History of Orange County 1900 - 1999

DATE SOURCE EVENT
1900
1
Gus Henderson founds the first newspaper for blacks in Orlando. It continued until 1917 when Mr. Henderson died.
1903
1
W. M. Mathews opened two saloons on the south side of Church Street just west of Orange Ave. One for white patrons and one for blacks. Both burned down in 1907 just minutes after the announcement that Orange County had elected to go "dry". His livery stable at 8 W. Church St. also burned down at the same time.
1904
1
Unusually high rainfall and poor drainage cause all of the lakes to overflow their banks and flood the city of Orlando. Several 1 foot holes were drilled over 300 feet down to relieve the flooding.
Oct 1906
18
Tropical Storm hits Orange County with sustained winds of 40 mph.
1906
1
The Lockhart lumberyard on South Street, caught fire and destroyed $50,000 of lumber plus milling equipment and some railroad cars. However, the Orlando Fire Department and the only fire truck were in Tampa at a firemans competition.
1907
1
Elks Lodge No. 1079 established in Orlando.
1908
1
Jesse Foster Branch won a contest to establish a motto for Orlando. His entry was "The City Beautiful".
Jun 1909
18
Tropical Storm hits Orange County with sustained winds of 40 mph.
Sep 1909
18
Tropical Storm hits Orange County with sustained winds of 40 mph.
Oct 1910
18
Tropical Storm hits Orange County with sustained winds of 69 mph.
1911
1
First telephone directory published with 498 phones.
Apr 25, 1913
16
Seminole county is created out of Orange county. Map
1915
1
Jewish residents purchased an old Seventh Day Adventist church at the corner of Church St. and Terry Ave to hold informal worship.
Aug 1915
18
Tropical Storm hits Orange County with sustained winds of 46 mph.
1916
1
Orlando Telephone Company acquired by Southern Bell.
1917
23
Dr. William Monroe Wells, black physician comes to Orlando.
1918
22
Orange General Hospital opened with 50 beds.
1918
1
Jewish residents establish Congregation Ohev Shalom.
Oct 1921
18
Category 2 hurricane hits Orange County with sustained winds of 98 mph.
1921
1
23
Orlando Black School moved to Parramore Ave and Jefferson St. renamed Jones High School in honor of the principal.
1921
2
Joe Tinker, a Chicago Cubs baseball player, starts the Tinker's Tigers baseball team in Orlando. The city built Tinker field for the team and later convinced the Cincinnati Reds to hold spring training in Orlando. That was later followed by the Washington Senators and the Minnesota Twins.
1922
2
J. Hooper Wise, a University of Florida Graduate student convinced the Orange County School system to open a model junior high school in Orlando. Memorial Junior High School opened in 1922 and was one of the first junior high schools in the country.
Dec 1925
18
Category 1 hurricane hits Orange County with sustained winds of 75 mph.
1925
1
Congregation Ohev Shalom sells their old building for $25,000 and constructs the first Orlando synagogue on the corner of Church St. and Eola Drive, which opens in 1926.
Jul 1926
18
Category 1 hurricane hits Orange County with sustained winds of 86 mph.
1926
20
Munincipal Auditorium constructed for $175,000.
1926
1
Construction begins on Wells Built Hotel to provide lodging to African Americans.
1927, Feb 21
20
Munincipal Auditorium opened with "Aida" performed by the La Scala Grand Opera Company of Philadelphia, Penn.
Aug 1928
18
Tropical Storm hits Orange County with sustained winds of 58 mph.
Sep 1928
18
Category 3 hurricane hits Orange County with sustained winds of 86 mph.
Sep 1930
18
Tropical Storm hits Orange County with sustained winds of 40 mph.
Jul 1933
18
Category 1 hurricane hits Orange County with sustained winds of 75 mph.
Sep 1933
18
Category 3 hurricane hits Orange County with sustained winds of 126 mph.
Aug 1937
18
Tropical Storm hits Orange County with sustained winds of 58 mph.
1938
22
Orange General Hospital Blood Bank established. Later became the Central Florida Blood Bank.
Aug 1939
18
Tropical Storm hits Orange County with sustained winds of 69 mph.
1940
1
Orlando Municipal Airport taken over by the military and renamed Orlando Air Base. It was primarily used for pilot training.
1940
1
Pine Castle Airport established south of town for commercial flights.
Oct 1941
18
Tropical Depression hits Orange County with sustained winds of 29 mph.
Oct 1941
18
Tropical Depression hits Orange County with sustained winds of 29 mph.
Oct 1942
1
U.S. Army converts Pine Castle Airport to military use as a secondary field for Orlando Air Base. It was used primarily for training B-17 crews.
Sep 1945
18
Category 2 hurricane hits Orange County with sustained winds of 98 mph.
1946
1
Orlando Air Base and Pine Castle Army Airfield were deactivated returned to civilian authorities.
1946
22
Orange General Hospital name changed to Orange Memorial Hospital.
