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103-562: Florida Southern was founded as South Florida Institute in Orlando in 1883 and moved to nearby Leesburg in 1885. The institution's formal establishment occurred when it was sponsored by the United Methodist Church following the move to Leesburg in 1885. It was known as Florida Conference College . The college moved to Sutherland (now Palm Harbor ) in 1901 and changed its name to Southern College in 1906. Due to fires in

206-491: A wildfire hazard exists. During some years, fires have been severe. In 1998, a strong El Niño caused an unusually wet January and February, followed by drought throughout the spring and early summer, causing a record wildfire season that created numerous air-quality alerts in Orlando and severely affected normal daily life, including the postponement of that year's Pepsi 400 NASCAR race in nearby Daytona Beach . Orlando

309-714: A coincidence. In 1823, the Treaty of Moultrie Creek created a Seminole reservation encompassing much of central Florida, including the area that would become Orlando. The Indian Removal Act of 1830 authorized relocation of the Seminole from Florida to Oklahoma, leading to the Second Seminole War. In 1842, white settlement in the area was encouraged by the Armed Occupation Act. The first settler, Mr. Aaron Jernigan of Camden County, Georgia, arrived

412-522: A courthouse square. The fledgling village suffered greatly during the Union blockade . The Reconstruction Era brought on a population explosion, resulting in the incorporation of the Town of Orlando on July 31, 1875, with 85 residents (22 voters). For a short time in 1879, the town revoked its charter, and was subsequently reincorporated. Orlando was established as a city in 1885. The period from 1875 to 1895

515-797: A graduate of Florida Southern. The funds were used to establish the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise. The Barnetts also gave a reported $ 10 million to Florida Southern College to establish the Barnett Residential Life Center that was designed by Robert A. M. Stern . In 2012, the Barnetts were the primary donors in a funding drive for the construction of a $ 5.5 million, 18-classroom learning facility at All Saints' Academy in Winter Haven, Florida . They gave $ 1 million to help launch

618-641: A holistic admissions approach, with 2022 first year students having a 3.8 average high school GPA, a middle 50% test score range for the SAT of 1170 - 1310 and middle 50% ACT of 25 - 30. Florida Southern uses the learning style of engaged learning that incorporates engaging, hands-on experiences in every academic program. Florida Southern College was awarded the William M. Burke Presidential Award for Excellence in Experiential Education in 2010. In 2011,

721-448: A modern campus. The collection of Frank Lloyd Wright Architecture at Florida Southern College is called Child of the Sun . The name for the architecture came from Wright's idea of removing the "uninspired" buildings of the existing campus and replacing them with a campus that would, according to Wright, "grow out of the ground and into the light, a child of the sun." The works by Wright include

824-593: A peace treaty with the Seminoles because it did not reimburse him for the loss of slaves and crops. Rees could have left a pine-bough marker with his name next to the trail; later residents misread "Rees" as "Reeves" and also mistook it as a grave maker. In subsequent years, this story has merged with the Orlando Reeves story (which may have originally incorporated part of Dr. Gatlin's story). On two separate occasions, relatives of Rees claimed their ancestor

927-498: A plant in the city. Orlando AAB and Pinecastle AAF were transferred to the United States Air Force in 1947 when it became a separate service and were redesignated as air force bases (AFB). In 1958, Pinecastle AFB was renamed McCoy Air Force Base after Colonel Michael N. W. McCoy, a former commander of the 320th Bombardment Wing at the installation, killed in the crash of a B-47 Stratojet bomber north of Orlando. In

1030-482: A volunteer militia was left to defend the settlement. A historical marker indicates that by 1850, the Jernigan homestead (or Fort Gatlin in some sources) served as the nucleus of a village named Jernigan. According to an account written years later by his daughter, at that time, about 80 settlers were forced to shelter for about a year in "a stockade that Aaron Jernigan built on the north side of Lake Conway". One of

1133-457: A wide a range of housing in differing class-levels. Neighborhoods in the western side of town include Apoka , Dr. Phillips , MetroWest , Pine Hills , and Windermere . The north side of Orlando, includes a wide range of older and more established neighborhoods, including Eatonville , Fern Park , Maitland , and Winter Park . Finally, the east side of Orlando includes neighborhoods such as Alafaya , Azalea Park , and Union Park . The east side

