Sebring

Population11,087 (2021)
Incorporated1913

Circle this one on your Florida map! Sebring, established in 1912, boasts a unique circular design envisioned by its founder, George E. Sebring. This Ohio industrialist dreamt of a community centered around a circular park, with roads radiating outwards like spokes on a wheel. The town’s official charter came a year later, and by 1921, Sebring became the designated county seat for the newly formed Highlands County.

The mid-1920s witnessed a boom, fueled by the Florida land boom, and Sebring developed into a bustling hub for agriculture and commerce. Architectural remnants from this era grace Sebring’s historic district, designated on the National Register of Historic Places. Today, Sebring continues to thrive, attracting visitors with its historic charm, renowned Sebring International Raceway, and scenic location on the shores of Lake Jackson.

Racial Violence Threatened in 1925 Sebring

Many people in Sebring today like to have rose-colored glasses about race relations in the town's history. Inescapably, Sebring was a typical segregated Southern town with plenty of racist ideals. In September of 1925, the finishing touches were being put...

Elizabeth Haines Mansion in Sebring

The Elizabeth Haines House is one of the most impressive mansions in Sebring from the Great Florida Land Boom. Haines was the widow of wealthy businessman John Locke Haines. It was one of the first homes constructed in the Sebring...

Lorida, Florida: Origins of a Cracker Town

Many towns in Florida were started by skilled real estate developers with capitalistic dreams of striking it rich, not Lorida. Its cowboy homesteaders sought the hard country life, building their own version of Eden on the edge of the Everglades....

Sebring and Avon Park Battle for County Seat

When the Florida legislature formed Highlands County from DeSoto County in 1921, it kicked off a heated campaign to decide which town would become the capital city. In the early 1900s, south-central Florida was dominated by mega-county DeSoto County, itself having...