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Haines City Historical Museum, 1001 Ingraham Avenue, Haines City, FL (2026)

10/12/2026

REMEMBER THE ANGLE FAMILY?
Joseph Frank Angle (Sr.) was born in Welsh Run, Pennsylvania on July 24, 1864. He was married to Anna Lavina Angle who was born on January 13, 1868.
They had five children: Esther, Louis, Harley, Frank, and Josephine who passed away at the age of three.
Frank, Sr. Was a retired Vice President and Cashier of the National Bank of Belleville in Belleville, Kansas. He had friends in Haines City being the Randall’s and Cheneys. His son Louis came to Haines City to check the area out if suitable for the family to relocate here. Yes! The report was good and the family came down by train with all their belongings and animals.
The family arrived in Haines City in 1913, when the town had a few wooden buildings, kerosene lantern street lights and livestock wandering the streets.
Louis, Harley and Frank, Jr. attended the town’s first school which was a two story wooden building on Hinson Avenue. Esther attended Stetson with the Randall girls.
Frank, Sr. built the building on Railroad Avenue that housed the Florida Fruit Production Company which later moved to the four-story building at Hinson Avenue and the south end of Lake Tracey that became Polk Canning Company. Mr. Angle then manufactured guava jelly in the building and Shultz’s Ford Agency rented the other side of the building.
Frank, Sr. later opened a real estate company on Sixth Street advertising Haines City for “Health, Wealth and Comfort.” Acreage in town sold for $20 per acre and further out for $15 per acre.
With all the citrus being planted in the area, the growers selected Esther for their first citrus poster girl. She later married Dr. H. E. Cline. After her death in 1956, her family moved away.
Louis was married to Katherine Woerte Angle. He was in the citrus industry and moved to Tampa.
Frank, Jr. married Sarah Ivy from Lakeland. They leased the storeroom at 606 Jones Avenue from Sam Seigel on October 9, 1945 to open a jewelry store. Terms were $50 per month for five years, then $40 per month for the last five years. They operated Angle Jewelers in Haines City and also had a location in Winter Haven. The future brides remember registering our selections for crystal, silver and place settings at the store.
Frank and Sarah had a daughter Anne and a son Bert. Anne was married to Gilbert “Gator” Coleman and had Miss Anne’s Kindergarten at their home on Peninsular Drive. Bert worked at the jewelry store.
Harley lived in Graham Park with his first wife Florrie. After her death, he married Wynelle. He was the Cashier at the State Bank of Haines City for many years and became a director on its Board of Directors. He was also a citrus grower and owned many properties in the area. He also deeded some property for a city park in Graham Park.
Interesting story: Harley was working at the State Bank on February 28, 1937, when the bank was robbed! He was hit on the head seven times, blindfolded and taken for hostage along with $4,700. The getaway car, with Harley bound and in the floor, sped north. The car stopped near Clermont and dumped Harley out. He found help and the Sheriff brought him back to Haines City. The robber was never caught! It was the talk of the town for quite awhile.
Sadly, Frank, Sr. passed away in 1939, Anna passed in 1933, Esther passed in 1956, Louis passed in 1980, Harley passed in 1989, Frank, Jr. passed in 1966, Anne passed in 1988, and Bert passed in 2003. They are all buried at Forest Hills Cemetery in the Angle family plot.
We would like to thank the entire Angle family for their contributions made to Haines City and for them being a part of our history.

10/09/2026

DID YOU LIVE THROUGH HURRICANE DONNA IN 1960?
As we near the end of the 2026 hurricane season, we remember Hurricane Donna. It was a very destructive category 4 hurricane that caused extensive damage from the Lesser Antilles to New England. At least 364 people were killed by the hurricane and property damage estimated at $900 million (1960 USD).
The State of Florida received the most damage from Hurricane Donna. Rainfall received was between 10 -13 inches and winds from 120 - 160 mph with gusts reaching to 170 - 200 mph in the Florida Keys.
Hurricane Donna was the only recorded hurricane to produce hurricane force winds along the entire Atlantic Coast of the United States in a continuous track.
In the State of Florida, the storm destroyed 2,156 homes and trailers, severely damaged 3,903 and inflicted minor impact on 30,529 others. Hundreds of buildings were demolished or severely damaged. Additionally, hundreds of boats were destroyed.
A total of 50% of grapefruit crop was lost, 10% of the orange and tangerine crop were ruined and the loss of uprooted citrus trees was monumental.
Hurricane Donna really hit Polk County hard. Homes, businesses and citrus groves in the Haines City Area were destroyed or sustained major damage, loss of power for days, and loss of citrus and trees. Our local government worked hard in Emergency Relief assisting our citizens to recover from this major storm.
Our citrus industry really suffered from the storm damage and it took years to fully recover.
You always prepare for a coming hurricane, hoping that it will go another route. Hurricane Donna hit us head on! After the disaster, it was wonderful how our community worked together to rebuild and recover.
A big thank you to our police, firefighters, church members, students, neighbors, business owners, family members, neighbors and many others for helping with the recovery of Hurricane Donna.
Our area has been blessed so far this 2026 hurricane season. Please keep the Panhandle Area in your thoughts and prayers as Hurricane Isaias hits their location today.
We welcome you to share your photos of Hurricane Donna.

