The Bone Valley, unlike its name may imply, was once an area that created life within the state of Florida due to its abundance of natural resources. One of the most abundant, phosphate, played a major role in the exponential development and growth found within Florida over the past century.
Polk County, and its surrounding area, is known as the Bone Valley mining region and has been used by the phosphate mining industry since the late 1800’s. Lakeland being located in Polk County has also had a major role in the industry with multiple mines springing up within the city limits and in its periphery.
Many companies sprung up throughout Polk County to mine phosphate, including the Lakeland Phosphate Co. which came to be in October 1913. By the end of 1913 the company possessed 1,847 acres of phosphate rich land for their mining endeavors.
Credit: State Archives of Florida
With the creation of such large-scale mining operations, jobs followed. The influx in jobs lead to major growth in Lakeland and the surrounding areas due to the new industry. The company began mining in 1914, but its business undertakings were stifled because of the first World War.
This break in production greatly limited the capabilities of the business, leading to it being sold off and going through ebbs and flows over the years, ultimately staying afloat until 1985 when the majority of the land had been bought up for housing development.
A former phosphate mine in Lakeland that wasn’t used for housing has been transformed in recent years to utilize Florida’s natural resources in a different way. The creation of Holloway Park was done to use the resources the Florida landscape provides to create a place filled with natural beauty, spurring exploration.
Holloway wasn’t always a place filled with life as following the decades of phosphorus mining it was described as a bleak hilly chunk of land, lacking the natural vegetation and beauty the area once possessed. However, after the land was given time it regained such beauty, allowing for the decision by the Holloway family, the owners of the park, to move towards creating an area not only to enjoy nature, but to challenge it as well.
Photo Credits: Dale van Gelder
Holloway Park is described on its website as, “a 362-acre recreational area and nature preserve features cross-country running [trails].”
The 362 acres are used in a variety of ways, including recreational activities like disc golf. With its 18 holes of disc golf it allows all those meandering through, or inhabiting Lakeland, to take a step aside from the miles of asphalt connecting the town with the cities of Orlando and Tampa to experience nature. With the miles of land, and great thought and effort by a number of individuals, the nature preserve and its winding land has in some parts been transformed into one of the most respected cross country courses in Florida.
Photo Credits: Dale van Gelder
Florida Southern head coach Matt Levassiur described aspects of the course as, “where souls go to get snatched.”
The winding trail filled with dirt, roots, and hills forces those competing on it to battle through every part of the course, ensuring that all will be challenged. Partially due to the many difficult aspects of the course along with the quality of each aspect of the course and quality needed to perform, the course garners great respect amongst competitors and their governing bodies.
The course has been selected to host many major meets including the NCAA South Regional Championship as recently as 2022, creating a great amount of revenue for Lakeland ranging from local hotels to the meet’s host, Florida Southern College.
Holloway Park with its rolling Florida hills and droves of species, both plant and animal, creates the environment for individuals to appreciate the present and past beauty of Lakeland. Whether one is running, exploring or disc golfing, this history and beauty is prevalent. Some may just have to come to the realization after their competition.