Guest, Sign inJoin

Post to Frostproof

We’ll email a one-tap link to publish your post. No password, and nothing is public until you click it.
Already a member? Sign in
B−History
History · Frostproof

Frostproof dates to 1850, and 1 of its places is on the National Register

More historic than 46% of U.S. towns · #81 of 638 in Florida. What drives it

Most of Frostproof was built recently: 8% of its homes predate 1940 and the median home dates from 1983. Its Register listing is the Frostproof High School, Old. Below: 2 old photos and papers, maps from 1953 on, and the census since 1930.

1850founded
1on the National Register
8%homes built before 1940
2old photos & papers
3famous people
Add an old photoShare a memory
From Frostproof’s archive · credits on each photo
Quick answers

How Frostproof began

When was Frostproof founded?

1850

Frostproof dates its founding to 1850 (Wikidata). The census first counted it in 1930.

First census: 1,406 in 19302020 census: 2,877176 years

How historic is Frostproof?

B−

More historic than 46% of U.S. towns, on its age, its old homes and the National Register.

What drives the grade ↓
Founding year: Wikidata. First post office: 1892.The full story ↓
History grade

What drives Frostproof’s History grade

On its age, its old homes and the National Register, Frostproof is more historic than 46% of U.S. towns, #81 of 638 in Florida. Its National Register listings hold the grade up; its age pulls it down.

B−
HistoryA character grade: shown, never part of Frostproof’s overall grade.
Founding era1850, from Wikidata: founded 1850–1899, an older era than 37% of U.S. townsC+Homes built before 19408.1% of homes (±5.3) · typical FL town 0.6% · U.S. 8.4%C+National Register1 listing, 3.0 per 10,000 residents · typical FL town 0.0 · U.S. 2.4B
All U.S. towns we grade (21,289)Ahead of 46%
NewerOlder
Florida towns of 2,500+ (638)Ahead of 87%

Few Florida towns list much on the Register (a typical Florida town has 0.0 per 10,000 residents, the U.S. 2.4), so Frostproof’s 3.0 sits above most of its state (79% of Florida towns have fewer) while its 1 listings outnumber those of 51% of U.S. towns.

NoteThe founding year comes from Wikidata alone; no second source gives 1850.
How sure. Graded on any two of the three inputs instead, the letter would range from C to B. The pre-1940 share is a Census survey estimate (±5.3 points).

Founding year: Wikidata (other dates in Quick answers). Homes: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register: National Park Service, May 2026 list; each listing counted once (boundary changes and added documentation belong to their listing), and a historic district counts its contributing buildings. How TownRatings grades history →

What stands out about Frostproof’s past

Read from the archive, the National Register and the record. The page puts what stands out first.

A history waiting to be writtenOnly 2 old photos are in the public archives. The rest are in attics and albums.Lost villages6 hamlets and corners are still on the map.
★ What stands out · Help out

Start Frostproof’s collection

The first neighbors to add old photos shape how Frostproof’s history is told.

Decades since 1900 with photos
00s10s20s30s40s50s60s70s80s90s
1 of 10 decades. The empty ones are waiting for someone’s album.
Retake an old viewOrange grove near Frostproof, Florida: stand where they stood+15Share a family photoSign in to add one+10
Places that used to be

Old corners and burying grounds

Frostproof’s post office has been open since 1892.

Hamlets and corners on the map
Frostproof Mobile Home ParkLake Clinch Manor Mobile Home ParkReedy Haven Trailer ParkSelph's Mobile Home VillageSunrise Trailer ParkWhidden Mobile Home Park
1cemetery inside Frostproof
Silver Lake

US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock, CC0). Places and cemeteries from the USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

The story

How Frostproof came to be

From Wikipedia’s history of Frostproof.

Read it all →

The settlement in the area now known as Frostproof was established in 1850. This settlement, like many in Central Florida at the time, was set up as a fort and was called Fort Clinch. The fort was named after the local Lake Clinch which was, in turn, named after the Seminole War commander Duncan Lamont Clinch.

The Fort Clinch settlement started in January 1850, but was abandoned by June 1850. But by the 1880s, Frostproof began to see its first permanent settlers as homesteaders were attracted to the abundant hunting in the area which included much deer and turkey, as well as fishing.

Text from Wikipedia, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.

Timeline

Frostproof, 1850 to 1992

Woven from the archive, old maps, post office records, the National Register and the people born here.

  1. 19th century
  2. 1850
    FoundingFrostproof is established
  3. 1892Post officeThe Frostproof post office opens
  4. 20th century
  5. 1928Born hereSamuel A. Banks is born here
  6. 1939In the archiveOrange grove near Frostproof, Florida
  7. 1953On the mapFirst mapped by the U.S. Geological Survey
  8. 1978Born hereTravis Henry is born here
  9. 1992Born hereNickell Robey is born here
By decade

Frostproof, decade by decade

One decade in the archive so far: the 1930s. Scroll each row; tap a photo for its story.