10/07/2026

DID YOU KNOW THERE IS A CITY PARK ON SOUTH TENTH STREET?
Scenic Highway (Tenth Street) was funded in 1914 by the State of Florida. It was a 39 mile road from Hinson Avenue in Haines City through beautiful rolling hills all the way to Frostproof.
The route curved around the southeast portion of Lake Eva which extended to the area where Lake Eva Circle is now located. Drainage canals were made to Lake Eva to remove the swampy areas around the lake and the state straightened the route after 1926. The remaining area was divided with the northern half dedicated to the City of Haines City as a City Park and the southern half being designated as a retention area.
Our museum is proud to own a 1926 photo of Scenic Highway showing the Highway going around the potion of Lake Eva before the road was straightened.
The previous section of the highway was named Lake Eva Circle connected to Tenth Street on the north and south. The northern connection was later removed.
The Tenth Street Park has giant oak trees and six parking spaces overlooking Scenic Highway and the south portion of Lake Eva. There are no amenities at the park.
Next time you are driving on Scenic Highway at the bottom of the hill between Robinson Drive and Leone Drive, look to the east and you will see the park.
We would like to thank the State of Florida and the City of Haines City for making the Tenth Street Park a part of Haines City’s history.

10/05/2026

A SALUTE TO HAINES CITY’S LAKE EVA COMMUNITY PARK!
In the late 1890’s the area around Lake Eva was swampy and unusable. With the construction of drainage canals, it became a nice lakefront recreation. It was a 23 acre park area constructed with picnic facilities, swimming, playground, a football field, baseball field, city trailer park, boat ramp and an Armory with a vehicle building.
A short time later, our first civic center was located on Ledwith Avenue connected to the park. The site had a 12 court Shuffleboard Court adjacent to the property. The Haines City Shuffleboard Club hosted many tournaments there. The trailer park was removed and the entire park area was used for recreation.
The civic center could be rented by the public for events and it was also used for sock hops, civic functions, and for a polling precinct. We especially remember it being used as a temporary museum for our Heritage Days along with the entire park.
A library and a community center was also constructed at the park.
With the tremendous growth Haines City experienced, our city fathers planned a new 28.8 acre regional event center for east Polk County. After a $28 million dollar renovation project, the City of Haines City proudly debuted the redesigned LAKE EVA COMMUNITY PARK on July 4, 2009.
The park hosts two outdoor basketball courts, six tennis courts, nine open-air pavilions, one screened pavilion, two playgrounds, two miles of walking paths, public boat ramp, 240 foot fishing pier, Lake Eva Community Center with multipurpose room, art room, gymnasium, fitness center, Lake Eva Event Center, Lake Eva Aquatics Center with a 25 meter competition pool & water park, Lake Eva Tennis Pro Shop, Parks Maintenance, Bandshell, Cultural Arts Center, Haines City Community Theatre and Park Restrooms.
Many events are held at the Lake Eva Community Park including Iron Man, Haines City Rotary Chili Cookoff, Hispanic Festival, Mayor’s 5k Race, and our super Fourth of July “Thunder on the Ridge” Celebration to name a few.
The Haines City Parks and Recreation has the responsibility of maintaining the Lake Eva Community Park and Director Terrell Griffin and his staff do a fantastic job managing all the recreation and parks facilities throughout the city.
We would like to thank our city commissioners, past and present, for providing our citizens with the LAKE EVA COMMUNITY PARK and making it a major part of Haines City’s history.

