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86-620: Born in Orlando, Florida , like most of his founding bandmates, Thomas attended Lincoln High School in Jersey City, New Jersey . In 1964, Thomas—then only thirteen years old—co-founded Kool & the Gang (initially called "The Jazziacs") with brothers Ronald Bell and Robert "Kool" Bell , and other friends. Thomas "was known as the quintessential cool cat in the group" due to his fashion sense and "laid-back demeanor". In addition to his musicianship, Thomas

172-486: A wildfire hazard exists. During some years, fires have been severe. In 1998, a strong El Niño caused an unusually wet January and February, followed by drought throughout the spring and early summer, causing a record wildfire season that created numerous air-quality alerts in Orlando and severely affected normal daily life, including the postponement of that year's Pepsi 400 NASCAR race in nearby Daytona Beach . Orlando

258-452: A city population of 307,573 in the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville , Miami , and Tampa . In July 2023, its population was 320,742 inhabitants. It is the state's most populous inland city. Orlando is one of the most-visited cities in the world primarily due to tourism, major events, and convention traffic. It is the third-most visited city in

344-687: A coincidence. In 1823, the Treaty of Moultrie Creek created a Seminole reservation encompassing much of central Florida, including the area that would become Orlando. The Indian Removal Act of 1830 authorized relocation of the Seminole from Florida to Oklahoma, leading to the Second Seminole War. In 1842, white settlement in the area was encouraged by the Armed Occupation Act. The first settler, Mr. Aaron Jernigan of Camden County, Georgia, arrived

430-637: A cost of $ 32 million, opened up 8,200 sq ft (760 m ) more. By 1998, the OCCC had 1,103,538 sq ft (102,522.0 m ) of exhibition space over a total building space of over 4 million ft². In June 1998, the BCC got a fifth cent approved for the TDT, partly for a grand Phase V, which would add a total of 3 million ft² of space to the OCCC. That December, they paid Universal Orlando Resort $ 69 million for 239 acres (97 ha) of land across International Drive from

516-514: A courthouse square. The fledgling village suffered greatly during the Union blockade . The Reconstruction Era brought on a population explosion, resulting in the incorporation of the Town of Orlando on July 31, 1875, with 85 residents (22 voters). For a short time in 1879, the town revoked its charter, and was subsequently reincorporated. Orlando was established as a city in 1885. The period from 1875 to 1895

602-581: A peace treaty with the Seminoles because it did not reimburse him for the loss of slaves and crops. Rees could have left a pine-bough marker with his name next to the trail; later residents misread "Rees" as "Reeves" and also mistook it as a grave maker. In subsequent years, this story has merged with the Orlando Reeves story (which may have originally incorporated part of Dr. Gatlin's story). On two separate occasions, relatives of Rees claimed their ancestor

688-488: A plant in the city. Orlando AAB and Pinecastle AAF were transferred to the United States Air Force in 1947 when it became a separate service and were redesignated as air force bases (AFB). In 1958, Pinecastle AFB was renamed McCoy Air Force Base after Colonel Michael N. W. McCoy, a former commander of the 320th Bombardment Wing at the installation, killed in the crash of a B-47 Stratojet bomber north of Orlando. In

774-457: A wide a range of housing in differing class-levels. Neighborhoods in the western side of town include Apoka , Dr. Phillips , MetroWest , Pine Hills , and Windermere . The north side of Orlando, includes a wide range of older and more established neighborhoods, including Eatonville , Fern Park , Maitland , and Winter Park . Finally, the east side of Orlando includes neighborhoods such as Alafaya , Azalea Park , and Union Park . The east side

860-439: A year in "a stockade that Aaron Jernigan built on the north side of Lake Conway". One of the county's first records, a grand jury 's report, mentions a stockade where it states homesteaders were "driven from their homes and forced to huddle together in hasty defences [sic]." Aaron Jernigan led a local volunteer militia during 1852. A post office opened at Jernigan in 1850. Jernigan appears on an 1855 map of Florida, and by 1856,

