Timeline of Orlando, Florida facts for kids

The following is a timeline of the history of the city of Orlando, Florida, United States.

19th century

Quick facts for kids History of Florida
The seal of Florida reflects the state's Native American ancestry
Historical Periods
Pre-history	until 1497
Spanish Rule	1513–1763
British Rule	1763–1783
Spanish Rule	1783–1821
U.S. Territorial Period	1822–1845
Statehood	1845–present
Major Events
American Revolutionary War	1775–1783
War of 1812	1811–1814
First Seminole War	1817–1818
Capitol moved to Tallahassee	1824
Second Seminole War	1835–1842
Constitutional convention	1838
Third Seminole War	1855–1858
Ordinance of Secession	1861
Civil War	1861–1865
3rd Constitution	1865
Reconstruction	1865–1868
4th Constitution	1868
5th Constitution	1885
Great Migration	1910–1930
Land Boom	1925–1929
6th Constitution	1968
Gore v. Harris 2000 Presidential Election	2000
Timeline
v t e

• 1843 - Orlando settled as "Jernigan"
• 1875
  • Town of Orlando incorporated.
  • William Jackson Brack becomes mayor.
• 1878 - Orange County Reporter newspaper begins publication.
• 1880
  • South Florida Railroad begins operating.
  • Mount Zion Missionary Baptist Church established.
• 1884 - Orange County Jail built.
• 1886
  • Orlando Black (school) opens.
  • Orlando Street Railway begins operating (approximate date).
  • English Club formed.
• 1889 - Church Street Station built.
• 1891 - St. James Cathedral built.
• 1892
  • Courthouse built.
  • Lake Eola Park established.
• 1900 - Florida Christian Recorder newspaper begins publication.

20th century

1900s-1960s

• 1905 - City Hall built.
• 1910 - Population: 3,894.
• 1913 - Grand Theater opens.
• 1914 - Commission form of government effected.
• 1918 - Orange General Hospital opens.
• 1920 - Population: 9,282.
• 1921
  • Beacham Theater opens.
  • Jones High School active.
• 1923
  • Orlando Utilities Commission established; municipal electric plant begins operating.
  • Albertson Public Library opens.
  • Angebilt Hotel opened on March 14.
• 1924
  • Edgewater Heights, Lorna Doone Park, and Orwin Manor become part of Orlando.
  • WDBO radio begins broadcasting.
  • Orlando Museum of Art founded.
  • Orange Court Hotel built.
• 1925 - Glendonjo Park and Spring Lake Terrace become part of Orlando.
• 1926
  • Country Club Estates, Ivanhoe Plaza, Oakhurst Subdivision, Orlando Highlands, Princeton Court, and Silver Lake Park become part of Orlando.
  • Atlantic Coast Line Railroad station, Cathedral Church of St. Luke, and Municipal Auditorium built.
  • Well'sbuilt Hotel in business.
• 1927 - Orange County Courthouse built.
• 1928 - Orlando Municipal Airport begins operating.
• 1930 - Population: 27,330.
• 1934 - Orlando Dixie Sun newspaper begins publication.
• 1936
  • Orlando Stadium opens.
  • Cypress Gardens opens in nearby Winter Haven.
• 1940 - Orlando Army Air Base established.
• 1943
  • Pinecastle Army Airfield in operation.
  • DDT pesticide "Neocide" developed in United States Department of Agriculture lab in Orlando.
• 1945 - Negro Chamber of Commerce established.
• 1946 - Ben White Raceway opens.
• 1949 - Gatorland opens.
• 1950 - Population: 52,367.
• 1952 - William R. Boone High School and Edgewater High School are built.
• 1954
  • WDBO-TV (television) begins broadcasting.
  • Bishop Moore High School built.
• 1956 - Colonial Plaza shopping centre in business.
• 1957
  • Orange County Historical Commission established.
  • Martin Company missile manufactory begins operating near Orlando.
  • Interstate 4 highway constructed.
• 1958 - WLOF-TV (television) begins broadcasting.
• 1960
  • Central Florida Museum opens.
  • Population: 88,135.
• 1961 - Harry P. Leu Gardens deeded to city.
• 1963 - UCF founded in East Orlando
• 1967
  • Carl T. Langford becomes mayor of Orlando.
  • Disney-controlled City of Bay Lake and City of Reedy Creek incorporated near Orlando.
• 1968
  • Florida Technological University opens.
  • Naval Training Center Orlando and Roman Catholic Diocese of Orlando established.

1970s-1990s

• 1970
  • Lake Highland Preparatory School founded.
  • Population: 99,006 city; 344,311 county.
  • University Drive-In cinema built.
• 1971
  • Disney World in business.
  • Historical Society of Central Florida headquartered in Orlando.
• 1973
  • Orlando Fashion Square Mall opens
  • Sentinel Star newspaper began publication.
  • SeaWorld theme park in business.
• 1974
  • East-West Expressway constructed.
  • Disney's Discovery Island in business.
• 1975 - Metropolitan Orlando Women's Political Caucus and Orlando Lutheran Academy founded.
• 1976 - Orlando International Airport in operation.
• 1977
  • Orlando Regional Medical Center established.
  • Wet 'n Wild Orlando theme park in business.
• 1979
  • Orlando Opera incorporated.
  • Basilica of Mary (church) built.
• 1980
  • July: Racial unrest.
  • Bill Frederick becomes mayor.
  • Population: 128,291 city; 471,016 county.
• 1981 - Bill McCollum becomes U.S. representative for Florida's 5th congressional district.
• 1982
  • Second Harvest Food Bank of Central Florida established.
  • Epcot theme park in business in nearby Lake Buena Vista.
• 1983 - Orange County Convention Center opens.
• 1984 - Orlando Science Center active.
• 1986 - The Peabody Orlando hotel and Disney's Living Seas in business.
• 1987 - Dr. Phillips High School opens.
• 1989 - Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival begins.
  • Orlando Arena (later the Amway Arena) opens.
  • Orlando Magic begin play.
• 1990
  • Universal Orlando theme park in business.
  • Orlando Weekly newspaper begins publication.
  • Population: 164,693 city; 677,491 county.
  • Zora Neale Hurston Festival begins in nearby Eatonville.
• 1991
  • UCF Arena opens.
  • Orlando Predators football team formed.
• 1992
  • Cypress Creek High School and Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra established.
  • Orlando International Fringe Theater Festival begins.
• 1993
  • Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division in operation.
  • Glenda Hood becomes mayor.
• 1994
  • June–July: Some 1994 FIFA World Cup games held in Orlando.
  • Mormon temple built.
• 1996 - City website online (approximate date).
• 1998
  • Muvico Pointe cinema in business.
  • Mennello Museum opens.
  • Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park in business.
• 1999 - Cinemark Festival Bay Mall (cinema) in business.

21st century

• 2001 - Olympia High School established
• 2002 - Millenia Mall in business.
• 2003
  • Freedom High School established.
  • Buddy Dyer becomes mayor.
• 2004 - Hurricane Charley directly strikes Orlando area with wind gusts to at least 105 mph Over 60% of Orlando loses power.
• 2007 - CFE Arena opens.
• 2010
  • Amway Center event venue opens.
  • Orlando City Soccer Club formed.
  • Population: 238,300.
• 2011 - Daniel Webster becomes U.S. representative for Florida's 8th congressional district.
• 2015
  • Orlando Eye ferris wheel built.
  • Population: 270,917 (estimate).
• 2016 - Orlando nightclub shooting
• 2017 - Universal's Volcano Bay in business