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1236-576: A year in the Buckner Theater, including two musicals. A musical theatre major was added in Fall 2013. The institution's Festival of Fine Arts is the longest-running theater and musical performance in Polk County and has hosted artists Kathleen Battle , André Watts , I Musici di Roma, Jennifer Larmore , Sylvia McNair , and The Munich Symphony Orchestra . As of 2017, Florida Southern College

1339-462: Is 60.6 °F (15.9 °C). Temperatures dip below the freezing mark on an average of only 1.6 nights per year and the lowest recorded temperature is 18 °F (−8 °C), set on December 28, 1894 . The annual mean minimum is just above 30 °F (−1 °C) putting Orlando in hardiness zone 10a. Because the winter season is dry and freezing temperatures usually occur only after cold fronts (and their accompanying precipitation) have passed, snow

1442-421: Is April 9 to October 14. The area's humidity acts as a buffer, usually preventing actual temperatures from exceeding 100 °F (38 °C), but also pushing the heat index to over 110 °F (43 °C). The city's highest recorded temperature is 103 °F (39 °C), set on September 8, 1921. During these months, strong afternoon thunderstorms occur almost daily. These storms are caused by air masses from

1545-570: Is a major 11.1-mile (17.9 km) thoroughfare in the southwestern section of Orlando, serving a similar purpose to that of the Las Vegas Strip in Las Vegas , as the core of the tourism area. The northern part of the strip extends into the city limits of and the remainder of the central and southern portions are all located in unincorporated Orange County . An additional extension is known as International Drive South , partly located in

1648-624: Is a major population center and has a considerable hurricane risk, although it is not as high as in South Florida 's urban corridor or other coastal regions. Since the city is located 42 miles (68 km) inland from the Atlantic and 77 miles (124 km) inland from the Gulf of Mexico, hurricanes usually weaken before arriving. Storm surges are not a concern since the region is 100 feet (30 m) above mean sea level . Despite its location,

1751-815: Is a residential neighborhood that is also the home of The Mall at Millenia , an upscale super-regional mall. The mall's Macy's store was the first in Central Florida , and it was also one of only seven Macy's stores in Florida that predated the company's merger with Burdines . Bloomingdale's and Neiman Marcus are also regional firsts and these remain their only locations in the Greater Orlando region. The western side of Orlando includes various neighborhoods (within city limits, incorporated municipalities, and unincorporated within Orange County) with

1854-733: Is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges to award bachelor's, master's, and doctoral degrees. For 2022, U.S. News & World Report ranked Florida Southern #8 in Regional Universities South, #8 in Best Undergraduate Teaching, and #14 in Best Value Schools. Florida Southern receives over 11,000 undergraduate applications annually and admits approximately 51% of applicants using

1957-587: Is exceptionally rare. The only accumulation ever to occur in the city proper since record keeping began was in 1948, although some accumulation occurred in surrounding areas in a snow event in January 1977 that reached Miami. Flurries have also been observed in 1989 , 2006, and 2010. The average annual rainfall in Orlando is 51.45 inches (1,307 mm), a majority of which occurs in the period from June to September. October through May are Orlando's dry season. During this period (especially in its later months), often

2060-454: Is one of six children: Howard, David, Julie, Nancy and Kenneth. Barnett attended Emory University but later transferred to Florida Southern College in Lakeland, Florida . Carol Barnett's father, George W. Jenkins, founded Publix Super Markets. Carol was born in 1956 when Publix was in its heyday. Carol and her five siblings worked at Publix beginning at the age of sixteen. She recalled

2163-573: Is remembered as Orlando's Golden Era, when it became the hub of Florida's citrus industry. The period ended with the Great Freeze of 1894–95 , which forced many owners to give up their independent citrus groves , thus consolidating holdings in the hands of a few "citrus barons", who shifted operations south, primarily around Lake Wales in Polk County . The freeze caused many in Florida, including many Orlandoans, to move elsewhere, mostly to

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2266-458: Is said they [Jernigan's militia] are more dreadful than the Indians." In 1859, Jernigan and his sons were accused of committing a murder at the town's post office. They were then transported to Ocala , but escaped. At a meeting in 1857, debate had grown concerning the name of the town. Pioneer William B. Hull recalled how James Speer (a local resident, and prominent figure in the stories behind

2369-551: Is the center of the Orlando metropolitan area , which had a population of 2,509,831 in 2017, according to the U.S. Census Bureau . It is the sixth-largest metropolitan area in the Southern United States and the third-largest metropolitan area in Florida behind Miami and Tampa Bay . Orlando had a city population of 307,573 in the 2020 census, making it the fourth-most populous city in Florida behind Jacksonville , Miami , and Tampa . In July 2023, its population

