The Ridge Scenic Highway - Historic NRHP Railroad Station - City of Haines City, Florida, USA. - National Scenic Byways on Waymarking.com

The Ridge scenic highway is just like Historic Route 66, if you can't hear or see a train, your probably not on 66.

Haines City to Sebring Line, spur off he old Atlantic Coast Line, is currently the active CSX railroad which runs parallel to 'The Ridge' scenic highway.
The Haines City Station is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

"Platted in 1885, Haines City was first known as Clay Cut. It is said that the pioneers of the city persuaded the railroad company to build a station by agreeing to rename their city to Haines City in honor of Colonel Henry Stevens Haines. Haines was born on the 21st day of November in 1836 in Nantucket, Massachusetts and died on November 03, 1923 in Lenox, Massachusetts.
Prominently connected and identified with the early development of Florida and particularly its transportation issues, Haines was promoted to the position of general manager of the Savannah, Florida & Western Railway, popularly known as the Plant System. The Plant System was named after Henry B. Plant. Comprised of a system of railroads and steamboats, it was Col. Haines who inaugurated the Plant System Tampa-Havana line."
Text Sources: (visit link) & (visit link) & (visit link)


From the Florida Scenic Highway website:
"Winding along the Lake Wales Ridge, SR 17 provides scenic vistas and access to lakes, natural areas, citrus agricultural fields and unique Florida attractions. A trip along The Ridge Scenic Byway will provide you with a taste of what Florida was like in the early 1900s.
Enjoy the sight of the historic communities and rural agricultural areas for which Central Florida is famous. Winding along the Lake Wales Ridge, the byway offers scenic vistas and access to lakes, natural areas, citrus agricultural fields, and many other unique Florida attractions. The byway corridor flows through the historic communities of Frostproof, Hillcrest Heights, Babson Park, the Village of Highland Park, Lake Wales, Lake of the Hills, Dundee, Lake Hamilton and Haines City."
Text Source: (visit link)

Program: US State Program Website: [Web Link] Official Name: The Ridge Scenic Highway.

Visit Instructions:
Please give a brief description of your visit. Maybe why you were there, what you found interesting, or something along those lines. Photos are also encouraged. Although the only requirement to log a visit to a waymark in this category is to physically visit the location, the photos and extra information you can provide about the area is very helpful to future visitors.

Recent Visits/Logs:

Date Logged Log   11/30/2017 veritas vita visited it