Central Florida: Its Land, People, and History
The Seven Counties: Brevard, Lake, Orange, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and Volusia
Regional Links
The area known as "Central Florida" encompasses a vast array of beautiful geological features, an industrious and talented population, and a living history that has shaped the destiny of the region. There are eight major counties that are generally considered to constitute the Central Florida area: Volusia, Seminole, Orange, Brevard, Osceola, Lake, and Polk.
Each locality contributes rich and unique culture and resources to the region. The people of Central Florida are world famous for their warmth and ingenuity. These valuable human resources provide strength and energy to the service and technology sectors, which constitute the life-blood of Central Florida.
The population of the area is also growing both in number and diversity as the region expands and thrives. In accordance with its experiences of the past, Central Florida will continue to represent the spirit of pioneering, the symbol of prosperity, and the home of hospitality. In every way, Central Florida is, and will remain, a very bright part of the Sunshine State.
Land
The seven-county Central Florida area spans over 7,934 square miles, to make up approximately 15% of the state's total land area. The entire region lies on top of a base of metamorphic rock covered by over 4,000 feet of sedimentary rock, composed mostly of limestone. The topography is quite flat; Central Florida 's highest point of elevation is 295 feet. Flagler, Volusia, and Brevard counties all have long coastlines as well as numerous bays and sounds. Most of the coastal areas consist of sandy beaches, saltwater marshes, and mangrove swamps. Lake, Osceola, Orange, Seminole and Polk counties are landlocked, but possess numerous lakes, rivers, and streams. The rise and fall of the sea during the Ice Ages have produced a high concentration of springs and sinkholes along the Central Florida landscape. Soil types vary with each locality, but tend to be sandy and permeable. Central Florida soils are often lower in fertility than those of other parts of the state.
Central Florida's climate is humid-subtropical with long, hot summers and short, cool winters. Fall temperatures are usually mild and pleasant. The region's coastal areas tend to stay slightly warmer in the winter and slightly cooler in the summer, than inland areas. The average August temperature is 81.9 degrees Fahrenheit and the average January temperature is 61.4 degrees Fahrenheit. Heavy rainfall in the region accounts for an average precipitation of 52.37 inches, most of which falls between June and September. Only in limited areas of the southern hemisphere (chiefly South Africa) do thunderstorms occur more frequently than over Central Florida. These heavy thunderstorms have led Florida in general, and Central Florida in particular to be dubbed the "Lightning Capital" of the world. The region is also susceptible to hurricanes, which usually occur from June to November. However, damage from hurricanes in the Central Florida region has been relatively minor compared to other areas of the stat.
People
The people of Central Florida are as diverse as they are numerous. Approximately 3.1 million residents populate the region (about 20% of the state's total population). This figure is predicted to grow exponentially in the years to come, as Central Florida maintains its current standing as one of the fastest growing regions in the nation. Much of this population growth has come from large influxes of retirees and families from other states and from Puerto Rico, as well as immigrants from Cuba, Haiti, and more recently Vietnam and Nicaragua. The four major metropolitan areas of Central Florida (Lakeland-Winter Haven, Orlando, Melbourne-Titusville, and Daytona Beach) have all experienced tremendous growth in the past ten years. However, urban studies indicate that the majority of new residents to the region are settling in suburban and unincorporated areas. Previously under-populated areas have seen a rapid arrival of new residents due to improved transportation infrastructure, affordable land, a concentrated tourism district, and recently established commercial/research hubs.
In addition to becoming more populous, Central Florida is becoming more diverse as well. Currently, 72.1% of the region's residents are "white", 12% Hispanic or Latino, 11.8% African American, and 1.8% Asian. The percentage of minorities in Central Florida is slightly lower than the state's mean percentage of minorities, but population growth predictions indicate an expectation for a continued increase of minority citizens in the region. Central Florida's population is also expected to become more diverse as a factor of age. The present age distribution of the eight major counties in the region is mixed. The age range with the highest percentage of residents in Flagler and Lake counties is 60-69. Orange, Osceola, Polk, and Seminole counties indicate younger populations with residents age 25-34 making up the most populated age range. Volusia County indicates a unique and unusual age distribution, as its residents are almost evenly distributed between the two most populous age ranges of 25-34 and 60-69. With greater influx in the number of retirees choosing to make Central Florida their final residence and a high baby boomer population, it is likely that the senior population of the area will soon begin to outpace the growth of younger age groups.
In addition to being diverse, the residents of Central Florida are often transient as well. Less than half of all residents Central Florida were born in the region. Many professionals move into the region as a career stepping stone and end up moving out of the area before retirement. This is possibly attributed to the fact that none of the nation's Fortune 500 companies have their headquarters located in Central Florida (even Walt-Disney Company's headquarters is located in Burbank, California ). The state of perpetual resident transience is of concern to local leaders, who stress the need for citizens to make a commitment to the Central Florida region in order for it to achieve lasting prosperity. Yet despite the region's transient nature, Central Florida maintains a high number of skilled laborers and professionals. The increasing number of technology and research-based firms in Central Florida are likely to maintain the region's high demand for human capital.