10/02/2026

TODAY WE WOULD LIKE TO SALUTE HAINES CITY’ S “SWEETEST” BUSINESS, LEIGHTON’S HONEY.
Leighton’s Honey was founded by Charles Henry “Charlie” Leighton. Charlie was born on April 27, 1919. He was married to Dorothy “Dottie” Leighton who born on May 11, 1913.
They purchased two lots on Lee Jackson Highway in Pinehurst subdivision from the State Bank of Haines City on May 19, 1950 for $2,000 and established a honey production business.
Charlie operated the business as Leighton’s Orange Blossom Honey. With the many citrus groves in the area, he had ample bee keepers providing him with the sweet Florida gold. His business quickly grew and he was known throughout the state as one of the finest honey distributors.
Facts about honey! Honey is nature at its best! It is a sweet and viscous substance made by several species of bees, the best known of which is honey bees. It is used in baking, drink and everyday cooking. It is also used for cough relief and wound care. Its high sugar content concentration and low pH mean properly stored honey never spoils.
On March 15, 1965, Charlie and Dottie purchased the property at 1203 Commerce Avenue in the new Haines City Industrial Park from RUALTO Corporation. They moved Leighton’s Honey into a new modern facility. Harry Posey joined the business and they expanded it into a major honey honey production company expanding the plant and their products.
After Charlie’s passing on October 27, 1980, Harry purchased the business and continued producing excellent products. Dottie passed away on March 11, 1986 and the property was sold to Harry by her estate.
Harry loved the honey business and expanded the business with more buildings and new equipment to develop more honey products.
Paul McCord began working at Leighton’s Honey learning the business just as Harry had learned from Charlie. After Harry’s retirement, he sold the business to Paul who has continued with the production of honey with some of the same bee keepers Charlie had used.
Leighton’s Honey products are sold at Publix, on the internet and or can be purchased at the plant location on Commerce Avenue.
Paul and his wife Janet are proud to keep up the tradition of Leighton’s Honey specializing in a variety of honey products, including raw honey, flavored honey and honeycomb.
We would like to thank the Leightons, Harry Posey, and Paul and Janet McCord, and Leighton’s Honey for being a 76 year old business in our city and for being a “sweet” part of Haines City’s history.

09/30/2026

REMEMBERING YOUR LONGTIME FAMILY TELEPHONE NUMBER!
Today, we welcome a touching story by Geoff Whisler, son of the late Thomas Whisler, owner of Whisler Paints for many years in Haines City. (see Whisler post 6/9/26)
“Well, I just had a sad thing happen that I did not see coming. It caught me by surprise.
As part of closing my Dad’s affairs, I had his mail forwarded to my home. I just got a bill from Frontier for Dad’s land telephone line.
The land line that was the first phone number I recall ever memorizing in a sing-song voice, because I was in the third grade at Alta Vista School. The phone number that was my phone number all through school, growing up and graduating from Haines City High School.
The phone number I used to call from school. The number used to call Mom and Dad from Flight School. The number I had to give to the MARs station on Okinawa to talk to Mom and Dad once a month while stationed there.
You get it! Mom and Dad’s phone number from about 1960 until 2026. Call it 60 years.
If it isn’t in the top 10 of longest owned phone numbers in Haines City, I’d be shocked.
I never thought I’d get nostalgic over a dern phone number, but I am.
So here’s to 422-3246. You had a long run!”
We would like to thank Geoff for the story and again extend our deepest sympathy on the loss of his father and our dear friend, Tom Whisler.

