A Brief History of Orlando Florida

The origins of Orlando, Florida's name is debated. Some historians date it to be from 1836, when soldier Orlando Reeves allegedly died in the war against the Seminole Indian tribe. Others sources say that Orlando Reeves operated a sugar mill 30 miles from the area, and pioneeres coming to settle the area saw his name carved into a tree and assumed it to be a grave marker, naming the area "Orlando's Grave" (later simply Orlando).

Between the Spanish-American War and World War I, Orlando became a popular resort as Florida's largest inland city. A housing boom in the 1920s caused housing prices to soar, but the boom ended when several hurricanes and the depression hit in the late 1920s. A new boom started in 1971, when Walt Disney World opened, 6 years after Walt Disney announced plans for its construction. The park's completion sparked a gigantic population and economic growth for the city, placing tourism as its main economic focus and ranking it as one of the top vacation destinations in the world.