Orlando

Orlando is a city in central Florida situated among dozens of freshwater lakes northeast of Tampa. Pioneer settler Aaron Jernigan established an early cattle homestead and trading post that originally gave the village its name. The community earned the title The City Beautiful during the early 20th century because of its moss-draped live oak canopies and municipal waterways.

Lake Eola Park contains a paved walking promenade surrounding a natural sinkhole lake with an illuminated floating fountain. The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts presents touring Broadway theater productions, ballet concerts, and orchestral performances. The Orlando Museum of Art showcases American oil paintings and contemporary fine art photography. Kia Center hosts professional basketball games for the Orlando Magic alongside national arena concert tours. Harry P. Leu Gardens maintains extensive botanical collections of camellias, cycads, and heritage roses along the shoreline of Lake Rowena.

Darden Restaurants manages major dining networks including Olive Garden and LongHorn Steakhouse from its corporate base in Orlando. EA Tiburon develops interactive sports simulation software including the Madden NFL video game franchise at its downtown studio. Universal Destinations & Experiences operates the Universal Studios Florida and Islands of Adventure theme parks within the urban district.

The settlement took root around Fort Gatlin, an army post constructed during the Second Seminole War in the 1830s. Cattle ranching and timber harvesting predominated until the locality achieved formal incorporation as a town in 1875. The Florida Legislature approved a revised city charter in 1885 during a sustained boom in commercial citrus planting. Severe winter freezes during the 1890s prompted orchardists to diversify into winter vegetable farming and commercial cattle grazing. Military airfield construction and electronics research installations spurred continuous expansion throughout the mid-twentieth century.