Orlando Florida Information

Orlando had its origins, according to some histories, around 1836 when a man named Orlando Reeves allegedly died in the area. There are other versions of the origin of the name Orlando, however. The city was incorporated in 1872.The next crucial milestone in the history was World War II, when a number of Air Force personnel were stationed at Orlando Air Force Base ( now known as Orlando International Airport ). Some of these servicemen stayed in Orlando to settle and raise families. In 1956 the aerospace/defense company Martin Marietta established a plant in Orlando. The most famous event occurred in 1965 when Walt Disney announced the future opening of his theme park, Walt Disney World. The famous theme park opened in October, 1971, ushering in an explosive population and economic growth for the Orlando metropolitan area, which now encompasses Orange, Seminole, Osceola and Lake counties.