Lake Placid, Florida | ||
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Town | ||
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Nickname(s): The Caladium Capital of the World, Town of Murals |
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![]() Location in Highlands County and the state of Florida |
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Coordinates: 27°17′47″N 81°21′53″W / 27.29639°N 81.36472°WCoordinates: 27°17′47″N 81°21′53″W / 27.29639°N 81.36472°W | ||
Country |
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State |
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County | Highlands | |
Settled | 1912 | |
Incorporated (as Lake Stearns) |
1 December 1925 | |
Incorporated (as Lake Placid) |
6 June 1927 | |
Government | ||
• Type |
Mayor-council (Strong Mayor) |
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• Mayor | John Holbrook | |
Area | ||
• Total | 3.65 sq mi (9.45 km2) | |
• Land | 3.60 sq mi (9.32 km2) | |
• Water | 0.05 sq mi (0.13 km2) 7.8% | |
Elevation | 101 ft (31 m) | |
Population (2010) | ||
• Total | 2,223 | |
• Estimate (2016) | 2,259 | |
• Density | 627.67/sq mi (242.35/km2) | |
Time zone | Eastern (EST) (UTC-5) | |
• Summer (DST) | EDT (UTC-4) | |
ZIP Codes | 33852, 33862 | |
Area code(s) | 863 | |
FIPS code | 12-38625 | |
GNIS feature ID | 0285272 | |
Website | www |
Lake Placid is a town in Highlands County, Florida, United States. As of the 2010 census the population was 2,223, and in 2015 the estimated population was 2,164. It is part of the Sebring Micropolitan Statistical Area.
The town has two nicknames: "Town of Murals" and "The Caladium Capital of the World". Lake Placid has more than 40 murals painted on buildings throughout the town, and 98 percent of the world's caladium bulbs come from Lake Placid.
Lake Placid, which was formerly called "Lake Stearns", was chartered on December 1, 1925. Dr. Melvil Dewey, the inventor of the Dewey Decimal System, and the founder of the Lake Placid Club in Lake Placid, New York, proposed that Lake Stearns change its name to "Lake Placid". On April 29, 1927, the Lake Stearns Commissioners accepted Dr. Dewey's proposal. Subsequently, they submitted a request to the Florida State Legislature. On June 6, 1927, the community was chartered as the town of Lake Placid.
Lake Placid is located in central Highlands County at 27°17′47″N 81°21′53″W / 27.29639°N 81.36472°W (27.296252, -81.364817).U.S. Route 27 passes through the town, leading north 16 miles (26 km) to Sebring, the county seat, and south 58 miles (93 km) to Clewiston.