Poised on the brink of a bright future, Bartow rates high marks as a place to raise children, build a business or enjoy your retirement. Life here offers opportunities and facilities unusual in a city of just 17,000 people.

Located in the center of the Florida Peninsula, 60 miles due east of Tampa, Bartow is the County Seat of one of Florida's largest counties. Known as the Imperial County, Polk has 450,000 residents. For a hundred years or more, it has supplied 80 percent of the nation's and 25 percent of the world's needs of phosphate (the prime ingredient of fertilizer). Polk County's second great export has been citrus. Vast groves produced more fruit than the state of California.

Bartow is a picturesque city with many elegant homes along its tree-shaded streets. A healthy economy, state of the art hospital, and a first rate school system make citizens proud to call Bartow home.The people who live here are some of the nicest people you could ever want to meet.

Bartow has been known as the City of Oaks and Azaleas and the City of Nostalgia. It is also well on the way to earning the title City of Vision. In the spirit of the founding fathers (and mothers), Bartow will provide all that is needed for a good life.