2472-535: Is the home of the University of Central Florida (UCF). As of fall 2023, the university had a total enrollment of 69,320 students, making it the fourth-largest on-campus student body of any public university in the United States . A list of all major neighborhoods and suburbs: Metro Orlando has a total of 19 completed skyscrapers. The majority are located in downtown Orlando and the rest are located in

2575-465: Is the second-largest convention facility in the United States. Like other major cities in the Sun Belt , Orlando grew rapidly from the 1960s into the first decade of the 21st century. Orlando is home to the University of Central Florida , which became the largest university campus in the United States in terms of enrollment as of 2015. In 2010, Orlando was listed as a "Gamma+" level global city by

2678-730: The 18th-busiest in the world . The two largest and most internationally renowned tourist attractions in the Orlando area are the Walt Disney World Resort, opened by the Walt Disney Company in 1971 and located about 21 miles (34 km) southwest of downtown Orlando in Bay Lake , and the Universal Orlando Resort, opened in 1990 as a major expansion of Universal Studios Florida and the only theme park inside Orlando city limits. With

2781-577: The Florida Women's Hall of Fame . In 2017, Barnett received the Chiles Advocacy Award, Florida's highest honor for serving its children. The Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy presented Barnett with its “Champion for Literacy” award. The Barnetts announced plans to introduce the largest park in Lakeland, Florida . Jenkins Barnett has served on the steering committee for The Children's Movement of Florida . Barnett

2884-606: The Globalization and World Cities Research Network . Fort Gatlin, as the Orlando area was once known, was established at what is now just south of the city limits by the 4th U.S. Artillery under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Alexander C. W. Fanning on November 9, 1838, during the construction of a series of fortified encampments across Florida during the Second Seminole War . The fort and surrounding area were named for John S. Gatlin, an Army physician who

2987-517: The Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean colliding over Central Florida. They are highlighted by spectacular lightning and can also bring heavy rain (sometimes several inches per hour) and powerful winds as well as rare damaging hail . During the winter, humidity is much lower and temperatures are more moderate, and can fluctuate more readily. The monthly daily average temperature in January

3090-560: The Köppen climate classification , Orlando has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ) like much of the deep Southern United States. The two basic seasons in Orlando are a hot and rainy season, lasting from May until late October (roughly coinciding with the Atlantic hurricane season ), and a warm and dry season from November through April. The area's warm and humid climate is caused primarily by its low elevation, its position relatively close to

3193-779: The Polk Museum of Art , Lakeland Symphony Orchestra and Straz Center for the Performing Arts . In 2015, Barnett received the Women in Philanthropy award, a national honor bestowed by the United Way Women's Leadership Council for her work developing a number of early childhood initiatives, including the ReadingPals literacy program that spread throughout Florida. In 2016, Jenkins Barnett was inducted into

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3296-628: The Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute , Nemours Children's Hospital , and University of Florida College of Pharmacy , in addition to the Orlando Veterans Administration Medical Center (which began seeing clinical patients in 2015). In the southwestern side of Orlando, is the main tourist strip for the city, along with some residential neighborhoods. International Drive , commonly known as I-Drive ,

3399-570: The Tropic of Cancer , and its location in the center of a peninsula . Many characteristics of its climate are a result of its proximity to the Gulf Stream , which flows around the peninsula of Florida. During the height of Orlando's humid summer season, high temperatures are typically in the low 90s °F (32–34 °C), while low temperatures rarely fall below the low 70s °F (22–24 °C). The average window for 90 °F (32 °C) temperatures

3502-605: The 1960s, the base subsequently became home to the 306th Bombardment Wing of the Strategic Air Command , operating B-52 Stratofortress and KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft, in addition to detachment operations by EC-121 and U-2 aircraft. In 1968, Orlando AFB was transferred to the United States Navy and became Naval Training Center Orlando. In addition to boot camp facilities, the NTC Orlando

3605-552: The 1970s and 1980s, though, turned up no record of Orlando Reeves ever existing. Some versions attempt to account for Reeves having no military records by using the name of other people named Orlando that exist in some written records – Orlando Acosta; however, not much is known about Acosta or whether he even existed. Another version of the story has Orlando Reed, supposedly an Englishman and mail carrier between Fort Gatlin and Fort Mellon , allegedly killed while camping with his friends near Fort Gatlin. A second variation also places