946-462: Is 60.6 °F (15.9 °C). Temperatures dip below the freezing mark on an average of only 1.6 nights per year and the lowest recorded temperature is 18 °F (−8 °C), set on December 28, 1894 . The annual mean minimum is just above 30 °F (−1 °C) putting Orlando in hardiness zone 10a. Because the winter season is dry and freezing temperatures usually occur only after cold fronts (and their accompanying precipitation) have passed, snow

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1032-421: Is April 9 to October 14. The area's humidity acts as a buffer, usually preventing actual temperatures from exceeding 100 °F (38 °C), but also pushing the heat index to over 110 °F (43 °C). The city's highest recorded temperature is 103 °F (39 °C), set on September 8, 1921. During these months, strong afternoon thunderstorms occur almost daily. These storms are caused by air masses from

1118-475: Is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida , United States. Part of Central Florida , it is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area , which had a population of 2,509,831 in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau . It is the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the Southern United States and the third-largest metropolitan area in Florida behind Miami and Tampa Bay . Orlando had

1204-558: Is a major 11.1-mile (17.9 km) thoroughfare in the southwestern section of Orlando, serving a similar purpose to that of the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas , as the core of the tourism area. The northern part of the strip extends into the city limits of and the remainder of the central and southern portions are all located in unincorporated Orange County . An additional extension is known as International Drive South , partly located in

1290-608: Is a major population center and has a considerable hurricane risk, although it is not as high as in South Florida 's urban corridor or other coastal regions. Since the city is located 42 miles (68 km) inland from the Atlantic and 77 miles (124 km) inland from the Gulf of Mexico, hurricanes usually weaken before arriving. Storm surges are not a concern since the region is 100 feet (30 m) above mean sea level . Despite its location,

1376-739: Is a residential neighborhood that is also the home of The Mall at Millenia , an upscale super-regional mall. The mall's Macy's store was the first in Central Florida , and it was also one of only seven Macy's stores in Florida that predated the company's merger with Burdines . Bloomingdale's and Neiman Marcus are also regional firsts and these remain their only locations in the Greater Orlando region. The western side of Orlando includes various neighborhoods (within city limits, incorporated municipalities, and unincorporated within Orange County) with

1462-558: Is also one of the busiest American cities for conferences and conventions; Orange County Convention Center is the second-largest convention facility in the United States. Like other major cities in the Sun Belt , Orlando grew rapidly from the 1960s into the first decade of the 21st century. Orlando is home to the University of Central Florida , which became the largest university campus in

1548-582: Is exceptionally rare. The only accumulation ever to occur in the city proper since record keeping began was in 1948, although some accumulation occurred in surrounding areas in a snow event in January 1977 that reached Miami. Flurries have also been observed in 1989 , 2006, and 2010. The average annual rainfall in Orlando is 51.45 inches (1,307 mm), a majority of which occurs in the period from June to September. October through May are Orlando's dry season. During this period (especially in its later months), often

1634-440: Is less than 250 yards from a nearby Council Oak tree, where Native Americans had traditionally met. King Phillip and Coacoochee frequented this area and the tree was alleged to be the place where the previous 1835 ambush that had killed over 100 soldiers had been planned. When the U.S. military abandoned the fort in 1839, the surrounding community was built up by settlers. Prior to being known by its current name, Orlando

1720-561: Is remembered as Orlando's Golden Era, when it became the hub of Florida's citrus industry. The period ended with the Great Freeze of 1894–95 , which forced many owners to give up their independent citrus groves , thus consolidating holdings in the hands of a few "citrus barons", who shifted operations south, primarily around Lake Wales in Polk County . The freeze caused many in Florida, including many Orlandoans, to move elsewhere, mostly to

1806-414: Is the home of the University of Central Florida (UCF). As of fall 2023, the university had a total enrollment of 69,320 students, making it the fourth-largest on-campus student body of any public university in the United States . A list of all major neighborhoods and suburbs: Metro Orlando has a total of 19 completed skyscrapers. The majority are located in downtown Orlando and the rest are located in

