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Your Guide to Polk County History
The Polk County History Center offers a variety of guided and self‑guided experiences that bring local history to life. Whether you prefer exploring architecture, walking through historic cemeteries or discovering heritage sites at your own pace, these tours help you connect with the people, places and stories that shaped Polk County.
Staff Guided Tours
Join our team for guided experiences that highlight Polk County’s architectural heritage and historic cemeteries. All staff‑guided tours are free and open to the public.
Architectural Tour
Discover the neoclassical features that define the Polk County History Center during a guided tour led by our education team. Learn how architect E.C. Hosford designed the historic courthouse and shaped one of Polk County’s most recognizable landmarks.
Tour Time: 11 a.m. on the third Saturday of each month
Cost: Free; no reservation required
Location: 100 E. Main St. in Bartow.
Cemetery tours temporarily paused
The Polk County History Center’s cemetery tours are temporarily on hold. Please check back for updates on when tours will resume.

Cemetery Tours
Explore the stories of Polk County’s earliest settlers and Black pioneers through rotating tours of the Oak Hill and Evergreen Cemeteries. Please note that grounds are uneven; please wear appropriate footwear.
Tour Time: Tours are held at 9 a.m. on the first Saturday of each month, October through April. Check the calendar for tour location.
Cost: Free; no reservation required
Self-Guided Tours
Explore Polk County at your own pace with self‑guided experiences that highlight local heritage, landmarks and cultural history.
Polk County Heritage Trail
Follow this countywide trail to discover more than 150 years of local history. The Polk County Heritage Trail connects significant landmarks, cultural sites and stories that shaped Polk County’s development.
Polk County Citrus Label Tour
Polk County’s citrus heritage comes to life through the Polk County Citrus Label Tour. The tour highlights the colorful labels once used to market locally grown fruit. Created during the height of Florida’s citrus industry, these labels offer a look at the growers, communities and artistry that shaped the region’s agricultural identity.