3708-480: The 79 of the high-rises in the Greater Orlando region, 46 are located in downtown. It is also the home to many of the city's cultural venues, such as Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts , Kia Center , and Orlando Museum of Art . Southeast of Downtown is the rapidly growing neighborhood of Lake Nona . Along with being home to Lake Nona Golf & Country Club , it is also the health district for

3811-563: The Bachelor of Science degrees in biology, biochemistry and molecular biology (BMB; in conjunction with the Division of Chemistry), Environmental Studies, Integrative Biology, and Marine Biology. Research courses are required, giving students the opportunity to investigate, compile data and present their results at the semiannual Department of Natural Sciences Poster Competition. The music department maintains several large ensembles, including

3914-882: The Carol J. and Barney Barnett Learning Center, which opened in 2014 at the Florida Aquarium in Tampa . To promote environmental conservation, the Barnetts donated $ 3 million to Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium in Sarasota, Florida in 2015. The Barnetts have donated millions of dollars to the United Way . In 2016, the Lakeland Regional Health Foundation received a donation from the Barnett family in honor of Carol Jenkins Barnett for

4017-460: The City of Orlando. This also explains Orlando's relatively low city population when compared to its metropolitan population. The city and county are working together in an effort to "round-out" the city limits with Orlando annexing portions of land already bordering the city limits. At the center of the Greater Orlando region is Downtown Orlando , the historic core and central business district of

4120-626: The Frank Lloyd Wright campus. Architect Nils Schweitzer, a protégé of Frank Lloyd Wright, designed the structure to complement Wright's original "Child of the Sun" concept. Construction was completed in 1963. Dedicated to Bishop John Branscomb of the Florida Conference of the United Methodist Church, the auditorium hosted its first performance in 1964. The theater department puts on five main-stage shows

4223-649: The Lake Hollingsworth Apartments and Lake Morton Apartments, a short walk from campus. In 2011, Lake Morton Apartments were renovated. As part of the Pathway to Independence Program, upperclassmen and graduate students may be invited to live at this location. In 1938, the Florida Southern College president, Ludd M. Spivey, approached Frank Lloyd Wright with the proposal of transforming the 100-acre lakeside orange grove into

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4326-511: The Lakeland Tropics, whose head coach is alumnus Clay Roberts . Numerous leaders of the citrus industry also attended FSC including Citrus Hall of Fame inductee C. D. Atkins . Actress Charleene Closshey graduated from FSC as a business major in 2002. Other graduates include judges, politicians, a secretary general of OPEC , a U.S. State Department spokesperson, CEOs, correspondents, lawyers, and bishops. FSC's campus has served as

4429-470: The Master of Business Administration to full-time students in its 16-month accelerated program, as well as part-time students in the form of evening and Saturday classes. The Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise was accredited by AACSB-International in 2013. There are five primary disciplines within the school: communications, fine and performing arts, humanities, natural science and mathematics, and

4532-793: The North , California , or the Caribbean . Notable homesteaders in the area included the Curry family. Through their property in east Orlando flowed the Econlockhatchee River , which travelers crossed by fording . This was commemorated by the street's name, Curry Ford Road. Also, just south of the Orlando International Airport in the Boggy Creek area are 150 acres (0.61 km ) of property homesteaded in

4635-570: The Orlando area is susceptible to sinkholes . Probably the most famous incident involving a sinkhole happened in 1981 in Winter Park, a city immediately north of downtown Orlando, dubbed "The Winter Park Sinkhole ". There are 115 neighborhoods within the city limits and many unincorporated communities. Orlando's city limits resemble a checkerboard, with pockets of unincorporated Orange County surrounded by city limits. Such an arrangement results in some areas being served by both Orange County and

4738-433: The Orlando metropolitan area, which now encompasses Orange, Seminole , Osceola , and Lake Counties. As a result, tourism became the centerpiece of the area's economy. Orlando now has more theme parks and entertainment attractions than anywhere else in the world. Today, the historic core of "Old Orlando" resides in downtown Orlando along Church Street, between Orange Avenue and Garland Avenue. The urban development and

4841-851: The Pavilion for Women and Children at the Lakeland Regional Health Medical Center Campus. The gift was the largest donation received to date by the Foundation. The new building was named the Carol Jenkins Barnett Pavilion for Women and Children. Also in 2016, the Barnetts gave $ 800,000 to the Drug Free Florida Committee, an organization leading opposition to Amendment 2 to the Constitution of

