Lakeland in Polk County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

The Carpenters' Home

Photographed By Dean Moss McCracken, November 22, 2016

1. The Carpenters' Home Marker

Inscription. The Carpenters' Home was the retirement home for members of the United Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners of America from 1929 to 1976. The Union completed the purchase of the 1,684 acre site in April 1924. Costing $632,393, the site included 594 acres of citrus groves. The purchase of additional citrus groves brought the total land owned to almost 2,000 acres. The Carpenters' Home was dedicated on October 1, 1928, and officially opened March 14, 1929. The home could accommodate up to 400 residents and included a lounge, library, dining room, hospital, and auditorium. In addition to the residence building, there was a power house, garage, laundry, and water tower. Amenities for the residents included movies in the auditorium, a recreation hall, a golf course, a fishing dock, and facilities for outdoor games such as shuffleboard. The Carpenters' Home closed in 1976, and the building later served as a church school for many years. In 2011, the building was abandoned and fell into disrepair. In 2016, the building was rehabilitated with much of its original character and then returned to its former use as a senior living community.

Erected 2016 by Polk County Historical Commission and Lake Gibson Village. (Marker Number PCHC-019.)

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Architecture • Labor Unions. A significant historical date for this entry is March 14, 1929.

Location. 28° 6.027′ N, 81° 57.891′ W. Marker is in Lakeland, Florida, in Polk County. Marker can be reached from Carpenters Way, half a mile east of U.S. 98, on the left when traveling east. Turn north into the Lake Gibson Village parking. The marker is in front of the main entrance to the building. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 771 Carpenters Way, Lakeland FL 33809, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 4 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Lodwick School of Aeronautics (approx. 2.1 miles away); Site of the Camp of The 10th Cavalry, The “Buffalo Soldiers” (approx. 3.6 miles away); Kathleen School (approx. 3.7 miles away); Acton Community (approx. 3.8 miles away); Munn Park Historic District (approx. 3.9 miles away); Munn Park (approx. 3.9 miles away); ‘Mute Swan Protecting Her Cygnets’ (approx. 3.9 miles away); Kathleen Baptist Church/The Charter Members of Kathleen Baptist Church - 1895 (approx. 4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Lakeland.

Regarding The Carpenters' Home. Regarding the Carpenters' Home: The original name of the Carpenters' Home was Carpenter's Court. It was conceived

Photographed By Dean Moss McCracken, November 25, 2016

2. The Carpenters' Home Marker

and built by William Levi Hutcheson (1874-1953). Hutcheson was the President of the Carpenters and Joiners Union from 1915-1952. The home catered to bachelors with no families to look after them. The men's union dues paid for their rooms, food and burial plots. The men had to be at least sixty five years old and thirty year members of the union. The men lived in eight foot by ten foot rooms and every four rooms shared a bathroom. The Carpenters' Home was very close to a self sufficient community. In addition to the amenities, power plant and citrus groves mentioned on the marker, the Home also had pasture lands for cattle and hogs, a large kitchen garden and even its own cemetery.

The Cemetery: The Carpenters' Home Cemetery is adjacent to the then named William Hutcheson Country Club. The golf course still exists and the cemetery parallels 10 fairway and the entire par 3, 11th hole. There are 1,282 grave markers in fourteen rows consisting of ninety four to ninety seven markers per row. Only the western most row has thirty five markers. The first man to be buried in the cemetery was William Glissman. Glissman was born in Germany on January 1, 1857. He lived in the United States for thirty four years and practiced his trade in New York State. He was among the first residents admitted to the new Carpenters' Home on March 14, 1929. He died just twelve days later on

Photographed By Dean Moss McCracken, November 23, 2016

3. The Carpenters' Home Marker

Carpenters' Home Dedication, October 1, 1928. Photo; Old Polk Album. The Ledger. August 9, 1985.

March 26. The Carpenters and Joiners Union still maintains the cemetery today.

Sources
• Carpenters' Home Collection. Lakeland Public Library. Special Collections. Lakeland, Fl. November 28, 2016.
• Carpenters and Joiners Union. 1946. Lakeland Public Library, Special Collections, Lakeland, Fl. photograph album. November 28, 2016.
• First Death at Carpenters an Joiners Home. Lakeland Evening Ledger. Obit. March 27, 1929.
• Residents Album Record, Carpenters Home Lakeland, Florida. Vol. 1, Members 1-728. Compiled by Clent Howard. 1995. Polk County Historical and Genealogical Library, Bartow, Fl. December 6, 2016.

The Carpenters' Home Cemetery image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Dean Moss McCracken, November 22, 2016

4. The Carpenters' Home Cemetery

Grave Marker of William Glissman. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Dean Moss McCracken, November 22, 2016

5. Grave Marker of William Glissman.

The Carpenters' Home Entry Arch. Ca.1946. image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Dean Moss McCracken, November 22, 2016

6. The Carpenters' Home Entry Arch. Ca.1946.

Photo Courtesy; Lakeland Public Library, Special Collections, Lakeland, Fl.

Credits. This page was last revised on June 5, 2018. It was originally submitted on December 13, 2016, by Dean Moss McCracken of Lakeland, Florida. This page has been viewed 1,851 times since then and 280 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6. submitted on December 13, 2016, by Dean Moss McCracken of Lakeland, Florida. • Bernard Fisher was the editor who published this page.