| 1 | House Resolution |
| 2 | A resolution recognizing April 11, 2006, as "Polk County |
| 3 | Legislative Day" in Tallahassee. |
| 4 |
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| 5 | WHEREAS, Polk County encompasses 17 municipalities in the |
| 6 | heart of Central Florida, including Auburndale, Davenport, |
| 7 | Dundee, Eagle Lake, Fort Meade, Frostproof, Haines City, |
| 8 | Highland Park, Hillcrest Heights, Lake Alfred, Lake Hamilton, |
| 9 | Lake Wales, Lakeland, Mulberry, Polk City, and Winter Haven, and |
| 10 | WHEREAS, Polk County covers 2,010 square miles of land |
| 11 | dotted with more than 554 freshwater lakes and lush nature |
| 12 | preserves featuring rare and exotic wildlife, rolling hills, |
| 13 | sparkling rivers, beautiful savannas, oak hammocks, and pinewood |
| 14 | forests, and |
| 15 | WHEREAS, the Seminole Indians settled in Polk County in the |
| 16 | 1700's, seeking hunting grounds and cattle ranges, establishing |
| 17 | the village of Talakchopco as a trading center, and maintaining |
| 18 | a magnificent plantation near Lake Hancock for Seminole Chief |
| 19 | Oponay, and |
| 20 | WHEREAS, Polk County, established in 1861 and named for |
| 21 | President James K. Polk, received the nickname "Imperial Polk |
| 22 | County" given to the county by a newspaper editor in 1914 to |
| 23 | recognize the county's prominence in agriculture, phosphate, |
| 24 | cattle, and timber and for its expanding road network, and |
| 25 | WHEREAS, Polk County has been the home of some of Florida's |
| 26 | most prominent statesmen who have served in both the United |
| 27 | States Senate and as Governor, including the magnificent trio |
| 28 | Park Trammell, Governor from 1913 to 1917 and U.S. Senator from |
| 29 | 1917 to 1936; Spessard Holland, Governor from 1941 to 1945 and |
| 30 | U.S. Senator from 1946 to 1971; and Lawton Chiles, U.S. Senator |
| 31 | from 1971 to 1989 and Governor from 1991 to 1998, and |
| 32 | WHEREAS, Polk County is the population center for the State |
| 33 | of Florida, where 7.5 million people reside within a 100-mile |
| 34 | radius, and |
| 35 | WHEREAS, the vacation destinations of Polk County are |
| 36 | visited by more than 1.5 million tourists annually and include |
| 37 | Historic Bok Sanctuary, Cypress Gardens Adventure Park, Hollis |
| 38 | Gardens, Fantasy of Flight, Sun 'n Fun Fly-In, Water Ski Hall of |
| 39 | Fame, and Frank Lloyd Wright architecture at Florida Southern |
| 40 | College, and |
| 41 | WHEREAS, Polk County is the center of citrus production and |
| 42 | phosphate mining for the world, and |
| 43 | WHEREAS, Polk County is the corporate headquarters for many |
| 44 | of Florida's major corporations, including Publix Supermarkets, |
| 45 | W.S. Badcock Corporation, Allen & Company, Watkins Motor Lines, |
| 46 | Comcar Industries, Colorado Boxed Beef Company, Mosaic, and |
| 47 | ButterKrust Bakeries, NOW, THEREFORE, |
| 48 |
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| 49 | Be It Resolved by the House of Representatives of the State of |
| 50 | Florida: |
| 51 |
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| 52 | That April 11, 2006, is recognized as "Polk County |
| 53 | Legislative Day" in Tallahassee for the county's many valuable |
| 54 | contributions to the State of Florida. |
| 55 | BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be |
| 56 | presented to Polk County as a tangible token of the sentiments |
| 57 | expressed herein. |