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1892-506: The Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean colliding over Central Florida. They are highlighted by spectacular lightning and can also bring heavy rain (sometimes several inches per hour) and powerful winds as well as rare damaging hail . During the winter, humidity is much lower and temperatures are more moderate, and can fluctuate more readily. The monthly daily average temperature in January

1978-551: The Köppen climate classification , Orlando has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) like much of the deep Southern United States. The two basic seasons in Orlando are a hot and rainy season, lasting from May until late October (roughly coinciding with the Atlantic hurricane season ), and a warm and dry season from November through April. The area's warm and humid climate is caused primarily by its low elevation, its position relatively close to

2064-654: The Orange County Board of County Commissioners (BCC) approved a location for the OCCCC in Orlando Central Park, on International Drive, and drew up plans for a 325,000 sq ft (30,200 m ) gross area facility. The following year, BCC and Orlando Central Park agreed to give OCP one cent per taxed dollar of the Tourist Development Tax (TDT) each year for 30 years; in return, OCP would donate land for

2150-514: The Orange County Convention and Civic Center , it is the primary public convention center for the Central Florida region and the second-largest convention center in the United States, after McCormick Place in Chicago . The OCCC offers 7,000,000 sq ft (650,000 m ) of space, 2,100,000 sq ft (200,000 m ) of which is exhibit space. The complex is located on

2236-588: The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame , as a member of Kool & the Gang. Thomas married Phynjuar Saunders, with whom he had two children, including actress Michelle Thomas known for her roles in The Cosby Show and Family Matters . The couple lived in Montclair, New Jersey . Thomas died in his sleep at the age of 70. Orlando, Florida Orlando ( / ɔːr ˈ l æ n d oʊ / or- LAN -doh )

2322-594: The Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute , Nemours Children's Hospital , and University of Florida College of Pharmacy , in addition to the Orlando Veterans Administration Medical Center (which began seeing clinical patients in 2015). In the southwestern side of Orlando, is the main tourist strip for the city, along with some residential neighborhoods. International Drive , commonly known as I-Drive ,

2408-560: The Tropic of Cancer , and its location in the center of a peninsula . Many characteristics of its climate are a result of its proximity to the Gulf Stream , which flows around the peninsula of Florida. During the height of Orlando's humid summer season, high temperatures are typically in the low 90s °F (32–34 °C), while low temperatures rarely fall below the low 70s °F (22–24 °C). The average window for 90 °F (32 °C) temperatures

2494-704: The Universal Orlando Resort, opened in 1990 as a major expansion of Universal Studios Florida and the only theme park inside Orlando city limits. With the exception of the theme parks, most major cultural sites like the Orlando Museum of Art and Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and nightlife, bars and clubs are located in Downtown Orlando. Other attractions like Orlando Eye at ICON Park are located along International Drive . The city

2580-582: The 1960s, the base subsequently became home to the 306th Bombardment Wing of the Strategic Air Command , operating B-52 Stratofortress and KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft, in addition to detachment operations by EC-121 and U-2 aircraft. In 1968, Orlando AFB was transferred to the United States Navy and became Naval Training Center Orlando. In addition to boot camp facilities, the NTC Orlando

2666-552: The 1970s and 1980s, though, turned up no record of Orlando Reeves ever existing. Some versions attempt to account for Reeves having no military records by using the name of other people named Orlando that exist in some written records – Orlando Acosta; however, not much is known about Acosta or whether he even existed. Another version of the story has Orlando Reed, supposedly an Englishman and mail carrier between Fort Gatlin and Fort Mellon , allegedly killed while camping with his friends near Fort Gatlin. A second variation also places

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2752-473: The 79 of the high-rises in the Greater Orlando region, 46 are located in downtown. It is also the home to many of the city's cultural venues, such as Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts , Kia Center , and Orlando Museum of Art . Southeast of Downtown is the rapidly growing neighborhood of Lake Nona . Along with being home to Lake Nona Golf & Country Club , it is also the health district for

