Looking back on the history of Central Florida, there are a few common threads. American Indians, the growth of the citrus industry, the great freeze of 1894-1895, the two World Wars and the explosion of the tourist industry all shaped the area into the towns and cities we know today. But while there are many commonalities, no two places are exactly alike. Many of these unique details are quite interesting.

For example, after the civil war, the area around Kissimmee was included in a purchase of four million acres by Hamilton Disston, the owner of Disston Saw Company in Philadelphia, for the sale price of $1 million (25 cents an acre). Prior to Apopka’s incorporation in 1882, the Freemasons constructed The Lodge, which was completed in 1859 as the home to Orlando Lodge #36 (where it still stands today). Dr. Phillips, an unincorporated suburb of Orlando, was named after citrus magnate Dr. Phillip Phillips, who owned orange groves that stretched across 9 counties in the early 20th century.

To make it easy, here are links to the histories of the areas around Central Florida. The Winter Park site is especially detailed, and the history of Conway includes some letters written by the daughter of one of Orlando’s earliest settlers.

• History of Orlando (City of Orlando)
• History of Orlando (Orlando: A Visual History)
• History of Winter Park
• History of Apopka
• History of Ocoee
• History of Winter Garden
• History of Dr. Phillips
• History of Kissimmee
• History of Oviedo
• History of Conway
• History of Casselberry
• History of Lake Mary
• History of Sanford (Sanford Historical Society)

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