4944-459: The Reeves legend in History of Orlando published in 1949. A memorial beside Lake Eola – originally placed by students of Orlando's Cherokee Junior School in 1939 and updated in 1990 – designates the spot where the city's supposed namesake fell. Conflicting legends exist. One legend has Reeves killed during an extended battle with the Seminoles after being field promoted after his platoon commander fell. An in-depth review of military records in

5047-760: The School for the construction of a new undergraduate business building. Construction of the Becker Undergraduate Business Building and the Graduate and Executive Building was scheduled to begin late 2012 or early 2013. Like the Barnett Residential Life Center, these two buildings were also to be designed by architect Robert A. M. Stern Undergraduate students at the Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise study in one of six programs: accounting, business administration, business and free enterprise, finance and economics, healthcare administration, or political economy. The school also allows students to focus on career tracks in finance, international business, management, marketing, and sport management. The Barnett School also offers

5150-477: The Southerners. The official colors are scarlet and white , though athletes sport red , white, and blue uniforms. Florida Southern is an NCAA Division II institution, the institution's athletic teams participate in the Sunshine State Conference (SSC). Men's sports Women's sports As of 2015, Florida Southern College's student population consisted of 2,234 students, of whom 2,200 were undergraduate students. Students are required to attend

5253-520: The State of Florida, which legalized marijuana for medical use in Florida. Barnett had two sons with her husband, Barney Barnett. In 2016, Barnett was diagnosed with early-onset Alzheimer's disease . She died from complications of the disease on December 7, 2021, at the age of 65. In 2004, Barnett was presented with the Florida Arts Recognition Award by the Secretary of State of Florida to honor people who support art and culture in Florida. She contributed to many Florida arts organizations, including

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5356-423: The area during the Second Seminole War . Several of the stories relay an oral history of the marker for a person named Orlando, and the double entendre , "Here lies Orlando." One variant includes a man named Orlando who was passing by on his way to Tampa with a herd of oxen , died, and was buried in a marked grave. Through a retelling of history, a marker of some sort was believed to have been found by one of

5459-418: The area's history, a 1998 outbreak that killed 42 people and a 2007 outbreak that killed 21, both happened in February. As of the 2020 United States census , there were 307,573 people, 113,238 households, and 61,667 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 238,300 people, 97,661 households, and 51,716 families residing in the city. In 2014, the city's population

5562-563: The central business district of downtown have rapidly shaped the downtown skyline during recent history. The present-day historic district is primarily associated with the neighborhoods around Lake Eola but stretches west across the city to Lake Lorna Doone and north into the College Park Neighborhood where you can find century-old oaks line brick streets. These neighborhoods include the "Downtown Business District," "North Quarter," "Parramore," "Callahan," "South Eola Heights, "Lake Eola Heights,"Thornton Park" and "College Park", and contain some of

5665-496: The city does see strong hurricanes. During the notorious 2004 hurricane season , Orlando was hit by three hurricanes that caused significant damage, with Hurricane Charley the worst of these. The city also experienced widespread damage during Hurricane Donna in 1960. Tornadoes are not usually connected with the strong thunderstorms of the humid summer. They are more common during the infrequent cold days of winter, as well as in passing hurricanes. The two worst major outbreaks in

5768-503: The city named after the protagonist in the Shakespeare play As You Like It . In 1975, Judge Donald A. Cheney put forth a new version of the story in an Orlando Sentinel article. Cheney (a local historian and then chairman of the county historical commission ) recounted a story told to him by his father, Judge John Moses Cheney (a major figure in Orlando's history, who arrived in Orlando in 1885). The elder Cheney recounted that another gentleman at that time, James Speer, proposed

5871-401: The city, with Lake Nona Medical City . It features the University of Central Florida 's Health Sciences Campus, which includes the university's College of Medicine , Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences , the University of Central Florida College of Nursing , and the University of Central Florida College of Dental Medicine (along with a teaching hospital ). The medical city also includes

5974-411: The city. It is bordered by Marks Street in the north, Mills Avenue ( SR 15 ) in the east, Orange Blossom Trail ( US 441 ) in the west, and Kaley Avenue in the south. It is home to many of the region's major banks, skyscrapers, government buildings, and cultural and tourist attractions, along with a large residential population. It is mostly composed of high-rise residential towers and office towers. Among

6077-594: The communities it serves with funding for housing with Habitat for Humanity. The charity also supports other causes such as food assistance, education, and youth programs. Between 1991 and 2016, Jenkins Barnett was president of Publix Super Market Charities. Jenkins Barnett helped lead the organization to donate $ 25 million to nonprofit organizations each year. She helped lead the organization to donate over $ 10 million to Habitat for Humanity . In 2011, Florida Southern College announced an undisclosed contribution from Jenkins Barnett in honor of her husband, Barney Barnett,

