City of Haines City Florida

Early industries in Haines City were citrus, turpentine (from pine sap), palm fronds (dried and dyed, then
shipped north for use in store displays), clay, and car assembly.
At one time, BC Cook and Sons Enterprises was the largest fruit dealer in the world. They were located on
North 12 th Street.
Research and development of frozen orange juice concentrate started in Haines City.
The oldest building in Haines City (the only one built before 1900) is St Mark’s Episcopal Church on North
9 th Street and Main Street. It was built in 1892.
Before US 17/92 and US 27, the main road into and out of town was the Old Dixie Highway. The road was
built between 1915 and 1927 to connect the American Midwest to the South. It passed through Haines City
on Ingraham Avenue past the train depot.
Hinson Avenue (US 17/92) is named after F. J. Hinson, who planned the city’s streets and donated the land
for the first railroad station.
Haines City didn’t always have a Main Street. Downtown Main Street was Jones Avenue until 2009. The
first school in Haines City was built on land donated by Harrison Jones.
Passenger service at the Haines City railroad station ended in the late 1960s with the conception of Amtrak
by the federal government. Freight service continued into 1977.
The Barnum and Bailey Circus train passes through Haines City each year when the circus leaves Tampa
in January and heads to Orlando.
Before St Ann Catholic Church was built, Catholic Masses used to be held on the ground floor of the Palm
Crest Hotel. The first hospital in Haines City was located in the current Masonic Lodge on North 6 th Street.
The Heart of Florida Hospital was located at 301 South 10 th Street from 1966 until they moved into their
new building on US 27 in June 1997.
Haines City High School, as a separate building, has been in three different locations: the Clay Cut Center
on Ledwith Avenue (built in 1925–1926 as Central Elementary School), Daniel Jenkins Academy on
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