Singing Tower, Bok Mountain Lake Sanctuary
Garden and bird sanctuary in Polk County, Florida. Added to the National Register in 1972, and a National Historic Landmark.
What it is
Bok Tower Gardens is a 250-acre (100 ha) contemplative garden and bird sanctuary located atop Iron Mountain, north of Lake Wales, Florida, United States, created by Edward Bok in the 1920s. Formerly known as the Bok Mountain Lake Sanctuary and Singing Tower, the gardens' attractions include the Singing Tower and its 60-bell carillon, the Bok Exedra, the Pinewood Estate now known as El Retiro, the Pine Ridge Trail, and the Visitor Center.
Text from Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0.
The record
| Property type | Structure |
| Address | 3 mi. N of Lake Wales, Lake Wales vicinity, FL |
| County | Polk County |
| Listed | Aug 21, 1972 |
| Listed for | Conservation, Landscape architecture, Art, Social history, Performing arts, Architecture |
| Level of significance | National |
| Also known as | Bok Tower; Bok Tower Gardens |
| Reference number | 72000350 |
| Architect | Milton Bennett Medary |
| Type of place | botanical garden |
| Designations | National Historic Landmark |
| Contributing resources | 8 buildings, 4 structures, 1 site, 2 objects |
| Standing | Yes |
The nomination form, the document that argues why this place matters, is in the National Archives: Read the nomination ↗
Visiting
| Address | 3 mi. N of Lake Wales, Lake Wales, FL |
| Website | boktowergardens.org ↗ |
| Coordinates | 27.9353° N, 81.5775° W · Directions ↗ |
| Also in Lake Wales | 21 listed places in Lake Wales → |
| Nearest national park unit | De Soto National Memorial · 71 miles · on Park Atlas |
Explore
Map
Nearby in Polk County
Local history books for Polk County
We earn a small commission if you buy through these links. It does not change what we list.
Guidebooks to historic places in Florida
- Florida's Museums and Cultural AttractionsMurray D. Laurie and Doris Bardon, 2016Find at Bookshop.org
Titles come from Open Library's catalog, matched by subject heading or by title.
Reference
Questions people ask
When was Singing Tower, Bok Mountain Lake Sanctuary listed on the National Register?
Aug 21, 1972. It is also a National Historic Landmark, the higher of the two designations.
Source: National Park Service
Who designed Singing Tower, Bok Mountain Lake Sanctuary?
Milton Bennett Medary.
Source: Wikidata
Can I visit Singing Tower, Bok Mountain Lake Sanctuary?
Yes. Singing Tower, Bok Mountain Lake Sanctuary is recorded as open to the public, and hours are on the official website.
Source: Official website
Where is Singing Tower, Bok Mountain Lake Sanctuary?
3 mi. N of Lake Wales, Lake Wales vicinity, Polk County, Florida. The nearest national park unit is De Soto National Memorial, 71 miles away.
Source: De Soto National Memorial
What does the Singing Tower, Bok Mountain Lake Sanctuary listing include?
The listing counts 15 contributing resources. Those are 8 buildings, 4 structures, 1 site, and 2 objects. A contributing resource is a part of the listed property that carries its historic significance.
Source: National Park Service
Where is the nomination form for Singing Tower, Bok Mountain Lake Sanctuary?
The National Archives holds the nomination form, the document that made the case for listing.
Source: National Archives
Is there cell service at Singing Tower, Bok Mountain Lake Sanctuary?
FCC coverage maps show Verizon 5G, AT&T 5G, and T-Mobile 5G at the listed point. Coverage indoors and behind old masonry is another matter.
Source: FCC Broadband Map
Sources
Location, type and contributing counts come from the National Park Service's National Register spatial data. Listing dates come from the National Register office's spreadsheet where it carries the listing. Construction date, architect, style, photograph and encyclopedia link come from Wikidata and Wikimedia Commons, matched on reference number 72000350. Nothing here is transcribed by hand. The nomination form and photographs ↗ at NPGallery are the original nomination as filed with the National Park Service, and the form is often the best description of the place. The description under "What it is" is the opening of the Wikipedia article, CC BY-SA.