By R. Michael Brown, Feature Writer and Multimedia Producer
The building is 100 years old this month but the lives changed and stories are what matter in this small town of Lake Placid, Florida.
Several weeks ago, I was contacted by Heartland Living magazine owner Cindy Sebring Adams, and asked to do an article. She accepted my idea about the 100th anniversary of the Lake Placid School (formerly 1st-12th grade) building which is now the South Florida State College – Lake Placid Center.
I teach at the college. An event to celebrate the Centennial on Saturday, October 18, 2025 will feature a documentary film I’m working on to show guests and document the history of this beautiful brick building and its students, faculty, and staff over the years. This multimedia project with film, article, and news release spans the history from 1925 until today.
Note: All photographs were taken by R. Michael Brown unless otherwise noted.
Thank you to the Lake Placid Historical Society and their staff for providing helpful materials used in the photography – and their knowledge about the school, people, and town for this project.
See the article below:
A Beacon in the Heart of the Heartland
By R. Michael Brown, Feature Writer and Multimedia Producer
In Highlands County, where fields of caladiums stretch in bold color, and murals splash stories across downtown walls, one building has quietly witnessed nearly every chapter of Lake Placidโs history. The red-brick structure Building 100, at 500 E. Interlake Blvd. has stood for a centuryโnot just as a schoolhouse, but as a gathering place, a memory vault and a symbol of what happens when a small town pours its heart into education. ย
Read the full article on Issuu >> October-November 2025 Issue
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