History of Orlando, Florida Before being known as the bustling city of Orlando, it was a military outpost called Fort Gatlin, which was built during the Seminole Wars of the 1830s. Following the war, much of what is now Orange County was purchased by cattle rancher Aaron Jernigan, who founded the City of Jernigan and became its first state representative. Jernigan and his makeshift militia soon gained a reputation of being corrupt and even murderous and he was forced to flee the city as a fugitive. In 1857, the area was incorporated and renamed the City of Orlando. How the name was chosen is a bit of local folklore that varies from being the name of a legendary soldier of the Seminole War to being named after the main protagonist of Shakespeare’s “As We Like It.” By the turn of the century, the Orlando area had become a popular tourist destination thanks to its numerous natural springs and lush botanical gardens, many of which still exist today. Orlando also maintained its importance as a strategic military outpost during World War II with the building of McCoy Airfield Base and later became home to the Naval Air Training Center following the war. The military roots made the Orlando area a central hub for aeronautical technology companies such as Lockheed Martin which continues to be one of the area’s major industries to this day. It wasn’t until Walt Disney bought a large portion of land in the far eastern portion of the county in 1965 that tourism became the dominant industry. Disney World opened in 1971 and soon a bevy of other attractions followed, making Central Florida a destination for millions of travelers each year.

Notable Landmarks
The greater Orlando area is known for over-the-top, man made landmarks meant to grab your attention — and hopefully entice you to spend money. A perfect example of this is the Orlando Wheel, a 400-foot Ferris wheel that provides 360-degree views of the Orange County skyline in every direction.

The Orange County Convention Center is the second largest convention center in the country and helps bring millions of business people and convention enthusiasts to the area each year.

Parks
The Orange County Outdoor Park system oversees over 13,000 acres of wild space featuring over 30 miles of hiking trails and five full-featured campgrounds. It is also the center of the Great Florida Birding Trail. Parks like Lake Apopka and Kelly Park offer a great opportunity for kayaking, snorkeling and fishing thanks to their crystal clear, spring fed lakes. For a more urban park setting, be sure to check out Lake Eola, nestled in the heart of downtown Orlando.
Outdoors adventure enthusiasts should also check out Lake Nona Adventure or Tree Trek Adventure Park, which offers rope courses and zip lines over water or through trees, respectively.