Rich in history, Bartow was founded in October 1851 as Fort Blount, a stockade established by Readding Blount and his family. Polk County, which encompasses Bartow, was named after President James Polk, and established in 1861. Bartow, appropriately named "City of Oaks and Azaleas," boasts many historic homes built in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. With a population of approximately 20,000, Bartow remains the county seat of Polk County, which is home to more than 762,000 residents. Thousands of government and private business employees commute to Bartow, daily. Bartow is 40 miles east of Tampa, and 60 miles southwest of Orlando. It is strategically located at the intersection of U.S. Highway 98 and State Road 60.