 History
The Moorhead Community
The Lakeland Center sits on the 35 acres of land of
one of Lakeland’s first settlements developed
in the 1880’s – The Moorhead Community.
Railroad laborers working on the Henry B. Plant railroad
lines and other African-Americans moved here to begin
construction in 1882 on a railroad line from Tampa
eastward through Lakeland to Bartow Junction. In 1884,
Lakeland’s first African-American church, St,
John’s Baptist, was founded and the City’s
first black school was established soon thereafter.
Rev. H.R. Moorhead (?-1916) became pastor of the St.
John Church in 1906. He was an esteemed champion for
the rights of his people and it is believed that the
Moorhead Community was named in his honor. This neighborhood
experienced a rapid growth of homes, churches and businesses
that included Lakeland’s first African-American
physician, Dr. David Simpson (1870-1955).
Our beginnings
In 1967 the City of Lakeland began plans for the
development of a larger civic
center than the one on
Lake
Mirror,and in 1971 acquired the land of the Moorhead
Community.
The new civic center opened in November 1974 on the
property west of the city. It was the largest most
complete complex of its kind in Central Florida.
since our opening
The name was changed to The Lakeland Center in June
1994 when plans were made to double the size of the
Sikes Exhibition hall and renovate the Youkey Theatre
and Jenkins Arena. And in 1996 the renovation of the
current Lakeland Center was completed.
The Lakeland Center has hosted many
legendary artist and many of today's artists including..
- Elvis Presley
- Elton John
- Ricky Martin
- N'Sync
- Prince
- Sheryl Crow
- Gloria Estefan
- and many more.
The Lakeland Center continues to be one of Central
Florida's most complete complexes for conventions,
sports, entertainment and so much more.
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