BARTOW, Fla. — 20,000 people call Bartow home. As the official county seat of Polk County, it is where all of the county's government offices are located. It is a city with deep roots, a historic downtown, and a small-town feel — and now, more people are taking notice.
There is something about Bartow that makes you slow down. Maybe it is the historic buildings, the locally owned shops, or the neighbors who still seem to know one another by name.
Kyle Lassick, assistant director of Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Arts at City Park, said the tight-knit spirit is part of what defines the community.
"Everybody knows everybody. Everybody looks out for everybody, and we want everybody to be successful, and we, we want to see the city prosper," Lassick said.
Thanks in part to spillover from Polk County — the state's fastest growing county — Bartow is experiencing a growth spurt. Not everyone is sure how to feel about it.
"Bartow is a wonderful place. Uh, it's growing, it's really growing. Oh my God, it's growing too much," Bartow resident Johnny Jones said.
Its location between Tampa and Orlando, affordable housing, and small-town charm make it an ideal place to call home — something Lassick knows firsthand.
"It's, it's just that sense of community that sometimes you lose in the bigger city, so it's a lot more closer knit here, and that's, that's one of the big attractions for me in the city," Lassick said.
Bartow has long been tied to Polk County's agricultural, citrus, cattle, and phosphate industries — industries that helped shape the community more than a century ago. But today, a new chapter is taking shape.
For some, that new chapter is deeply personal. Jose Mojica, a new citizen, described what the moment meant to him.
"Uh, the emotions was just remembering all the steps that it took to get here, um, also, um, remembering that I'm part of a community that I can be, uh, make an impact," Mojica said.
New residents, new businesses, and new development are bringing new energy to the city. Kristin Shuff of Main Street Bartow said work is already underway to build on that momentum.
"We're revitalizing downtown to bring more businesses," Shuff said.
For the people who call Bartow home, the appeal is simple — it is growing without completely letting go of what makes it feel like home.
"I love all of the people down here, especially the downtown. They're so welcoming and nice, and it's just a great place to work and come visit. So wish everyone to come down and, and check out what we have," Shuff said.
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