Florida History and Special Events & Dates

Orland is a fun place to be and that’s how many remember it. However, do you know any history of the fun getaway, aside from the Walt Disney magic? Orlando’s history goes as far back as 1838, around the time of the Second Seminole War. In a mission to protect settlers from the Indians, the United States Army built Fort Gatlin, which is southeast of the present day downtown Orlando. Around 1840, Jernigan, a small settlement, grew up nearby the Fort. This name stemmed from the Jernigan family who were early settlers. As 1850 came around, a post office was available in Jernigan. By 1856, this community expanded northward - that’s when the name was changed to “Orlando”. During 1857, the United States Post Office embraced this new name change. It wasn’t until 1875 that The Town of Orlando had 85 residents and 22 of them who were qualified to vote. When Orlando Became Center of Florida’s Citrus Industry Between 1875 and 1895 are known as the glory days of citrus, which is when Orlando became the center of Florida’s citrus industry. During 1894-1895, the “Great Freeze” occured and small owners had given up on groves. Several of the individuals purchased land, then expanded their operations around Lake Wales, which is south of Orlando. Florida’s largest inland city, Orlando, became quite popular to visit between the years of the Spanish American War and World War I. The Florida Land Boom During the 1920’s, Orlando was also affected by The Florida Land Boom. In result, land prices reached peak points. Several tourist facilities including San Juan Hotel were constructed during those years. During the same time period, development of neighborhoods near downtown Orlando began. There are small bungalows still existing today and they are part of Orlando’s history and city charm. How World War II Changed Orlando Before, during, and after World War II, there was an immense amount of military activity in Orlando. The municipal airport, located north of Lake Underhill formed into the Orlando Army Air Base. A newer airport was constructed just 10 miles south of Orlando with a mission to use it in place of the municipal airport; it was then formed into Pinecastle Air Force Base, and finally formed to McCoy Air Force Base. Now, it’s the site of Orlando International Airport. Here Comes The Jobs During 1956, Martin Marietta, now known as Lockheed Martin, constructed a major, well-known aerospace defense plant just south of Orlando. This place provided many jobs for Orlando. Aside from the jobs, this place was nearby Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, and Patrick Air Force Base, making it easy to commute from the Orlando eastern suburbs to work. Due to the proximity to Space Coast, nearby Kennedy Space Center, several high-tech companies made a shift to the Orlando area. The Walt Disney You Know About Most people are aware of Walt Disney World; It’s the most dynamic thing that has ever happened in Orlando. Walt Disney revealed in 1965 that a Walt Disney World near Orlando was going to be built. He began working on this magical place in 1968 and it finally opened in October of 1971. The population has increased since then, there have been more jobs, and tourism is continuous. Now that you know the history behind one of the world’s most known getaways, let’s get into some special events and dates you should know when visiting Orlando from now through the end of spring. Although Walt Disney World has made a major positive impact on Orlando, there are several events that are just as fun. January 2018 Lake Apopka Wildlife Festival and Birdapalooza - January 18 in Magnolia Park Nature Connects - Art with Lego Bricks - January 18 at Leu Garden Porcelain Art Show - January 18 at Rosen Event Center, JCC World Quilt Florida - January 18 at Orange County Convention Center 5th Annual MLK Jazz/Blues Cookout - January 20 at John H. Jackson Neighborhood Center Lego Ninjago Days - January 20 at Legoland Florida Resort February Orlando Museum of Art - February 1 at Orlando Museum of Art Orlando Magic vs. Washington Wizards - February 3 at Amway Center Praise Wave - February 3 at SeaWorld Orlando Orlando Magic vs. Cleveland Cavaliers - February 6 at Amway Center Orlando Magic vs. Atlanta Hawks - February 8 at Amway Center Orlando Magic vs. Milwaukee Bucks - February 10 at Amway Center March Art with Lego Bricks - March 1 at Leu Gardens The Art of Fashion - March 1 at Orlando Museum of Art The Lion King - March 1 at Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts Orlando Magic vs Detroit Pistons - March 2 at Amway Center Orlando Magic vs. Memphis Grizzlies - March 3 at Amway Center Seven Seas Food Festival - March 3 at SeaWorld Orlando April Art with Lego Bricks - April 2 at Leu Gardens Orlando Magic vs. Dallas Mavericks - April 4 at Amway Center Seven Seas Food Festival - April 8 at SeaWorld Orlando Orlando Magic vs. Washington Wizards - April 11 at Amway Center Brick Dash 5K - April 14 at Legoland Florida Resort May Museum of Art’s Healing Arts - May 3 at Orlando Museum of Art Just for Kids - May 5 at SeaWorld Orlando Lego Star Wars Days - May 5 at Legoland Florida Resort The Orlando Philharmonic 25th Anniversary Gala Concert - May 8 at Bob Carr Theatre What are you looking forward to attending? Drop us a line and let us know!