The City of Lakeland's biennial Historic Home Workshop will soon return for the first time since 2019. Those who own historic homes or are interested in preservation are invited to this free event on Saturday, Oct. 14 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Florida Southern College.

Familiar names on the speaker list include LuAnn Mims of the Lakeland Public Library and Emily Foster from the city's Historic Preservation office. Experts will give hour-long talks on topics like:

Discover Your Home’s Past
The Basics of Building Permitting and Code Enforcement
Follies and Fables of Historic Home Renovations
The Quest for the Perfect Wood Window

The Ordway Building is a short distance from the South Lake Morton and Biltmore-Cumberland districts. | Photo via Google Maps

The workshop itself will even take place in a historic structure: The Lucius Pond Ordway Building (1049 Frank Lloyd Wright Way). This building was designed by — you guessed it — Frank Lloyd Wright and completed in 1952. Pro tip: Join a free tour of Florida Southern's architecture, limited to 25 participants, at the end of the workshop.

Lakeland is home to 1,600+ historic buildings and landmarks in seven historic districts. Thanks to a recent resurvey of the East and South Lake Morton districts, more houses have been recommended as contributing structures.

Resurveys are planned for the Dixieland and Downtown/Munn Park districts in the 2024 fiscal year, followed by the Beacon Hill, Biltmore-Cumberland, and Lake Hunter Terrace districts in the 2026 fiscal year. If you live in these areas, it's a great time to attend the workshop to prepare for your historic home's future.