At the height of the Seminole Wars in the 1830’s, the US Army established Fort Gatlin to protect settlers from Indian attacks. The Civil War saw an influx of growth and development that included cattle and cotton. The town of Orlando was incorporated in 1875, named after Orlando Reeves, a guard at the first fort.
Today, Orlando incorporates outlying neighboring towns such as Winter Park, developed as a winter home in the 1860’s for wealthy northerners, Kissimmee, Altamonte and Winter Gardens. In the 1880’s, the South Florida Railroad comes through, starting a land boom for developers. Despite a major disaster for citrus crops in the Great Freeze of 1895, tourism to Central Florida was established.
Walt Disney wasn’t the first person to build a tourist attraction. Dick Pope, Sr. is credited with that with the opening of his 1936 Cypress Gardens. (reopened in 2003 as the Cypress Gardens Adventure Park).
Disney’s Magic Kingdom Park opened in 1971, followed by Sea World in 1973, and then Universal Studios in 1990.
Central Florida continues to grow, attracting families to enjoy its warm climate, attractions, shopping and dining venues and hotels. It’s also become a center for business conventions and meetings that allow attendees to bring their families, combining business and pleasure. Disney also features cruises from Port Canaveral in conjunction with its land-based attractions.
For more information on local history, the Orange County Regional History Center Museum features artifacts dating back to prehistory, native Indian culture and local development.
