LAKELAND, Fla — Throughout Lakeland, you'll see artwork reflecting its mascot, the Swan.
Living on Lake Morton, the swans have a rich and long history near downtown Lakeland, dating back to the 1920s.
"Lakeland had a small but thriving Swan population on our lakes, and we even had a division of the parks and rec department that took care of the swans. Unfortunately, by the early 1950s, our Swan population had died off whether it be disease chemicals, what have you. We had a Lakeland native who was stationed in Europe. A Sergeant Pickhardt who took matters into his own hands at the time because the swan population was gone. And he knew that the Lakeland residents, I guess letters from home, they were looking for new swans. so the Pickhardt family in England wrote a letter to Queen Elizabeth and asked her if she would donate an amazing pair of swans from her royal flock. And she did so in 1957. Those swans arrived, and the rest is history," explains Communications Manager Kevin Cook.
Every year the swans get a checkup from a local veterinarian to make sure they are in good health.
You can read more about the Lakeland swans here, and you can even download an activity book for kids!
