By Orange County Commissioner Christine Moore
Mosquito County is the historic name of our county that once comprised most of the eastern part of Florida. The land included, in all, present-day Volusia, Brevard, Indian River, St. Lucie, Marion, Martin, Seminole Osceola, Orange, Lake, Polk, and Palm Beach counties. We were renamed Orange County in 1845, and I suspect we will be able to celebrate 200 years of history again in 2045.
Quite frankly, few wanted to live here with the heat and mosquitoes in 1924. Additionally, native Americans were still in control of the interior of Florida, and several wars ensued. The first settlers after the native Americans were the Delks at Rock Springs and the Clay family at Wekiva Springs in the 1850s. Remember, transportation and technology drive progress in civilization. Water travel was the only suitable means before roads were built and train lines were constructed. Most of the influx of settlers came in the 1870s after the Civil War and the federal government offered land grants.
Orange County Commissioner District 2 Christine Moore
Other notable historical events in the earliest years of Orange County include the establishment of Fort Gatlin in 1838. Aaron Jernigan was elected the county’s first representative to the Florida Legislature in 1843. The Orange County Sheriff’s Office was needed early in our history. Our first sheriff was William Henry Williams, who was selected in 1845. In 1847, the Orange County Clerk of the Court was selected, and the office opened.
School history is something I am quite familiar with, as I served as a school board member from 2008 to 2018. Orange County Public Schools was organized in December 1869, and William Lovell of Apopka was chosen as the county’s first superintendent. It is said he was selected due to having 13 children. However, he was a successful businessman with a dry goods business on Lake Apopka. A historical marker in Magnolia Park commemorates “Lovell’s Landing”. For more information on District 2 school history, please refer to my book, Ahapopka, The History of Apopka and its Schools.
The next two decades demonstrate the early pioneer’s determination to organize town governments. Orlando was incorporated in 1875, Apopka in 1882, Windermere and Maitland in 1885, Oakland in 1891, Winter Garden in 1908, and Ocoee in 1923. We also know people settled the Tangerine and Zellwood communities during this same period, however, they never incorporated. Lockhart, which recently celebrated 150 years of history, also never incorporated.
Notable events after this founding “town” period is the creation of the original county parks. Warren Park was created in 1924 as a gift from Wilbur and Rose Warren. Dr. Kelly donated and dedicated to Orange County, Rock Spring Park in 1926, and Sadie Connor Trimble donated land for Trimble Park in 1927. Dr. Kelly was an acclaimed physician from Johns Hopkins University who valued saving Rock Springs for public use. Sadie is notable as a wealthy female pioneer in the Tangerine area of northwest Orange County.
The aircraft and aerospace manufacturer Martin Marietta opened its Orlando office in 1956. Pine Hills residential areas exist because the company’s engineers need quality housing. Subsequently, land has been bought from the company to build the Orange County Convention Center and Universal Studios’ Epic Universe.
In 1958, McCoy Air Force Base was renamed from the original Pine Castle Air Force Base. The base had been utilized as a training facility for B-17 bombers and chemical munitions testing. McCoy Airport is now the 4th busiest airport in the country, also known as Orlando International Airport.
Another milestone was the construction of Interstate 4 in 1959. Spanning across the state from Tampa to Daytona Beach, Interstate 4 connects many of Florida’s most visited destinations. The very first section of the highway opened to motorists in 1959.
Florida Technological University (FTU) opened in 1968 out of a growing interest in space travel throughout the 1960s. The initial majors offered focused on science, technology, and engineering to benefit the nearby Kennedy Space Center. In 1978, the university changed its name to the University of Central Florida.
Then comes the years of the expansion of our major industry in Orange County - tourism. In 1971, after years of anticipation, the Walt Disney World Resort officially opened to the public. On the opening day, 10,000 people entered the park. Today, Orange County annually entertains 74 million visitors. Seaworld quickly followed suit in 1973, making Central Florida a multi-park destination. In 1990, Universal Studios Florida opened, tracing its history back to the innovation of film production. We will be celebrating the opening of Epic Universe this coming May.
In 1976, the Board of County Commissioners established a historical commission to carry on the work, which led to the 1976 opening of the Orange County Historical Museum in Loch Haven Park. This facility was the precursor to the History Center, which opened its door in 2000 to critical acclaim and national awards in the county’s 1927 courthouse.
Today, Orange County is the fifth-largest county by population in Florida, with world-famous attractions, one of the nation’s largest convention centers, excellent education institutions, a robust economy, vibrant arts and culture, and a diverse and thriving community. I hope you are a vibrant citizen, participating in the community and improving it for future generations.
