Racial segregation was a dark time in our country, but Black artists and businesses celebrated Black culture through music, which in turn helped support Black business districts.

 Performances in historic Chitlin' Circuit venues, like The Quarters in northwest Lake Wales, nurtured Black artists and contributed to new genres of music. Lake Wales' northwest neighborhood was once home to a thriving business and entertainment center.

 Goals of the Lake Wales Connected Plan and the Lake Wales CRA are to better connect this district to downtown with improved infrastructure and to revitalize business, homeownership and entertainment.