Frostproof

Ridge extension citrus town

Founded

1921

Place

Frostproof, Polk County (Ridge extension)

District

The Ridge

Status as of 12 September 2026

Operating city, population 2,877 at the 2020 census; reported in the module's optional Polk extension, not the six county core.

Connections

5 edges, 5 distinct neighbours · betweenness 0.046 (rank 32 of 243) · location and lineage only 0.025 (rank 25) · outside share 0.40

Confidence

High · sources: [WFRO] [CIMFCM] [LMH] (register)

Settled in the 1880s as Keystone City and renamed on the 1892 post office application as a claim that citrus there would escape frost; the Great Freeze of 1895 kills most of the town's citrus anyway [WFRO]. Rail arrives in 1912, the city incorporates in 1921, and the town becomes the seat of the Latt Maxcy and Ben Hill Griffin citrus empires [WFRO][LMH].

Connections

Location and lineage

• founded byACL Haines City Branchfirst rail service and the surviving depot1912
• tied venture or seat ofLatt Maxcy Corporationpackinghouses, groves and the town bank1925 to present
• tied venture or seat ofBen Hill Griffin Incheadquarters town1933 to present

Support

• supported byGreat Freeze of 1894 to 1895kills most of the town's citrus despite the name1895
• supported byUF/IFAS Citrus Research and Education CenterRidge growers draw on the Lake Alfred station1917 to present