History of Sebring

George E. Sebring & Son,  Founders of Sebring FloridaH. Orvel Sebring

H. Orvel Sebring Home Built in 1919              City School Bldg 1926 

SEBRING, FLORIDA
HISTORY

Known as "The City on the Circle", Sebring, Florida extends the same warm welcome it has since it was founded in 1911 by George Sebring. This pioneer conceived a unique circular plan as a focal point for this entire lakeside community. His idea was that all roads should lead to and from the center of the community and despite many modern highway improvements since, thus it remains today. Today, Circle Park and Circle Drive are the focal point for many community events and festivals and the area is ringed by shops and businesses of all types.

Second Fire Station Built in 1921

The Circle being cleared in 1912& celebration 1913

Passengers arriving at the ACL Depot in 1917

Photo by Ted Shoemaker

Circle 1920

The community experienced a boom era in the 1920’s as a result of its founder’s plans. Investors, railroads, real estate entrepreneurs, northern bankers and others were intrigued by the layout of this community and saw it as an economic bonanza. The development of cattle ranches and citrus groves contributed to the creation of new empires, all complimented by connections to other cities throughout the nation by Seaboard Air Line Railroad’s Orange Blossom Special.

By the mid-twenties the population had grown nearly fourfold and much of the early development had reached its peak. The "City on the Circle" had developed into a business Mecca and the demand for housing outstripped developers ability to construct. Biltmore interests financed the $30 million dollar development of Harder Hall, a major resort complex complete with its own golf course and home sites.

       

Kenilworth Lodge Under Construction in 1916.                         Kenilworth Lodge in the early 1920s
Notice the absence of the two large wings which were added in 1919

  Harder Hall

Harder Hall soon after completion in 1927 & later in the 1930s & today

By the late twenties an end to the boom was caused by fraudulent land sales, railroad embargoes and clogged shipyards. Following the "Crash of 29" the area’s economy was given a huge boost by the development of Highlands Hammock State Park, a Civilian Conservation Corps project and the establishment of Hendricks Field, a WW-II bomber training base, by the US Army Air Force. Today’s modern Sebring Regional Airport is on that same site. It is not unusual for the Chamber of Commerce to see visitors who served as U.S. Army Air Force Cadets in training at Hendricks Field return many years later with wives and family members to show them where they learned to fly and maintain military aircraft. Because some of the wives were local Sebring girls, the lives of these families and the history of the airport will forever be intertwined. 

Area pride and excitement was revived in the 50’s when annual sports car racing began at the airport using excess runways. The world renowned "12 Hours of Sebring" was born at the airport and continues today as the oldest road race of its kind in North America.

Sebring Raceway - Photo by Ted Shoemaker

Sebring Circle - Photo by Ted Shoemaker

 Like many downtown areas across America, downtown Sebring suffered a slump in the 70’s which began to correct itself in the 80’s. Downtown Sebring, which was chartered in 1913, has been designated a 1920’s Historic District on the National Register of Historic Places. Archival records claim that George Sebring’s "Circle Plan" for downtown was based on the design of Heliopolis, an ancient Egyptian City. Looking to the future, the Sebring City Council, through special legislation, created the Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) to spearhead redevelopment in the downtown area. As a result of outstanding efforts by this agency Sebring was named a "Florida Main Street Community" in 1996 and since that time, nearly $10 million dollars has been reinvested in downtown.

Today downtown Sebring is an eclectic mix of fashions, accessories, shoes and sportswear shops, boutiques, music stores, a pottery shop where products are made on-site, restaurants, tea room, antique galleries and other compatible business and professional offices that make it an exciting and fun place to be. It is not uncommon to see visitors, arriving from North or South by Amtrak, strolling the downtown area for bargains and specialty items. Bed and Breakfasts and Hotels provide accommodations for overnighters. All of this is within walking distance of Sebring’s Cultural Center that includes the public library, the Sebring Historical Society, Highlands Art League and Museum and the renown Highlands Little Theater where Prime Rib just doesn’t get any better. The Sebring Historical Society displays an outstanding Saber Tooth Tiger Mural painted in 1941 by Charles R. Knight, a respected artist, paleontologist and scholar of prehistoric animal life. Banks, real estate, insurance and investment agencies are also within a block or two of Circle Park.  Retail business has exploded along US 27 in Sebring over the past eight years. An enclosed shopping mall, with four major anchor stores plus dozens of small businesses including restaurants, home decor, family clothing, kitchenware, sports, travel, music, books, cards and gifts, computers and movie theatres makes indoor shopping a pleasant experience. In addition to the mall every need from automobiles, insurance, home furnishings, hardware and building supplies, supermarkets, discount stores, antiques, real estate, banking and investment services , and many other type of goods and services can be located along US 27. You might say "its a shoppers world" in the Greater Sebring area where the economy steadily improves each year and where locals and visitors alike are welcomed by area merchants and professionals

The primary source of economic activity in Highlands County is Agriculture. Within that category, most of the economic activity comes from citrus, cattle and dairy operations.
Presently the third largest county in Florida for growing citrus, Highlands County is the fourth largest total citrus producer and the largest producer of the ever-popular Valencia orange in Florida. The recent growing season produced more than 26 million 90-pound boxes of oranges, enough to produce nearly 40 million gallons of juice.

   Cattle - Photo by Ted Shoemaker The State of Florida ranks 10th in production of beef cattle nationally. Within the state, Highlands County ranks first in number of beef cows and second in beef cows and calves. According to the Florida Department of Agriculture, there are over 72,000 head of beef cows and over 121,000 total cows and calves grazing annually on over 425,000 acres in Highlands County. This recently resulted in over $31 million in annual gross sales for the more than 300 beef cattle producers in Highlands County.
 

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