2838-556: The BCC exercised its 45-acre (18 ha) option for $ 2 million and began planning Phase II. The TDT was raised to 3% by a state law in 1986, and groundbreaking occurred in February 1987 on Phase II. It was completed in January 1989, adding 150,000 sq ft (14,000 m ) of exhibition space to increase it to 344,790 sq ft (32,032 m ) of total exhibition space, and adding 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m ) of meeting and support space. That same month, an additional 1%

2924-456: The City of Orlando. This also explains Orlando's relatively low city population when compared to its metropolitan population. The city and county are working together in an effort to "round-out" the city limits with Orlando annexing portions of land already bordering the city limits. At the center of the Greater Orlando region is Downtown Orlando , the historic core and central business district of

3010-753: The North , California , or the Caribbean . Notable homesteaders in the area included the Curry family. Through their property in east Orlando flowed the Econlockhatchee River , which travelers crossed by fording . This was commemorated by the street's name, Curry Ford Road. Also, just south of the Orlando International Airport in the Boggy Creek area are 150 acres (0.61 km ) of property homesteaded in

3096-564: The Orlando area is susceptible to sinkholes . Probably the most famous incident involving a sinkhole happened in 1981 in Winter Park, a city immediately north of downtown Orlando, dubbed "The Winter Park Sinkhole ". There are 115 neighborhoods within the city limits and many unincorporated communities. Orlando's city limits resemble a checkerboard, with pockets of unincorporated Orange County surrounded by city limits. Such an arrangement results in some areas being served by both Orange County and

3182-433: The Orlando metropolitan area, which now encompasses Orange, Seminole , Osceola , and Lake Counties. As a result, tourism became the centerpiece of the area's economy. Orlando now has more theme parks and entertainment attractions than anywhere else in the world. Today, the historic core of "Old Orlando" resides in downtown Orlando along Church Street, between Orange Avenue and Garland Avenue. The urban development and

3268-557: The Reeves legend in History of Orlando published in 1949. A memorial beside Lake Eola – originally placed by students of Orlando's Cherokee Junior School in 1939 and updated in 1990 – designates the spot where the city's supposed namesake fell. Conflicting legends exist. One legend has Reeves killed during an extended battle with the Seminoles after being field promoted after his platoon commander fell. An in-depth review of military records in

3354-878: The South Concourse of the Orange County Convention Center's North/South Building via an elevated, covered pedestrian walkway. The Hyatt Regency , a 1641-room hotel, also connects directly to the Convention Center via the Oversight Pedestrian Bridge and the Hyatt Skywalk. The elevated walkway connects the North, South and West concourses over International Drive and the Hilton Orlando. Additionally, Rosen Plaza and Rosen Centre, offering 800 and 1,334 guest rooms respectively, are situated along

3440-646: The U.S. after New York City and Miami , with over 2.9 million visitors as of 2022. Orlando International Airport is the 7th-busiest airport in the United States and the 18th-busiest in the world . The two largest and most internationally renowned tourist attractions in the Orlando area are the Walt Disney World Resort, opened by the Walt Disney Company in 1971 and located about 21 miles (34 km) southwest of downtown Orlando in Bay Lake , and

3526-462: The United States in terms of enrollment as of 2015. In 2010, Orlando was listed as a "Gamma+" level global city by the Globalization and World Cities Research Network . Fort Gatlin, as the Orlando area was once known, was established at what is now just south of the city limits by the 4th U.S. Artillery under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander C. W. Fanning on November 9, 1838, during

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3612-585: The West Concourse. They are linked by elevated, covered pedestrian bridges as part of Orange County's master plan to improve connectivity and safety for convention-goers. In spring 2019 plans were submitted for a 340,000-square-foot expansion of the North/South Concourse. In spring 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic occurred and the expansion was cancelled citing shortfalls in tax collections necessary to fund

3698-484: The area during the Second Seminole War . Several of the stories relay an oral history of the marker for a person named Orlando, and the double entendre , "Here lies Orlando." One variant includes a man named Orlando who was passing by on his way to Tampa with a herd of oxen , died, and was buried in a marked grave. Through a retelling of history, a marker of some sort was believed to have been found by one of

