The Homeland School - Homeland, Florida, USA
Posted by: 
BoomersOTR
N 27° 49.131 W 081° 49.724
17R E 418379 N 3077411
The Homeland School historic marker at the Homeland Heritage Park in Homeland, Florida.
Waymark Code: WM1C6AE
Location: Florida, United States
Date Posted: 06/14/2025
Views: 0
BETHEL ACADEMY
The Homeland School was built in 1878, when Col. John Snoddy began teaching in the Bethel Community. The school was first called Bethel Academy before the community changed its name to Homeland in 1885. Snoddy began teaching with only 5 primary students in a primitive building, but the school population grew rapidly under his skillful instruction. In four months, the enrollment had grown to 60 students. To accommodate the increase, a large room was added in 1888. By 1925 all expansions to the schoolhouse were completed, making it into the "L" shaped building it is today. It remains the only building in the park that sits on its original foundation, and it is the oldest existing public school building in Polk County.
THE SCHOOL WAS SAVED
The school remained active until 1956, after which the building served as a School Board maintenance facility for refinishing school furniture until it was abandoned in 1982. It remained empty until Sally Mellor, a reporter for the Polk County Democrat, spotted it on a School Board surplus list and alerted the community of its historical value. Thanks to the efforts of Homeland residents and surrounding communities, as well as the help of local historical organizations such as the Polk County Historical Commission, the Polk County Historical Association, and E.D. Bud Dixon, Clerk of the Circuit Court, the school was saved and restored.
CREATING THE PARK
On March 26, 1985, the Polk County School Board signed a deed, which passed the ownership of the Homeland School building and surrounding land to the Polk County Board of County Commissioners to create Homeland Heritage Park. In 2007, The Homeland School was added to the National Register of Historic Places for tis historical significance.
Note: A QR code is located on the bottom of this historical marker that can be scanned to watch a video with more historic facts.
Marker Number: 0
Date: 1985
County: Polk
Marker Type: Other
Sponsored or placed by: Polk County and Florida Department of State/Division of Historical Resources
Website: [Web Link]
|
Visit Instructions:
In your log, please say if you learned something new, and if you took any extra time to explore the area once you stopped at the historic marker waymark.
Please post a photo at the marker location.
Recent Visits/Logs:
| There are no logs for this waymark yet. |
|
|
|