Bartow is the county seat of Polk County. The community was founded by in 1851 and named in honor of Francis S. Bartow, generally believed to be the first Confederate general to fall in battle. The hometown of many prominent leaders over the years, Bartow is proud of its heritage. Bartow remains a small city with a thriving economy that includes citrus, cattle, and one of the largest phosphate producing industrial complexes in the world.