3784-514: The area had become the county seat of Orange County. In 1857, the post office was removed from Jernigan, and opened under the name of Orlando at a new location in present-day downtown Orlando. During the American Civil War , the post office closed, but reopened in 1866. The move is believed to have been sparked, in part, by Aaron Jernigan's fall from grace after he was relieved of his militia command by military officials in 1856. His behavior

3870-418: The area's history, a 1998 outbreak that killed 42 people and a 2007 outbreak that killed 21, both happened in February. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 307,573 people, 113,238 households, and 61,667 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 238,300 people, 97,661 households, and 51,716 families residing in the city. In 2014, the city's population

3956-631: The central business district of downtown have rapidly shaped the downtown skyline during recent history. The present-day historic district is primarily associated with the neighborhoods around Lake Eola but stretches west across the city to Lake Lorna Doone and north into the College Park Neighborhood where you can find century-old oaks line brick streets. These neighborhoods include the "Downtown Business District," "North Quarter," "Parramore," "Callahan," "South Eola Heights, "Lake Eola Heights,"Thornton Park" and "College Park", and contain some of

4042-496: The city does see strong hurricanes. During the notorious 2004 hurricane season , Orlando was hit by three hurricanes that caused significant damage, with Hurricane Charley the worst of these. The city also experienced widespread damage during Hurricane Donna in 1960. Tornadoes are not usually connected with the strong thunderstorms of the humid summer. They are more common during the infrequent cold days of winter, as well as in passing hurricanes. The two worst major outbreaks in

4128-557: The city named after the protagonist in the Shakespeare play As You Like It . In 1975, Judge Donald A. Cheney put forth a new version of the story in an Orlando Sentinel article. Cheney (a local historian and then chairman of the county historical commission ) recounted a story told to him by his father, Judge John Moses Cheney (a major figure in Orlando's history, who arrived in Orlando in 1885). The elder Cheney recounted that another gentleman at that time, James Speer, proposed

4214-401: The city, with Lake Nona Medical City . It features the University of Central Florida 's Health Sciences Campus, which includes the university's College of Medicine , Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences , the University of Central Florida College of Nursing , and the University of Central Florida College of Dental Medicine (along with a teaching hospital ). The medical city also includes

4300-411: The city. It is bordered by Marks Street in the north, Mills Avenue ( SR 15 ) in the east, Orange Blossom Trail ( US 441 ) in the west, and Kaley Avenue in the south. It is home to many of the region's major banks, skyscrapers, government buildings, and cultural and tourist attractions, along with a large residential population. It is mostly composed of high-rise residential towers and office towers. Among

4386-457: The construction of a series of fortified encampments across Florida during the Second Seminole War . The fort and surrounding area were named for John S. Gatlin, an Army physician who was killed in Dade's Massacre on December 28, 1835. The site of construction for Fort Gatlin, a defensible position with fresh water between three small lakes, was likely chosen because the location was on a main trail and

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4472-428: The expansion. The OCCC consists of two buildings joined together by a covered pedestrian bridge. The West Building, opening in four phases from February 27, 1983 (with an initial 150,000 sq ft (14,000 m ) of exhibition space) and 1996, is located on the south side of International Drive. The North/South Building, located on the north side of International Drive, was completed in 2003. In its entirety,

4558-428: The first four phases are referred to as the "West Building", and Phase V is referred to as the "North/South Building", as it is divided into North and South Exhibition Halls which can be joined to form one large exhibition space or subdivided into six different halls (North A1, North A2, North B, South A1, South A2, South B). The North/South Building has 950,282 sq ft (88,284.1 m ) of exhibition space. Around

4644-405: The following year and settled near Lake Holden. Mosquito County was renamed Orange County in 1845, with the county seat shortly thereafter relocated to Mellonville, a few miles west of Sanford . By 1856, settlement had begun in earnest in the interior of the county and a more centrally-located Courthouse was sought. The new town of Orlando, laid out in 1857, consisted of four streets surrounding

