Did you know?

[fiona]

that Orlando used to be called Jernigan?

When the second Seminole war ended in 1842, American settlers began following soldiers into Central Florida. Originally named Jernigan after Aaron Jernigan, who came from Georgia and settled here in 1843, the town grew slowly around an old Army post -- Fort Gatlin -- that had been abandoned in 1849. The town's name was permanently changed to Orlando in 1857. While different versions of the origin of the name are told, the official account is credited to Orlando Reeves, a U.S. soldier who was killed in 1835 by an Indian's arrow while on sentinel duty at what is now Lake Eola Park in downtown Orlando. By a vote of 22 men from the 85 residents, the two-square-mile city was officially incorporated on July 21, 1875. According to the book Flashback - The Story of Central Florida's Past, the undeveloped expanse of land east of the Orlando International Airport still resembles what the first Orlando settlers saw 150 years ago.

Nice to know some things haven't changed!

Fiona

[esprit]

Anyone know anything about the origins of Kissimmee? I know it used to be ranches before Disney moved in ( a cow town they call it) hence the Kissimmee Rodeo, and the name is obviously Indian. Anyone know what it means are any other info???

Julie Carty

[fiona]

In the 1800's the City of Kissimmee was originally a small trading post on the northern bank of Lake Tohopekaliga known as the community of “Allendale”.

After the Civil War this area was included in a purchase of 4,000,000 acres of marshland and plains by Mr. Hamilton Disston, the owner of Disston Saw Company in Philadelphia. The sale price for the land totaled $1 million or $.25 per acre! The infusion of $1 million to the State of Florida reportedly rescued the state from financial disaster.

In January 1881, he contracted to drain the area and deepen the Kissimmee River so products could be shipped into the Gulf of Mexico and points beyond. Many steamboat captains navigated the chain of lakes leading from Kissimmee to the Gulf with cargoes of cypress lumber and sugar cane. On March 24, 1883, the citizens voted to incorporate the City, changing the name from Allendale to Kissimmee City. From the late 1800’s into the turn of the century, the economy of the Kissimmee area relied strictly on cattle and sugar cane.

Fiona

[blott]

...that Osceola was an heroic Seminole leader who died in 1838 of malaria?

Blott

[orlandobabe]

I think he was Chief Osceola and he died in prison. Very sad really.

Orlandobabe