History
The earliest inhabitants of Central Florida were Native Americans who migrated to the area approximately 12,000 years ago. These nomadic travelers likely came to the region due to its warm temperatures and abundance of game. Timucuan Indians were the chief inhabitants of Central Florida prior to the arrival of European explorers. The Timucuans shared many characteristics of other tribes in the southeastern United States including agriculture, temple mound, elaborate burial rituals, and a chief-centered political organization. Timucuan people subsisted chiefly on fishing, corn, beans, turkey and deer. Over 1,000 state identified Timucuan archeological sites have been uncovered in Central Florida.
In the spring of 1513, more than a century before the Pilgrims landed on Plymouth Rock, Juan Ponce de Leon set foot on the east coast of Florida. He named his point of arrival Cape Canaveral and gave the title of "La Florida" to the landmass. The name was given to the area after Pascua Florida, the Feast of Flowers that was occurring at the time. The succeeding years would witness a great flood of adventures, explorers, and missionaries seeking gold, settlements, and converts. To the great misfortune of the Timucuan people, European disease and war eradicated virtually the entire native population.
In 1565, the first permanent European colony in the United States was founded just north of the Central Florida region. The colony, located in what is now St. Johns County, was named St. Augustine, and is still a thriving city on Florida's east coast today. Although it is possible that there was some exploration of Florida's inland areas, no permanent settlements developed in the Central Florida region for almost 300 years. During that period, the control of Florida shifted hands several times between Spain, France, and England. The region also received a new Native American population starting in the early 1700s as Creek and Muskogee tribes migrated to Florida. These tribes were occasionally joined by runaway slaves from southern plantations, and were later referred to as Seminoles.
In 1821, Florida became a territory of the United States. The area was divided into two counties: Escambia in the west and St. Johns in the east. Two years later, Mosquito County was carved out of the St. Johns portion. At the time, Mosquito County was a massive tract of land encompassing almost all of present day Central Florida. A large portion of Central Florida's population was composed of soldiers who manned outposts along the new frontier. Swamps, native threats, and inhospitable heat all hindered the development of the region.
However, in a strange twist of fate, a bloody conflict in the region opened the door for settlement. In June 1835, a cattle dispute between settlers and natives set off the Seminole War. In the onslaught that ensued, towns and villages were burned, crops were destroyed, and scores of settlers and Seminoles alike were killed. The United States government responded to the threat by offering 160 acres to any person who was willing to build a dwelling in the region and defend it for five years. The war brought a sharp drop in the civilian population of Central Florida, but the resettlement act resulted in a gradual increase in the number of settlers.
Shortly after Florida became a state in 1845, the massive Mosquito County was renamed Orange County in the hopes of attracting more settlers. Conditions of the inland Central Florida area were crude at best. Many houses were constructed chiefly of palm thatch and hunting was often the main source of food. However, civilization started to make its way into Florida during the 1850s, as steamboats carried mail, passengers, and supplies into the region via the St. Johns River. During the next few years the now modern cities of Winter Park, Winter Garden, Ocoee, and Orlando were established, the number of homesteads increased, and farmers were able to ship their goods to northern markets.
The outbreak of the Civil War in 1861 brought poverty and despair for the Central Florida region. Supplies ceased to enter the area, the postal service was discontinued for the duration of the war, and conscription forced much of the able-bodied male population to enter into military service. Fortunately, after the war's conclusion the population of the region began to rebound and stabilize. Cattle ranching and the opportunity to farm untilled soil brought in scores of pioneers. The first citrus nursery was opened, foreshadowing the future economy of Central Florida. In 1870, retired General Henry Sanford established a town near Fort Mellon, now called Sanford. The town's good port and large hotel brought a new force into Central Florida's economy: tourism.
By the 1880s, pioneering in the region was beginning to drop off. Railroad lines brought new life to the area. One of the foremost captains of railroad industry in Central Florida was Henry Flagler, who now has a county named in his honor. The tourism industry, which had begun with the steamboat lines, was expanded at an accelerated pace by the development of the railroads. Additionally, cattle, timber, turpentine, potatoes, and citrus were able to reach northern markets faster and in higher quantities than ever before. Much of what constitutes Central Florida's modern economy was founded in the 1880s.
Natural disaster brought a swift halt to the expansion in 1894-1896 when the "Big Freeze" wiped out scores of citrus fields. Tourism came to a standstill, hotels closed for good, banks left the area, and many farmers simply gave up. The thriving city of Orlando reverted to a sleepy agricultural town.
