South Central Florida

QUALITY OF LIFE

Where history runs deep
South Central is known as a region where the lineage of many families goes back multiple generations and Florida’s history can be seen along back roads and in small towns. Browse for antiques in Arcadia, spend an afternoon perusing one man’s collection of oddities at “Solomon’s Castle” just outside Wauchula or pop in to see 700 pieces of clown memorabilia for free at Toby’s American Clown Museum and School in Lake Placid, where dozens of working clowns have received training.

“Real” Florida fun
It’s no wonder that getting back to nature is a favorite pastime here. South Central is home to Lake Okeechobee — the nation’s second largest freshwater lake — plus many smaller lakes and one of Florida’s oldest parks, Highlands Hammock State Park, circa 1931. World-class fishing, bird watching, camping and small game hunting are popular activities here, as are festivals devoted to such “natural wonders” as swamp cabbage (LaBelle), sugar (Clewiston), speckled perch (Okeechobee) and caladium (Lake Placid).

NOTABLE EMPLOYERS

Agribusiness

• Lykes Brothers Glades, Highlands and Okeechobee counties
• Mosaic Wauchula
• Southern Gardens Citrus Clewiston
• TKM Farms Belle Glade
• United States Sugar Clewiston

Distribution

• Walmart Distribution Center Arcadia
• Walpole Okeechobee

Healthcare

• DeSoto Memorial Hospital Arcadia
• Florida Hospital Heartland Medical Center Sebring
• Florida Institute for Neurologic Rehabilitation Wauchula