4730-631: The former Air Force Base airport code (MCO). Perhaps the most critical event for Orlando's economy, though, occurred in 1965 when Walt Disney announced plans to build Walt Disney World . Although Disney had considered the regions of Miami and Tampa for his park, one of the major reasons behind his decision not to locate there was due to hurricanes – Orlando's inland location, although not free from hurricane damage, exposed it to less threat than coastal regions. The vacation resort opened in October 1971, ushering in an explosive population and economic growth for

4816-542: The former McCoy AFB still hosts a Navy Exchange, as well as national guard and reserve units for several branches of service. NTC Orlando was completely closed by the end of 1999 by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission , and converted into the Baldwin Park neighborhood. The Naval Air Warfare Center had moved to Central Florida Research Park near UCF in 1989. A major factor in Orlando's growth occurred in 1962, when

4902-399: The initial facility, give the county an option to buy another 45 acres (18 ha) for future expansion, and commit adjacent lands for hotel and tourist development. Phase I was completed on February 25, 1983, at a cost of $ 54 million. The Boston Pops Orchestra played at the grand opening on February 26, 1983, and 14,000 people attended the open house on February 27, 1983. In June 1984,

4988-653: The late 19th century by the Ward family. This property is still owned by the Ward family, and can be seen from southbound flights out of Orlando International Airport immediately on the south side of SR 417. Orlando became a popular resort during the years between the Spanish–American War and World War I . In the 1920s, Orlando experienced extensive housing development during the Florida Land Boom , causing land prices to soar. During this period, dozens of neighborhoods in

5074-506: The name Orlando after the character in As You Like It . According to Cheney, Speer, "was a gentleman of culture and an admirer of William Shakespeare ..." Quoting a letter that Speer wrote, "Orlando was a veritable Forest of Arden , the locale of As You Like It ." Speer's descendants have also confirmed this version of the naming and the legend has continued to grow. This account also has some validity in that, as mentioned above, Speer

5160-470: The new Orlando Jetport, the precursor of the present-day Orlando International Airport, was built from a portion of the McCoy Air Force Base. By 1970, four major airlines ( Delta Air Lines , National Airlines , Eastern Airlines , and Southern Airways ) were providing scheduled flights. McCoy Air Force Base officially closed in 1975, and most of it is now part of the airport. The airport still retains

5246-418: The northern portion of Osceola County , but is not connected to the main stem of this route. Surrounding cross-roads include Sand Lake Road, Kirkman Road, SR 536 , and Universal Boulevard , which runs parallel to the midsection of International Drive. At its northern end, International Drive is home to Orlando International Premium Outlets and Universal Orlando resort, along with being in close proximity to

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5332-419: The oldest homes in Orlando. On June 12, 2016, more than 100 people were shot at Pulse , a gay nightclub in Orlando. Fifty (including the gunman) were killed and 60 were wounded. The gunman, whom the police SWAT team shot to death, was identified as 29-year-old Omar Mir Seddique Mateen , an American security guard. The act of terrorism was both the deadliest mass shooting in modern United States history at

5418-508: The original OCCC. The Martinez Convention Center Commission, named after then-Orange County chairman Mel Martinez , was created to oversee planning and construction of Phase V. Ground was broken on Phase V in August 2000 after a large convention organizer, Reed Exhibitions , agreed to move 42 conventions to Orlando into the new phase. It opened one month ahead of schedule in September 2003. Today,

5504-464: The original pioneers, but Speer's family has since claimed that Speer simply used the Orlando Reeves legend to help push his plan for naming the settlement after the Shakespearean character from As You Like It , his favorite play. This has become the most common accepted version of how Orlando got its name. Historians agree that likely no soldier was named Orlando Reeves. Folklore is that Reeves

5590-431: The same time, the Oversight Pedestrian Bridge was built over International Drive connecting the two buildings. In 2004, OCCC acted as a staging area for relief operations following Hurricane Charley , Frances and Jeanne . Disruptions to convention operations were minimal, and a feared reduction of convention booking did not occur afterward. In 2009, the Hilton Orlando, a 1400-room luxury hotel, opened. It adjoins with

