Timeline of Orlando, Florida

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

19th century

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 opens.
* Orlando Street Railway begins operating.
* 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.
* Florida Symphony Orchestra established
1952 - William R. Boone High School and Edgewater High School are built.
1954
* WDBO-TV 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 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.
* Harbor House of Central Florida founded as Spouse Abuse, Inc.
1977
* Orlando Regional Medical Center established.
* Wet 'n Wild Orlando theme park in business.
1979
* Orlando Opera incorporated.
* Basilica of Mary 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 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.
* Florida Symphony Orchestra ceases operations
1994
* June–July: Some 1994 FIFA World Cup games held in Orlando.
* Mormon temple built.
1996 - City website online.
1998
* Muvico Pointe cinema in business.
* Mennello Museum opens.
* Disney's Animal Kingdom theme park in business.
1999 - Cinemark Festival Bay Mall 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.
2016 - Murder of Christina Grimmie and Orlando nightclub shooting
2017 - Universal's Volcano Bay in business