1930s2 items
Orange grove near Frostproof, Florida1939Orange grove near Frostproof, FloridaSign along highway near Frostproof, Florida1939Sign along highway near Frostproof, Florida
1940s–1990snothing yet
Nothing in the archives for these yearsWeddings on Main Street, storms, parades, school pictures, the old store. If it’s in your family album, it belongs here.
Add from your album
Today16 recent
Frostproof FL CR 630-US 27-US 98 north012016Frostproof FL CR 630-US 27-US 98 north01Frostproof FL Brantley Bldg022016Frostproof FL Brantley Bldg02Frostproof FL Brantley Bldg012016Frostproof FL Brantley Bldg01LakeWales&FrostproofFromTheISS2013LakeWales&FrostproofFromTheISSCR630ewSigns-FL17sRoadside2012CR630ewSigns-FL17sRoadsideFrostproof FL water tower012011Frostproof FL water tower01Frostproof FL Reedy Lake from Wall Street012011Frostproof FL Reedy Lake from Wall Street01Frostproof Scenic Hwy 17 street012010Frostproof Scenic Hwy 17 street01Frostproof Scenic Hwy 17 Lake Moody south012010Frostproof Scenic Hwy 17 Lake Moody south01Frostproof Scenic Hwy 17 Lake Moody north042010Frostproof Scenic Hwy 17 Lake Moody north04Frostproof Scenic Hwy 17 Lake Moody north032010Frostproof Scenic Hwy 17 Lake Moody north03Frostproof Scenic Hwy 17 Lake Moody north022010Frostproof Scenic Hwy 17 Lake Moody north02Frostproof Scenic Hwy 17 Lake Moody north012010Frostproof Scenic Hwy 17 Lake Moody north012010 Census Urban Cluster Reference Map for20102010 Census Urban Cluster Reference Map forBookNov6-08 006aerial2008Nov6-08 006aerialFLMap-doton-Frostproof2004FLMap-doton-Frostproof
On the map

Frostproof on the map, 1953 to 1987

Every edition of the U.S. Geological Survey’s map of Frostproof. Tap a year, or press play to watch the town change.

Frostproof on the 1953 USGS mapFrostproof on the 1972 USGS mapFrostproof on the 1987 USGS map1953Frostproof sheet · 1:24,000

U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (public domain), via Esri’s collection of the scans. The red ring marks the center of Frostproof.

Then & now

Stand where they stood

No then-and-now pairs yet. Take a photo from the same spot as an old one and they appear here side by side.

Orange grove near Frostproof, Florida
Retake this viewOrange grove near Frostproof, Florida, 1939

Find the spot, match the angle, and add your photo. It becomes the first then-and-now pair on Frostproof’s page.

Retake this view · +15
On the National Register

1 historic place in Frostproof

The country’s official list of buildings and places worth saving.

place listed
1
National Historic Landmarks
0
none yet
historic buildings protected
1
each building in a district counts
first listed
1997
Frostproof High School, Old
Frostproof High School, Old
Buildings

Architectural styles listings

Late 19th and 20th Century Revivals1
Mediterranean Revival1
Frostproof High School, OldLate 19th and 20th Century Revivals

National Park Service, National Register of Historic Places. Photos from Wikimedia Commons, credited on each place’s page.

People over time

Frostproof, census by census

05001,0001,5002,0002,5003,00019401960198020002020Peak: 2,995

Between 1,406 and 2,995 people in every census since 1930.

10 censuses, 1930–2020.

U.S. Census Bureau decennial counts, from the census table on Frostproof’s Wikipedia page.

Famous people

3 famous people were born in Frostproof

Writers, athletes, leaders and more, ranked by how widely they’re known.

See all →
Nickell RobeyAmerican football player · b. 1992
T
Travis HenryAmerican football player · b. 1978
Samuel A. BanksAmerican academic · b. 1928
Stories next door

History across the town line

Each neighbor’s History grade, on the same three inputs.

Hillcrest HeightsIts storynot graded: under 1,000 residents or part of its townBabson Park1 historic placeC−

Questions about Frostproof’s history

What year was Frostproof founded?

In 1850, according to Wikidata. Frostproof’s post office opened in 1892, and the census of 1930 counted 1,406 people here.

How does Frostproof rank for history?

Frostproof is more historic than 46% of U.S. towns, #81 of 638 in Florida. The History grade combines the town’s founding era, the share of homes built before 1940 and its National Register listings. It’s a character grade, so it isn’t part of the overall grade. How it works.

What is on the National Register in Frostproof?

One place: the Frostproof High School, Old (listed 1997).

How old are the homes in Frostproof?

8% of Frostproof’s homes were built before 1940 (Census estimate, ±5.3 points), against a typical 0.6% for a Florida town; the median home was built in 1983.

Memory lane

What the archives can’t tell you, neighbors can.

Town Square →
Start a conversation
Sources

Where this page comes from

Founding dates: Wikidata, Wikipedia, the U.S. post office records of Blevins & Helbock (CC0) and the Census. Homes by year built: Census ACS 2020–24. National Register of Historic Places: National Park Service (list of May 22, 2026). Old photos, postcards and papers: Wikimedia Commons, the Library of Congress and other public archives, credited on each item’s page. Maps: U.S. Geological Survey historical topographic maps (via Esri) and Sanborn fire-insurance maps (Library of Congress). History text and census tables: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Places that used to be: USGS Geographic Names Information System (2021).

From Wikimedia Commons (16), the Library of Congress (2), the National Register of Historic Places (1), Wikipedia, Wikidata and Wikipedia for famous people, U.S. Geological Survey historical maps, U.S. Census counts (via Wikipedia), the US Post Offices dataset (Blevins & Helbock) and the USGS Geographic Names Information System. Archive images are copied here with their credits and licenses, shown on each photo’s page. Refreshed monthly.