The Homeland School

The Homeland School. . , Bethel Academy , This excellent example of early Polk County affluent rural living was built in the late 1880s by Mr. and Mrs. Oscar Blocker of Hillsborough County. Although it might be more accurately called the Blocker-Raulerson House, the building takes its name from Daniel Amos Raulerson, who purchased it in July of 1901 and lived in it until 1912 before moving to Lakeland. He was a prospector and developer of phosphate mines, among them the Coronet Mine. J.D. Raulerson, Sr., son to Daniel Amos, served as the Polk County Clerk of the Circuit Court from 1921 to 1937. , , The School Was Saved , The school remained active until 1956, after which the building served as a School Board maintenance facility for refinishing school furniture until it was abandoned in 1982. It remained empty until Sally Mellor, a reporter for the Polk County Democrat, spotted it on a School Board surplus list and alerted the community of its historical value. Thanks to the efforts of Homeland residents and surrounding communities, as well as the help of local historical organizations such as the Polk County Historical Commission, the Polk County Historical Association, and E.D. Bud Dixon, Clerk of the Circuit Court, the school was saved and restored. , , Creating the Park , On March 26, 1985, the Polk County School Board signed a deed, which passed the ownership of the Homeland School building and surrounding land to the Polk County Board of County Commissioners to create Homeland Heritage Park. In 2007, The Homeland School was added to the National Register of Historic Places for its historical significance.