Lakeland, the seat of Lanier County, incorporated on August 11, 1925. Lakeland is the county's only incorporated municipality.
Throughout Lakeland's brief history, its names have related to the geographic area surrounding the city. Its original name, Alapaha Station, recognized the nearby Alapaha River. Then, in 1832, as mills moved into the area, the city's name changed to Mill Town. Finally, residents chose the current name as a nod to the city's proximity to Grand Bay Lake.