5676-407: The shooting. The city offered to buy it for $ 2.25 million, but the club's owner declined to sell. The geography of Orlando is mostly wetlands , consisting of many lakes and swamps. The terrain is generally flat, making the land fairly low and wet. The area is dotted with hundreds of lakes, the largest of which is Lake Apopka . Central Florida's bedrock is mostly limestone and very porous;

5762-462: The south end of International Drive , a major tourist area in Orlando. The original building (the "West Concourse") housed an 11,300-seat arena from 1983 to 1992. It hosted concerts by popular artists including Madonna , Tina Turner , Whitney Houston , Styx , Aerosmith , Mötley Crüe , and Hall and Oates . Its use declined after the Orlando Arena opened in 1989. The arena closed in 1992 and

5848-440: The stories behind the naming of Orlando) rose in the heat of the argument and said, "This place is often spoken of as 'Orlando's Grave.' Let's drop the word 'grave' and let the county seat be Orlando." The origin of the name is unknown but at least five stories relate how Orlando got its name. The most common stories are that the name Orlando originated from the tale of a man who died in 1835 during an attack by Native Americans in

5934-495: The story in 1835 during the Second Seminole War. This name is taken from a South Carolinian cattle rancher named Orlando Savage Rees. Rees owned a Volusia County sugar mill and plantation , as well as several large estates in Florida and Mississippi . Rees' sugar farms in the area were burned out in the Seminole attacks of 1835 (the year Orlando Reeves supposedly died). Subsequently, Rees led an expedition to recover stolen slaves and cattle. In 1837, Rees also attempted to stop

6020-526: The time and one of the deadliest mass shootings perpetrated by a single person in recorded world history. Mateen pledged allegiance to the Islamic State during his unsuccessful negotiations with police. After the shooting, the city held numerous vigils. In November 2016, Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer announced the city's intention to acquire the Pulse Nightclub to build a permanent memorial for the 49 victims of

6106-402: The tourist district southwest of downtown. Skyscrapers built in downtown Orlando have not exceeded 441 ft (134 m), since 1988, when the SunTrust Center was completed. The main reason for this is the Orlando Executive Airport , just under 2 miles (3.2 km) from the city center, which does not allow buildings to exceed a certain height without approval from the FAA. According to

6192-661: The upcoming Epic Universe theme park (set to open in 2025). Further south on International Drive, it features the Madame Tussauds wax museum, the Orange County Convention Center , Pointe Orlando entertainment complex, SeaWorld Orlando (along with Aquatica , SeaWorld's water park), Fun Spot America , ICON Park (featuring its famous ferris wheel, Orlando Eye ), the World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's , and other tourist ventures. The Millennia neighborhood

6278-629: The vicinity of downtown were constructed. The boom ended when several hurricanes hit Florida in the late 1920s, along with the Great Depression . During World War II , a number of Army personnel were stationed at the Orlando Army Air Base and nearby Pinecastle Army Air Field . Some of these servicemen stayed in Orlando to settle and raise families. In 1956, the aerospace and defense company Martin Marietta (now Lockheed Martin ) established

6364-422: Was "master of ceremonies at the band's shows" and "the group's wardrobe stylist", as well as being responsible for the group's revenues, which carried "in a paper bag in the bell of his horn". In the late 1980s, the group had discussed pursuing solo projects, with Thomas suggesting the band had considered splitting into twos or threes for various projects. In 2024, Thomas was posthumously selected for induction into

6450-476: Was acting as a sentinel for a company of soldiers that had set up camp for the night on the banks of Sandy Beach Lake . Several different lakes are mentioned in the various versions, as no soldiers were in what is now downtown during 1835. The legend grew throughout the early 1900s, particularly with local historian Olive Brumbaugh (or Kena Fries ) retelling in various writings and on local radio station WDBO in 1929. Another historian, Eldon H. Gore, promoted

