Why Lakeland Is Known as “Swan City”

Visit Lake Morton in the heart of Lakeland and you’ll quickly understand the city’s nickname: Swan City. Elegant white swans have called the lake home for generations, and they remain one of Lakeland’s most cherished symbols.

The story behind them is part of local lore. After Lakeland’s swan population had dwindled, a resident wrote to Queen Elizabeth II in the late 1950s asking for help. A pair of royal swans was sent from England, and their descendants still glide across the city’s lakes today.

A community tradition

Each year the city rounds up the swans for a health check — a beloved local event — and residents look out for the birds year-round. For visitors and longtime locals alike, a walk around Lake Morton remains one of the simple pleasures of life in Lakeland.