Nov 1946
18
Tropical Depression hits Orange County with sustained winds of 29 mph.
Aug 1949
18
Category 1 hurricane hits Orange County with sustained winds of 75 mph.
Sep 1950
18
Category 3 hurricane Easy hits Orange County with sustained winds of 121 mph.
Oct 1950
18
Category 1 hurricane King hits Orange County with sustained winds of 75 mph.
1950
20
Florida Symphony Orchestra began playing at the Munincipal Auditorium.
1951
22
Orange Memorial Hospital approved as a teaching hospital.
1952
1
Jones High School moved to new building on Rio Grand Ave. The old high school building converted to Callahan Elementary School, which was the only Orange county school to close as a result of 1970 desegregation. In 1995 it was renamed the Dr. J. B. Callahan Neighborhood Center.
1952
23
Hawkins building constructed. One of first buildings for African American professionals.
1956
9
Glen Martin opens an aerospace manufacturing center in Orange County.
Sep 1960
18
Category 3 hurricane Donna hits Orange County with sustained winds of 115 mph.
1960
2
Zora Neale Hurston, acclaimed black author from Eatonville, dies of a stroke.
Aug 1964
18
Tropical Storm Cleo hits Orange County with sustained winds of 60 mph.
Nov 15, 1965
9
Walt Disney announces plans to open Walt Disney World Resort in the Orlando area.
1967
21
Valencia Junior College founded.
1967
22
Mental health center opens at Orange Memorial Hospital with 50 beds.
Jun 1968
18
Tropical Depression Brenda hits Orange County with sustained winds of 29 mph.
Oct 1968
18
Category 3 hurricane Gladys hits Orange County with sustained winds of 81 mph.
Oct 1969
18
Tropical Depression Jenny hits Orange County with sustained winds of 35 mph.
Oct 1 1971
1
Walt Disney World opens.
1971
21
Valencia Junior College renamed to Valencia Community College.
1972
22
Burn and Tissue Rehabilitation Unit opens at the Orange Memorial Hospital.
1973
1
Arthur R. Kennedy takes a seat on the Orange County Commission. He was Orange County's first black elected official.
1973
1
Sea World opens.
Jun 1974
18
Tropical Storm hits Orange County with sustained winds of 63 mph.
1975
22
Neonatal Intensive Care Unit opened at Orange Memorial Hospital.
1975
20
Construction begins on renovation of the Munincipal Auditorium.
Sep 1976
18
Tropical depression hits Orange County with sustained winds of 17 mph.
1977
22
Orange General and Holiday hospitals consolidate to form Orlando Regional Medical Center (ORMC).
May 1978
20
Munincipal Auditorium renamed Mayor Bob Carr Munincipal Auditorium.
Sep 1979
18
Category 2 hurricane David hits Orange County with sustained winds of 98 mph.
Aug 1981
18
Tropical Storm Dennis hits Orange County with sustained winds of 40 mph.
Aug 1983
18
Tropical depression Barry hits Orange County with sustained winds of 35 mph.
1983
22
ORMC becomes a Level One Trauma Center.
1985
22
Construction of Sand Lake Hospital completes.
1985
22
Air Care Team Holicopter rescue service is established at ORMC.
1987
22
ORMC opens the Ambulatory Care Center.
Nov 1988
18
Tropical Storm Keith hits Orange County with sustained winds of 63 mph.
1989
22
ORMC opens the Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children & Women.
Jan 29 1989
24
Orlando Arena (O-Rena) opens. Cost of construction was $98 million (USD).
1989
24
Orlando Magic basketball team is organized and begins play in the NBA.
1990
1
Universal Studios Orlando opens for business.
1991
22
M. D. Anderson Cancer Center Orlando is established.
1991
24
Orlando Predator indoor football team is organized and begins its first season.
1992
22
ORMC name changes to Orlando Regional Healthcare System (ORHS).
Feb 9 1992
24
NBA All-Star game played at the Amway Center.
1992
24
USA Figure Skating Championship held at Amway Center.
Aug 1995
18
Tropical Storm Erin hits Orange County with sustained winds of 58 mph.
Aug 1995
18
Tropical Storm Jerry hits Orange County with sustained winds of 40 mph.
1995
24
Orlando Solar Bears hockey team is organized an begins play at the Orlando Arena.
Feb 22 1998
6
Killer tornados hit Orange, Osceola, Volusia and Seminole counties. In one night, Winds up to 250 mph and dozens of tornadoes caused 42 deaths, more than 250 injured, destroyed 3,600 homes and caused an estimated $36.8 million in damages.
1998
6
Year of the wild fires. Extreme temperatures and dry weather created a spring and summer of wild fires all over the state.
1999
22
ORHS purchases Lucerne Hospital.
1999
24
Orlando Arena renamed to TD Waterhouse Centre.
1999
24
Orlando Miracle womens basketball team is organized and begins play at the TD Waterhouse Centre.
Oct 1999
18
Category 1 hurricane Irene hits Orange County with sustained winds of 75 mph.