6536-575: Was begun. By December 1992, "Civic" was dropped from the name, and the facility became the Orange County Convention Center. Phase III was completed in January 1996, adding 383,400 sq ft (35,620 m ) of exhibition space, at a cost of $ 219.5 million. Phase IV followed that August at a cost of $ 198.7 million, adding another 367,200 sq ft (34,110 m ) of exhibition space and about 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m ) more meeting space. A retrofit of Phase I, completed in December 1997 at

6622-487: Was born out of a 1977 law passed by Florida's State Legislature. The law permit counties to collect a "Tourist Development Tax" on top of regular sales tax on hotel room stays, with the approval of the county's voters, for state-approved purposes. In a special election in April 1978, the voters of Orange County approved a 2% Tourist Development Tax (the limit set by the state) to build a convention and civic center. That August,

6708-491: Was briefly reoccupied by the military for a few weeks during October and November 1849, and subsequently a volunteer militia was left to defend the settlement. A historical marker indicates that by 1850, the Jernigan homestead (or Fort Gatlin in some sources) served as the nucleus of a village named Jernigan. According to an account written years later by his daughter, at that time, about 80 settlers were forced to shelter for about

6794-544: Was home of one of two Navy Nuclear Power Schools, and home of the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division . When McCoy AFB closed in 1976, its runways and territory to its south and east were imparted to the city to become Orlando International Airport , while a small portion to the northwest was transferred to the Navy as McCoy NTC Annex. That closed in 1995, and became a housing, though

6880-437: Was instrumental in changing the name of the settlement from Jernigan to Orlando, though he may have used the Orlando Reeves legend in lieu of his true intent to use the Shakespearean character. According to yet another version of the story, Orlando may have been the name of one of his employees. One of downtown Orlando 's major streets is named Rosalind Avenue; Rosalind is the heroine of As You Like It , but this could also be

6966-588: Was once known as Jernigan. This name originates from the first European permanent settlers, Isaac and Aaron Jernigan , cattlemen who moved from the state of Georgia and acquired land 2 miles (3.2 km) northwest of Fort Gatlin along the west end of Lake Holden in July 1843 by the terms of the Armed Occupation Act . Aaron Jernigan became Orange County's first state representative in 1845, but his pleas for additional military protection went unanswered. Fort Gatlin

7052-469: Was permitted for the TDT, increasing it to 4%. The BCC approved an additional three phases to the OCCCC (Phases II A , III and IV), and improvements to the Citrus Bowl , its first non-Convention Center TDT project. Phase II A , completed in December 1990, added 100,000 sq ft (9,300 m ) more support space, used largely for office space and registration. The next month, planning for Phase III

7138-506: Was renovated and converted into the main exhibition hall in 1996. On April 18, 2012, the American Institute of Architects 's Florida Chapter placed the building on its list of "Florida Architecture: 100 Years. 100 Places". Solar panels on the roof of the South Concourse provide 1 MW of power. The center is host to hundreds of events annually including IAAPA Expo and MegaCon . The Orange County Convention and Civic Center (OCCCC)

7224-518: Was so notorious that United States Secretary of War Jefferson Davis wrote, "It is said they [Jernigan's militia] are more dreadful than the Indians." In 1859, Jernigan and his sons were accused of committing a murder at the town's post office. They were then transported to Ocala , but escaped. At a meeting in 1857, debate had grown concerning the name of the town. Pioneer William B. Hull recalled how James Speer (a local resident, and prominent figure in

7310-450: Was spread out, with 12.0% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 36.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males. Orange County Convention Center The Orange County Convention Center is a convention center located in Orlando, Florida . Opened in 1983 as

7396-562: Was the namesake of the city. F. K. Bull of South Carolina (Rees' great-grandson) told an Orlando reporter of a story in 1955; years later, Charles M. Bull Jr., of Orlando (Rees' great-great-grandson) offered local historians similar information. Unlike Orlando Reeves, who cannot be traced to any historical record, the record is considerable that Orlando Rees did exist and was in Florida during that time. For example, in 1832, John James Audubon met with Rees in his large estate at Spring Garden, about 45 minutes from Orlando. The final variation has

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