Lake Alfred

History

Lake Alfred was established in 1883 soon after the South Florida Railroad reached the area by settlers escaping the cold of Fargo, North Dakota. The town was initially called "Fargo", but the Post Office objected over confusion with Largo. The town then took on the name Chubb and later Bartow Junction because it lay at the junction of a road leading south into the county seat Bartow. In 1913, it was named Lake Alfred after the nearby lake which, in turn, had been named for Alfred Parslow, an early settler. The Mackay estate on the north shore of Lake Rochelle was built around 1920. It was purchased in 2004 by the city and is slowly being renovated to its original glory and will hopefully be placed on the National Register of Historic Places soon.

Climate

Lake Alfred's climate is much the same as the rest of Central Florida (except coasts). Winters are mild, with highs in the 70s (21-27°C) and lows in the 50s (10-15°C). Lows in the 30s (0-5°C) are common after cold fronts and there are usually a handful of lows below freezing each winter, although that requires clear skies, so it usually warms very rapidly after sunrise (30°F at 6AM, 55°F by noon is typical). Cold fronts occasionally pass by as squall lines, so tornadoes in December or January are not unusual. Snow is rare; the last measurable snowfall was in 1977, although sleet/wintry mix fell in an unusually cold January 2010. Summers are hot and humid, with highs around 90-95°F (33-35°C) and lows around 74-78°F (23-26°C). During the summer, onshore winds from both coasts travel inland, heat up, rise and build into thunderstorms, usually along a rough line. Lying in the center of the state, the line of storms (each called a "seabreeze") often collide and become severe, with tornadoes (small EF0-1s...not like the powerful tornadoes in the Plains states), 50+ mph winds, and hail possible. Strong storms are usually preceded by cooler winds caused by the rain-cooled air (cold air sinks) rapidly flowing away from the storm. The temperature after a strong thunderstorm passes can drop from 95°F (35°C) to 75°F (24°C) and since the storms can be fairly small, you can drive 5 miles and the temperature will drop/rise 20°F (10°C) between rain-cooled and surrounding areas.

By car

Lake Alfred is located along U.S. 17/92, just north of Winter Haven and east of Auburndale and a few miles west of Haines City. County Road 557 runs north from town to Interstate 4 (exit 48); a branch of it—C.R. 557A—connects to Polk City.

By bus

Winter Haven Area Transit (W.H.A.T.) operates one route through town, along U.S. 17/92. Route 15 runs between the Winter Haven Terminal (north side of downtown) and downtown Haines City. Adult fare is $1.50/ride with no free transfers. A day pass for adults costs $3 and is good for 24 hours. Discounts are available for students & seniors.

By plane

The nearest commercial airports are Orlando International Airport (MCO) and Tampa International Airport (TPA).
Winter Haven Municipal Airport (GIF) & Jack Brown's Seaplane Base () are located just a couple miles west of Lake Alfred off U.S. 92. They serve general aviation, but not regularly-scheduled, commercial flights.

The only effective way to get around town is with a car or on foot. The town extends just a dozen or so blocks in all directions from the intersection of Haines St and northbound U.S. 17/92, so walking is a reasonable option. The nearest car rental agencies are in Winter Haven and Auburndale.

By bus

Public transportation consists of WHAT Route 15 along U.S. 17/92. This will only get you a mile or two within town, so at $1.50/ride isn't a practical way to get around Lake Alfred.

By taxi

• Checker Cab Co.

  phone: +1 863 665-8151
  Serves all of Polk County.

• Imperial Taxi

  phone: +1 863 968-9494
  Serves Winter Haven, Auburndale, Lake Alfred, & Haines City.

• Polk County Taxi

  phone: +1 863 521-2924
  Serves all of Polk County.

• Shooting Star Taxi

  phone: +1 863 420-0108

• Yellow Cab/Maingate Taxi

  phone: +1 863 292-9166
  Serves all of Polk County.

• Mackay Garden & Lakeside Preserve

  phone: +1 863 291-5270
  address: 900 Mackay Blvd
  Beautiful old mansion & estate with a playground and nature trails. The estate was built by Scottish entrepreneur Alexander Mackay, who named it "La Rochelle". The 7,000 square foot mansion is a great example of Craftsman style architecture. The interior is only open for tours (need to be scheduled) and for private events. There are a few miles of nature trails around the estate. The trails are marked by paint on posts & trees, but some sections aren't well marked and/or aren't cleared very wide (less than 2 ft wide in spots). Near the estate is a playground, restrooms, and small, Florida-friendly garden (showcases the local vegetation to minimize watering and fertilizer). The city purchased the estate in 2004 and has invested in many improvements to the site, but there is still more to be done.

Watersports

Public boat ramps are accessible off U.S. 17/92 for Lake Rochelle & Lake Haines.

