When it's sleepy time down south: Historic places to hang your hat - Part 2 of 2
Story & Photos by: Larry Levey - News-Sun August 1, 2001 - Explorer Page Coordinator

The "Dawn Patrol" by a flock of sandhill cranes offers a scene often found in Highlands County. These year-round residents are seen in marshes, wet prairies, pastures, open woodlands and around lakes.

These folks are looking for the baby bird hidden somewhere in this mural of the "Caladium Fields". The mural reflects Lake Placid's other title: 'Caladium Capital of the World'.

Like this page, the murals of Lake Placid are devoted to "exploring the natural, historic and cultural treasures" of the area, with nature taking up the lion's share.

Of the 32 murals now on display, almost half are nature-related, reflecting one of our most valued assets. Within these murals you'll find abundant bird life: scrub jays, wild turkeys, a burrowing owl, wood ducks, sandhill cranes, wood ibis, great blue heron, great white heron, little green heron, red wing blackbirds, osprey, bald eagles, purple martins.

Other murals show off our precious lakes, lakes for fishing and boating and other water sports, lakes that are home to bass, to alligators. And still more murals reveal unpaved lands that are home to bears and Florida panthers and deer and turkeys and wild hogs and fox squirrels and gopher tortoises and snakes and insects and plants and trees.

The ancient history of our area is captured by murals recalling the times Indians inhabited these lands, the times when mastodons roamed the prairies.

The ways we once toiled - or even toil today - for our bread and butter are captured in those mural depicting the cattle and turpentine and caladium and citrus industries.

Add in the murals about the times and places and people that make Lake Placid so special, like murals paying tribute to Dr. Melvil Dewey, to three early physicians, to a still-going Lake Placid Drug Store, to the old post office, to a telephone operator, the train depot, the Lake Placid Journal.

And there are those murals of past events that remain part of the local heritage: a "Tea at Southwinds," a former local lodge; an on-going country fair, even a 1931 bank robbery. And don't forget that mural reflecting a current part of the local culture: clowns and Toby's Clown School.

As News-Sun writer Ric Liljenberg, writing in the introduction to the mural guidebook, points out, "Our history and culture are special ... Our lakes are special ... Our town is special ...

"Thank your for spending time with us. How you got here is not nearly as important as what you take with you when you leave. We hope you will return."

Lake Placid resident Grady Parrish was 10 years old in 1931 when he helped foil a robbery at the Tropical Bank by running to alert the town marshal. The mural is painted on the building that once housed the bank.

Will this vehicle start? Just try putting some trash inside you'll hear if it does or not. This is one of several artistic trash bins throughout downtown Lake Placid.