Homeland Heritage Park opened on March 26, 1985, after the School Board of Polk County donated the Homeland School building and surrounding property to the Polk County Board of County Commissioners on the understanding that a historic park would be created there. At that time the Homeland Schoolhouse was the only building at the park, and it remains the only one on its original foundation. Since opening, six historic buildings have been moved to the site to join the school: the Homeland Methodist Church, the Raulerson House, the English Log Cabin, the Homeland Methodist Church Annex, the Homeland Methodist Church Parsonage, and the English Pole Barn. The present church building always bore the name Homeland Methodist Church and was built after the community of Bethel was renamed Homeland, a name inspired by an Irish peddler, Jack McCormick, who said the place looked more like his homeland than any he had seen. The name took hold, was nailed to the train depot by a stationmaster in 1883, and became official on Sept. 7, 1885, when the United States Postmaster established the new post office as Homeland, Florida. Today the park is maintained by Polk County Parks and Natural Resources, serves as an important part of Homeland's community, hosts special events and private gatherings, teaches students the history of Polk County, and includes the Homeland School, which was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2007.