• Lucky Lowe Ski School

  phone: +1 863 956-5277
  address: 1116 Old Lake Alfred Rd
  Water ski school. Pay for individual lessons/rides, daily (3-4 lessons), or weekly (5 days, 3-4 lessons/day, & accommodation).

Golf

• Cypress Greens Golf & Tennis Community

  phone: +1 863 956-4179
  address: 1000 Cypress Creek Blvd
  Private 9-hole course. Golf club rental available.

Cycling/walking

The Winter Haven Chain of Lakes Trail is a multipurpose paved trail leading from the split/merge of U.S. 17 & U.S. 92 on the south side of town south through the northern neighborhoods of Winter Haven, ending in Central Park.

Annual events

• Bluegrass Bash — January. Bluegrass & clogging festival held at Mackay Gardens & Lakeside Preserve.
• Grillin' and Chillin' BBQ Competition — October. Entertainment, shopping, and...of course...BBQ! Held at Lion's Park.

• The Barn Antiques

  phone: +1 863 956-1363
  address: 167 C.R. 557A
  The owners regularly travel abroad to purchase antiques and ship them back to this store. There is a good variety of finer quality English & country antiques, with lots of furniture & home decor items. They also have a good selection of stained glass windows salvaged from old homes/furniture. This isn't a high-end antique store, but most of the stuff is good quality and the place is not overflowing with inexpensive nick-knacks like most antiques stores you'll find in the region. The family also owns the adjacent "The Stable Gifts" & "The Back Porch" restaurant.

• Biggars Antiques

  phone: +1 863 956-4853
  address: 140 W Haines Blvd
  Antique store, with a focus on country antiques & oak furniture.

• Lang's Sun Country Groves

  phone: +1 863 956-1460
  address: 5900 U.S. 17/92
  Gift-fruit shipper, offering citrus gift baskets and assorted candies, jams, juices and small gifts.

• Potpourri Antiques and Gifts/Mollie's Paperie

  phone: +1 863 956-5535
  address: 144 W Haines Blvd
  Antique furniture, silver, & glass. Home decor and designer gifts.

• Ron's Tackle Box/The Old Angler's Antique Gallerie

  phone: +1 863 956-4990
  address: 380 S Lake Shore Way
  Bait & tackle shop that also offers collectible knives, trophy fish/game mounts, and specialized outdoorsman-type gifts.

• The Stable Gifts

  phone: +1 863 956-1363
  address: 110 C.R. 557A
  Various home decor gifts. Located next to The Barn antiques.

• The Back Porch at The Barn & stable

  phone: +1 863 956-2227
  address: 115 C.R. 557A

• Chat-A-Whyle

  phone: +1 863 956-1515
  address: 185 Lake Shore Way
  Located next to The Barn antique store. Follow S.R. 557 a few miles north of town to the intersection of S.R. 557A.

• Gary's Oyster Bar & Seafood House

  phone: +1 863 956-5055
  address: 660 E Alfred Rd
  As the name suggests, this restaurant features a wide range of seafood eats, from shrimp & catfish to oysters and alligator.

• Lang's Taste of Florida Café

  phone: +1 863 956-1460
  address: 5900 U.S. 17/92 W
  Serving up fresh soups, salads, & entrees...but save room for desert. A wide range of homemade pies, ice cream, shakes, and more is the highlight. Most dishes/deserts feature fresh, local citrus & strawberries.

• Lavender & Lace Tea Room

  phone: +1 863 956-3998
  address: 430 N Lake Shore Way

• Luigi's Italian Restaurant

  phone: +1 863 956-9100
  address: 228 S Lake Shore Way

• Nini's Lake Alfred Café

  phone: +1 863 956-3504
  address: 148 W Haines Blvd

• Lakeside Villas Motel

  address: 1255 S Lake Shore Way

• Lake Alfred Post Office

  phone: +1 863 956-4664
  address: 195 W Haines Blvd

• Lake Alfred Public Library

  phone: +1 863 291-5378
  address: 245 N. Seminole Ave
  There are 8 computers for public use with internet access. A wi-fi wireless internet connection is available. Behind the library is a small garden. There are just 3 parking spots in front of the building; a gravel parking lot is directly across the street. The Friends of the Library bookstore is open Saturdays 10AM-3PM.

• Emergency

  phone: 911

• Lake Alfred Police Department

  phone: +1 863 291-5200
  address: 190 N Seminole Ave

• Polk County Sheriff

  phone: +1 863 533-0344

The nearest hospital and medical clinics are in Winter Haven.

• Lake Alfred Chamber of Commerce

  phone: +1 863 875-8700
  address: 115 E Pomelo St

Boaters and water skiers can head south to Winter Haven, where its Chain of Lakes offers plenty of space to roam. Much more in the way of nature parks and antiques shopping can be found throughout Polk County.