After the freeze, farmers started to experiment with new crops as the region made a gradual return to prosperity. Celery and ferns became a new crop of choice for many Central Florida farmers. In 1913, Seminole County was carved out of Orange County, primarily because of differences between its economy and the rest of the area. The newly formed Seminole County boasted the world's largest fernery. Fern growing remained an important industry for the next thirty years.
In the 1920s land speculators came to Central Florida and started a land boom that seemed to have no end. Yet another innovation, the automobile, made the region even more accessible. Land prices in Central Florida spiraled upwards until 1926 when natural disaster struck again. A hurricane devastated the state of Florida, wrecking many of the major railroad lines and turning prime real estate into worthless dirt. Once again the economy of Central Florida collapsed.
In line with the national trends of the 1930s, many Central Florida cities saw slower economic and population expansion. However, the outbreak of World War II brought growth and prosperity back to the region. During the war, three major military installations were established in the Central Florida area: Pinecastle, Orlando Air Base, and Sanford Naval Air Station. The rapid influx of military personnel jump-started the Central Florida economy with renewed vigor. After the war, many of the service personnel stationed at Central Florida military bases chose to stay in the region and take advantage of affordable housing and the low cost of living.
The post-war boom continued into the 1950s with the introduction of the space industry into Central Florida. In 1955, the United States Air Force chose Cape Canaveral in Brevard County as the location for its missile-testing center. Soon after, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the civilian defense giant Martin Marietta established themselves in Central Florida. These agencies continue to support and depend on the people of Central Florida to fill their ranks with skilled employees today.
A number of public capital projects in the 1960s continued the region's trend of rapid growth. Among the most popular of these were the establishments of Interstate 4 and Interstate 95. Initial plans for the road systems began in the mid-1950s, but the final leg of construction was not complete until 1965. The newly established interstate system made the Central Florida region, and especially the Orlando metropolitan area more accessible than ever and a prime location for new firms and businesses. McCoy Jetport, now Orlando International Airport, became a major hub for commercial airline service to the area after the Air Force agreed to a joint-use agreement with civil aviation at the installation. Like the interstate system, the airport added incalculable value to the area by bringing tourism and new business to Central Florida.
In response to the need for more skilled employees in the region's growing aerospace, engineering, and technology sectors, the decision was made to establish a major pubic university in the Central Florida. Florida Technological University was founded in 1963 to fill just such a purpose. The institution would later change its name to the University of Central Florida, to better reflect its broad scope.
Central Florida also benefited significantly in 1967 from Naval Training Center Orlando, which was designed to be the Navy's newest and most advanced training facility in the nation. To the citizens of Orlando, the base brought a surge in retail growth, new housing, and high tech industry. The base was forced to close in the 1990s due to defense cuts. However, the land remains intact, and was recently transferred by the city of Orlando to a development company with plans for a "new urbanist" community.
Perhaps the single most notable event in the recent history of Central Florida was the founding of Walt Disney World in 1965. A massive land tract just outside the city of Kissimmee, carefully and quietly assembled by Disney real estate interests, was destined to become the world's largest and most renowned vacation destination. As the park grew, the number of hotels and retail centers in the area soared. Disney went on to add three more major theme parks to the original Magic Kingdom area: EPCOT, MGM-Disney, and Animal Kingdom. Today, Disney and Orlando have become synonymous, and the parks have become an icon of Central Florida.
Steady growth continued throughout Central Florida until the second Big Freeze of 1983. The freeze crippled the state's economy and in many places wiped out entire citrus groves. Many such groves in the Central Florida area burned out completely and were never replanted. However, agriculture in the region had already taken a back seat to the burgeoning tourism and homebuilding industries. Former citrus groves were replaced with subdivisions and shopping centers. Unlike the Big Freeze of 1894, the catastrophe actually served to accelerate growth.
Today, Central Florida is a region of bustling activity and urban sprawl. The pattern of non-stop growth in the region has led to concerns among planners and local officials that the areas infrastructure cannot keep pace with its expansion. Roads have become congested, many schools are overcrowded, and county and municipal services are struggling to keep up with the rapidly increasing population. However, there is also considerable optimism that new industries entering the area, and a more educated workforce, will lead the region to continued prosperity. Although Central Florida is adjusting to numerous growing pains, the region retains its image as a premier business center and a leading international tourist destination.
Resources
- Florida County Atlas and Municipal Fact Book. Tallahassee: Florida State University, Institute of Science and Public Affairs, 1994.
- Legacy: A People's History of Central Florida. Orlando: Abarta, 2000.
- State and County Quick Facts. United States Census Bureau, 2000.
- Shenot, Christine. "Central Florida Grew Fast in '90s." The Orlando Sentinel. Mar. 28, 2001.
- History of Development in Orange and Seminole County. Orlando: Orange and Seminole Joint Planning Commission.