Davenport: Nature and Local History

For a stay in Davenport, you can choose between the outdoors and local history. Lake Play offers fishing and a path about a quarter mile long around the lake; various animals are often spotted at Lake Play Park. Wilson Park, the Davenport Historic District, and the Davenport Historical Society add memorial markers, historic buildings, and a tour offering to the picture.

Outdoor Time: Lake Play and Lake Play Park

Visitors can fish at Lake Play. A path about a quarter mile long goes around the lake. This offers two different ways to spend time by the water: fishing or taking a walk. The approximate length gives you an idea of how long a short stroll might take, while fishing offers another way to spend time at the lake. If you are interested in both, you can consider them as different options for your stay.

At Lake Play Park, you can often spot cranes, ducks, squirrels, turtles, fish, and various native bird species. The range includes birds, small mammals, turtles, and fish. For nature enthusiasts, wildlife can be a focus in its own right, alongside fishing and the path by the lake. Frequent sightings are a possibility, not a guarantee of a sighting on every visit.

Davenport’s Historic Sites

The Davenport Historic District was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic Places on August 15, 1997. Its historical significance lies in its having the largest concentration of historic buildings in Davenport. The date and significance offer two different perspectives: the date marks the district’s addition to the Register, while the concentration reflects its importance to the city’s history. The district therefore represents historic buildings in a broader context, while a monument or marker provides a more specific connection to remembrance.

Two markers in Wilson Park commemorate different subjects. The Golden Holly marker honors the legacy of Holly Hill Groves and Holly Hill Fruit Products. A monument commemorates James R. Hendrix, a Davenport native who served in the U.S. Army and received the Congressional Medal of Honor. For a look at local history, both the legacy of the named businesses and the remembrance of a person from Davenport are in focus.

Tour and Quilt Trail

The Davenport Historical Society offers the Citrus Label Driving Tour. If you are interested in the tour, check the latest information in advance. This lets you include it as a separate offering in your plans, without equating it with the specifically named memorial markers in Wilson Park.

Davenport is part of the Central Florida Quilt Trail with the quilt square “Grandmother’s Yellow Basket.” The quilt square “The Old Rugged Cross” is currently located on the front of Cooters & Smoke Restaurant, 301 Maple Street West, in Davenport. The display may change, so check its current location before visiting. The quilt squares provide another cultural point of interest alongside the Historic District and memorial markers.

Getting Your Bearings

The Welcome Center in Davenport provides visitors with free maps and brochures. These materials can be a helpful starting point for general orientation. Since visitor services may change, check before your visit whether the free maps and brochures are still available.

Explore more destinations: Haines City, Mulberry, Polk City, Fort Meade, Lake Wales, Lakeland, Auburndale, Bartow

Go to the main travel overview: Polk.