $2,000,000 | no account filed |
| March 1996 | Hail | Lake Wales | $24,000,000 | no account filed |
| November 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lake Wales | $250,000 | Thunderstorm winds damaged ten manufactured homes and eight six-unit apartment buildings near Fedhaven. Estimated damage of $250 thousand. |
| March 1996 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lake Wales | $180,000 | no account filed |
| February 1998 | Tornado (F1) | Lake Wales | $175,000 | A tornado touched down at Fourth and Johnson Streets in Lake Wales and caused significant roof damage to 25 homes, damaged a few vehicles, downed numerous large tree limbs and power lines along an intermittent path. Five homes in the North Point subdivision incurred moderate roof and lanai damage. One large vehicle was rolled and severely damaged by the tornado before it lifted and dissipated in the Crown Pointe subdivision along Burns Avenue in Lake Wales. |
| February 1998 | Tornado (F0) | Lake Wales | $150,000 | A tornado touched down along U.S. Highway 27A and North Crooked Lake Drive and lifted near Gulf View Cutoff Road in Babson Park. Five homes in a Babson Park division incurred roof damage by the tornado while several trees and power lines were downed before the tornado lifted and dissipated. |
| March 1996 | Hail | Lake Wales | $150,000 | no account filed |
| June 2001 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lake Wales | $100,000 | The Polk county sheriffs department reported that thunderstorm winds caused moderate to minor damage to twelve mobile homes and caused minor hanger damage at the Lake Wales Municipal Airport. |
| March 1999 | Wildfire | Lake Wales | $60,000 | A wildfire consumed nearly five acres of brush and destroyed three mobile homes and a swamp buggy near Lake Wales. |
| March 1996 | Hail | Lake Wales | $50,000 | no account filed |
| January 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lake Wales | $20,000 | Thunderstorm winds caused minor roof and structural damage to a few homes along Alternate U.S. Highway 27 in Lake Wales. Also, a few trees and power lines were downed by thunderstorm winds approximately one mile north of Lake Wales. |
| June 1998 | Lightning | Lake Wales | $15,000 | Lightning struck, ignited and burned 500 acres of brush west of U.S. Highway 27 between Caloosa Lake and East Lake Buffum Road in Lake Wales. |
| July 2000 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lake Wales | $10,000 | Florida Power Electric Company officials reported that thunderstorms winds downed several large trees and power lines in Lake Wales of eastern Polk county. |
| April 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lake Wales | $10,000 | Thunderstorm winds blew down the wall of an automobile dealership under construction. |
| July 2024 | Tornado (EF0) | West Lake Wales | $5,000 | Broadcast media shared video from a social media account depicting a very brief land spout tornado impacting a trailer and small carport-style structure, causing minor damage. No additional damage was reported. |
| June 1998 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lake Wales | $5,000 | Thunderstorm winds tore off the screened porch of a mobile home and destroyed the carport of another. |
| May 1997 | Tornado (F0) | Lake Wales | $5,000 | A short-lived tornado touched down and shredded a 14-by-42 foot aluminum and screen enclosure of a home along U.S. Highway 27. The enclosure was tossed over the home and the remains scattered over an area 150 yards downstream from the damage site. |
| May 1999 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lake Wales | $3,000 | The Peace River Electric Company reported several power lines were downed by thunderstorm winds along Old U.S. Highway 27 (Old Scenic Highway) in Lake Wales. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lake Wales | $1,000 | Law enforcement reported numerous powerines down. |
| May 1997 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lake Wales | $1,000 | A Skywarn Spotter measured a wind gust of 64 mph and reported trees and power lines downed near Cypress Gardens. |
| August 1995 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lake Wales | $500 | Thunderstorm winds gusts of 40 to 50 mph blew down a few large trees. |
| August 2014 | Hail | Lake Wales | - | A picture of dime to quarter size hail was sent in by the public near Lake Wales. |
| June 2011 | Hail | West Lake Wales | - | The public reported nickel to quarter sized hail near West Lake Wales Road South. |
| June 2010 | Hail | Lake Wales | - | Nickel-sized hail was reported near Lake Pierce. |
| June 2009 | Hail | Lake Wales | - | Penny sized hail was reported south of Lake Wales. |
| April 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lake Wales | - | A trained spotter located on U.S. Highway 27 reported quarter size hail and estimated wind gusts of 60 to 70 MPH. |
| April 2008 | Hail | Lake Wales | - | A trained spotter located on U.S. Highway 27 reported quarter size hail and estimated wind gusts of 60 to 70 MPH. |
| April 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lake Wales | - | The public reported an estimated wind gust of 60 MPH and a five minute duration of pea to dime size hail. |
| July 2008 | Heavy Rain | Lake Wales | - | The public reported 7.31 inches of rain fell in 24 hours near Blue Lake south of Lake Wales. |
| June 2008 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lake Wales | - | There were several public reports of 60 to 70 mph wind gusts around Lake Wales. |
| May 2007 | Hail | Lake Wales | - | Nickel size hail was reported by the public along Highway 60 northwest of Inidan Lakes Estates and again 10 miles east of Lake Wales. |
| July 2007 | Hail | Lake Wales | - | Quarter size hail damaged vehicles at a soft ball tournament. |
| February 2006 | Hail | Lake Wales | - | Hail dinged a metal porch roof but did not damage vehicles in the yard. |
| August 2004 | Tornado (F0) | Lake Wales | - | The public reported a brief tornado in Lake Wales. |
| August 1999 | Hail | Lake Wales | - | Quarter sized hail was reported in Lake Wales by Skywarn Spotters. |
| May 1998 | Hail | Lake Wales | - | Quarter sized hail was reported near the intersection of U.S. Highway 27 and State Road 60 by Skywarn Spotters. |
| February 1998 | Waterspout | Lake Wales | - | A large waterspout touched down on Crooked Lake east of U.S. Highway 27 and south of County Road 640. The waterspout moved onshore near North Crooked Lake Drive. |
| July 1997 | Hail | Lake Wales | - | Nickel sized hail was reported by the Lake Wales Police Department along U.S. Highway 27. |
| May 1997 | Hail | Lake Wales | - | Dime sized hail was reported by a Skywarn Spotter along U.S. Highway 27. |
| May 2005 | Hail | Lake Wales | - | no account filed |
| July 2002 | Thunderstorm Wind | Lake Wales | - | no account filed |
| March 1996 | Hail | Lake Wales | - | no account filed |
United States Geological Survey topographic sheets whose coverage includes this point. Matched by taking the coordinate the National Park Service records for this property, then testing that coordinate against the published boundary of every sheet.
Other National Register properties close enough to walk or drive between, ordered by distance from this one. Both positions come from the same geocoding pass that matched these properties to their map sheets.
| Photograph | Property | Distance | Listed |
|---|---|---|---|
 | Lake Wales Commercial Historic District | 0.1 miles | 1990 |
 | Dixie Walesbilt Hotel | 0.2 miles | 1990 |
 | Atlantic Coast Line Railroad Depot | 0.3 miles | 1990 |
 | First Baptist Church | 0.3 miles | 1990 |
 | Lake Wales Historic Residental District | 0.3 miles | 1997 |
 | G. V. Tillman House | 0.4 miles | 1990 |
| National Archives record | The nomination case file for reference 90001274 in Record Group 79. |
| Wikipedia article | Community-written account of this property, licensed CC BY-SA. |
| Polk County | All 78 listed properties in this county. |
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