09/28/2026

REMEMBER THE DOCTOR MICHAEL DAM FAMILY?
Michael Edward Dam, Jr., M. D., was born on March 6, 1933. He was married to Mary Augusta Paciotti who was born on April 9, 1934. Mary was a registered dietitian.
Dr. Dam was a veteran of the U. S. Army and practiced medicine in Wisconsin. The Dams moved to Haines City in the 1960’s.
The Dams purchased the property at 1015 East Jones Avenue on October 18, 1972 from Allen and Frances Olive Shaw and built a 2,015 sq ft medical office in 1973. He had a successful medical practice at the location until his passing on November 28, 1991. Mary assisted with the operation of the office.
Dr. Dam and Mary purchased a large parcel of land on Ch*****ne Road in Davenport and built a 3,306 sq ft home with a pool and barns. They also built sheds and pens for raising geese, swans, ducks and pheasant. The family had a passion for all kinds of birds and it was a joy to drive by their bird farm and see the fowl enjoying the land with huge trees and pond.
Dr. Dam and Mary had two daughters, Lisa and Trudi.
Lisa was born in Lakeland on August 31, 1962. She graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and earned her Juris Doctor from the West Virginia University School of Law. She married Todd Thacker and had a daughter. She became a Judge in 1998 and retired in 2018 after serving 18 years. She was inducted into the prestigious “Order of the Long Leaf Pine,” the highest civilian honor granted by the Governor of North Carolina. Sadly Lisa passed away on January 25, 2020.
Trudi was born on February 9, 1966 in Haines City. She was a graduate and valedictorian of her class at Santa Fe Catholic High School in Lakeland. She received her Bachelor’s of Science degree from Stetson University and later her Doctorate of Veterinary Medicine from the University of Florida. Dr. Trudi Dam worked with the Heart of Florida Animal Hospital in Haines City for 10 years.
After her father’s passing, Dr. Trudi Dam and her mother moved to Wadesboro, North Carolina. She owned and operated St. Francis Companion Animal Hospital. She truly lived the example of the Prayer of St. Francis with her love of animals. Sadly, Mary passed away on January 12, 2006 and Dr. Trudi Dam passed away on September 19, 2009.
We remember Dr. Michael Dam’s patients saying that even though he lacked a gentile beside manner, that he was a good doctor. His patients reported that he “told it like it was” giving diagnosis and health information to them.
We would like to thank Dr. Michael Dam, Mary, Judge Lisa Dam Thacker and Dr. Trudi Dam for being a part of Haines City’s history.

09/25/2026

A SALUTE TO FLORISTS IN THE HAINES CITY AREA!
We are happy to acknowledge our local florists that provided floral arrangements for weddings, funerals, special occasions, corsages, grand openings, house warmings, or just because we were loved.
We remember the florists for making our weddings so memorable and our special mum corsages we wore to our Hornet Homecoming football game. What is your favorite memory? Who was your favorite florist?
We are happy to list the following florist, past and present, including Lindvall Florist, who is our oldest florist. Please add any name that may have been omitted from the list.
Azalea Hill - Davenport
Best Friends Specialties - 5 “C” Street
Edna’s Flowers - Polk City Road
Flora Bella - Dundee
The Flower Corner - Davenport
Flowers by Roz - Lake Hamilton
Franteria’s Florist - Dundee
Haines City Flowers - 2551 Hwy 17-92 North
Lindvall Florist - 29 N 10th Street
Louella’s Flowers- 12 N 4th Street
The Native’s Flowers- 1 Park Place
Olde Flower Barrell - 804 Ingraham Avenue
Publix Flowers - Haines City Mall
Villa Florist - 702 1/2 Jones Avenue
Virginia’s Gifts & Flowers - Haines City Mall
Williams Flowers - 1318 Moss Street
A big thank you goes to all the owners and their designers that provided beautiful floral service to our citizens and for being a part of Haines City’s history.

09/23/2026

A SALUTE TO JANET LESNICK LAKE AND TRIANGLE RANCH!
Janet “Jan” Lesnick was born in May, 1933 in Elyria, Ohio. Her parents were Henry and Fleeta Lesnick and they had two daughters, Phyllis Elaine and Janet.
Jan’s parents were cattle and horse dealers and she did not realize that one day she would be following in their footsteps. At age 4, they moved to Johnsbury, Vermont and she graduated from St. Johnsbury Academy in 1949. Jan then attended Burdett Business College in Boston. During this time she came to Florida visiting her sister, who was a nurse at Mount Sinai Hospital. She loved Miami so much, she did not return to Vermont. Her family moved to Winter Haven and Jan graduated from the University of Miami.
In 1950, Mr. Lesnick purchased 1,200 acres on the west side of Winter Haven and developed Jan Phyl Village combining the names of his daughters. After college, Jan moved to Winter Haven and became a real estate salesperson, then broker, to help with the sales of the large subdivision and also homes in the Inwood Area.
Jan’s parents purchased Triangle Ranch which encompassed 500 acres off Powerline Road and Baker Avenue. The logo was kept because they were into Appaloosas, Arabians and Boxer dogs. Shortly after Mr. Lesnick’s passing, Jan and her mother continued with the ranch.
Jan married Max Culpepper in 1962, who was also an avid horse lover and later became an Open Show Horse judge.
Max had a successful real estate office in Haines City with Nell Carver (Johnson), Steve Huie and Connie Hoijsan as associates. He also showed his champion Arabian horse “Michael” in full regalia to King Hussein when he visited Cypress Gardens.
After living at Baker Avenue, Jan and Max moved to 2400 Powerline Road into a 2,529 sq ft ranch home nestled among huge oak trees. The ranch property included stables, barns, sheds, pole barns, garages, wells and acres of improved pasture.
Triangle Ranch operated as a family owned business specializing in breeding and showing Appaloosa horses with championship ApHC bloodlines, such as Dreamfinder, Goer, and Joker B, alongside raising cattle.
Interesting story: Jan visited local banker Bob Walker, asking for a loan to purchase four horses. She got the loan and purchased four registered Appaloosa horses from the Nez Perce Indian Reservation. Their tribe were celebrated as master breeders who developed the spotted Appaloosa horse prized for their easy-going disposition and reliability as family horses.
Max and Jan showed their prize Appaloosas throughout the southeast winning many trophies. They also were members of the Sheriffs Posse, competed in the 100 mile trail ride, rode in parades and were active in many horse and cattle organizations. Jan also raised Boxers, Great Danes and Australian Shepherd dogs over the years.
After Max’s passing, Jan married Ernest “Ernie” Lake. Jan began her teaching career as a substitute second grade teacher. She then became Polk County’s first woman DCT - Diversified Cooperative Training Coordinator teaching at Haines City High School for 30 years before retiring. Her students loved her! They enjoyed her friendship and straightforward approach for them to learn how to enter the business world.
While teaching, Jan continued raising, showing and selling Appaloosa horses along with her cattle.
Longtime friend Denise Allegro says “I have known Jan for over 50 years and she is a great friend, a dynamic person with a great sense of humor, strong willed and never gives up.”
Now retired at the age of 93, Jan still had two stallions, six mares, two donkeys, two mini horses and two dogs on the 126 acres she currently owns after selling most of the ranch.
Jan has been a longtime member and supporter of the Haines City Historical Museum. She loves our heritage and Haines City. And, her love of animals is legendary. She is an activist for animal rights, preserving the land and supports many charities.
We would like to thank Jan for her years of teaching our students and for making Triangle Ranch a part of Haines City’s history.

09/21/2026

EVER WONDER ABOUT THE LILY AVENUE OVERPASS IN HAINES CITY?
The Haines City Branch of the Atlantic Coast Line Railway connecting to Moore Haven began with construction in 1910 with 47 miles on the initial route and was was completed in 1918. The route began at the spur in Haines City and ran south towards Sebring and on to Moore Haven. It was completed to help transport fruits, vegetables and passengers going south.
The Haines City Branch brought easy transportation to the formerly remote towns and opened The Ridge for more development.
President Calvin Coolidge rode the train into Haines City, switched to the spur line and rode to Lake Wales to dedicate Bok Tower on February 1, 1929.
The Haines City Branch became one of the major additions to the Florida Railway Network previously owned and part of the Henry Plant System.
And, how can we forget the railroad crossing on Scenic Highway south of Haines City going to Lake Hamilton. What fun it was to hit that dip in the road! Sadly, there were many wrecks there over the years until crossing gates were installed to stop automobiles for passing trains.
The Lily Avenue overpass was built in 1927 as a joint project between the Atlantic Coast Line Railway and the City of Haines City to improve access to the growing Eastside Area. It was known as the Haines City Overpass or Lily Avenue Bridge.
The bridge was a 125 foot long, three span steel girder featuring a concrete deck and railings with recessed panels. It exhibits a graceful arched look that sets it apart from most railroad overpasses. Though conventional in engineering and construction, the overpass is one of the oldest examples of a grade separation remaining in the state and retains its historic physical integrity.
The bridge begins at Tenth Street and Lily Avenue, crosses over the railroad track and ends at the intersection of North 12th Street / Lee Jackson Highway and Stuart Avenue.
After the merger of the Atlantic Coast Line and Seaboard Airline Railroads in 1967, parts of the spur was abandoned. Another merger with CSX caused the spur to be completely abandoned. Rails were removed and most right of ways were sold.
With the development of Haines City’s business park in the southeast part of town, the City installed a new $5 million 2.8 mile spur on the old CSX rail system to connect to its new Industrial Park located off Scenic Highway, Highway 544 and Detour Road. We are unsure if the rail has been utilized.
The City of Haines City welcomes everyone to enjoy the Walking Trail installed along the rail running from Grace Avenue north across the Underpass at Hinson Avenue and under the Lily Avenue Overpass to Seventh Street. The trail includes park benches, trash receptacles, and information kiosks at each end.
We would like to thank the City of Haines City and ACL Railway for building our historic bridge and for it being a major part of Haines City’s history.

Haines City Historical Museum

10/12/2026

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10/07/2026

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10/02/2026

09/30/2026

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09/21/2026

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