6180-414: The county's first records, a grand jury 's report, mentions a stockade where it states homesteaders were "driven from their homes and forced to huddle together in hasty defences [sic]." Aaron Jernigan led a local volunteer militia during 1852. A post office opened at Jernigan in 1850. Jernigan appears on an 1855 map of Florida, and by 1856, the area had become the county seat of Orange County. In 1857,

6283-399: The daughter of George W. Jenkins , the founder of Publix Super Markets . Jenkins Barnett was president of Publix Super Markets Charities and as a member of the board of directors of Publix Super Markets. She had been included in a Forbes list of The World's Billionaires every year from 2008 on. Carol Jenkins was the daughter of Anne MacGregor and George W. Jenkins . Jenkins Barnett

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6386-416: The early 1920s, it was temporarily relocated to Clearwater Beach and then finally moved to its current location in Lakeland in 1922. In 1935 it was renamed Florida Southern College. In 1966 the school enrolled its first Black student, Gwendolyn Gibson High. The present campus comprises 70 buildings on 110 acres (45 ha) of land and is home to the largest collection of Frank Lloyd Wright architecture in

6489-416: The exception of the theme parks, most major cultural sites like the Orlando Museum of Art and Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts and nightlife, bars and clubs are located in Downtown Orlando. Other attractions like Orlando Eye at ICON Park are located along International Drive . The city is also one of the busiest American cities for conferences and conventions; Orange County Convention Center

6592-405: The following year and settled near Lake Holden. Mosquito County was renamed Orange County in 1845, with the county seat shortly thereafter relocated to Mellonville, a few miles west of Sanford . By 1856, settlement had begun in earnest in the interior of the county and a more centrally-located Courthouse was sought. The new town of Orlando, laid out in 1857, consisted of four streets surrounding

6695-433: The following: The E.T. Roux library, typically referred to as simply the "Roux Library," is located on the campus of Florida Southern College in Lakeland, FL . Designed by Frank Lloyd Wright for his Child of the Sun campus, the original Roux Library was built between the years of 1941–1945 at the cost of $ 120,000. The building is circular and housed a multi-tiered reading room in addition to library stacks. In March 1968,

6798-581: The former Air Force Base airport code (MCO). Perhaps the most critical event for Orlando's economy, though, occurred in 1965 when Walt Disney announced plans to build Walt Disney World . Although Disney had considered the regions of Miami and Tampa for his park, one of the major reasons behind his decision not to locate there was due to hurricanes – Orlando's inland location, although not free from hurricane damage, exposed it to less threat than coastal regions. The vacation resort opened in October 1971, ushering in an explosive population and economic growth for

6901-429: The former McCoy AFB still hosts a Navy Exchange, as well as national guard and reserve units for several branches of service. NTC Orlando was completely closed by the end of 1999 by the Base Realignment and Closure Commission , and converted into the Baldwin Park neighborhood. The Naval Air Warfare Center had moved to Central Florida Research Park near UCF in 1989. A major factor in Orlando's growth occurred in 1962, when

7004-445: The institution announced an undisclosed contribution from Carol Jenkins Barnett ('79) (daughter of George W. Jenkins , founder of the Lakeland-based grocery chain Publix , for whom the school's gymnasium is named) in honor of her husband, Barney Barnett ('65). The funds would be used to establish the Barney Barnett School of Business and Free Enterprise. This gesture came shortly after Richard W. "Bill" Becker ('65) gifted $ 5 million to

7107-485: The late 19th century by the Ward family. This property is still owned by the Ward family, and can be seen from southbound flights out of Orlando International Airport immediately on the south side of SR 417. Orlando became a popular resort during the years between the Spanish–American War and World War I . In the 1920s, Orlando experienced extensive housing development during the Florida Land Boom , causing land prices to soar. During this period, dozens of neighborhoods in

7210-431: The most beautiful campuses in the United States and noted that it was put under watch by the World Monument Fund as an endangered cultural site. Florida Southern commissioned Robert A. M. Stern , the dean of Yale's architecture program, to lead their expansion efforts in 2005. Stern is an accomplished American architect who won the Driehaus Architecture Prize in 2011. The Stern-designed Barnett Residential Life Center

7313-450: The name Orlando after the character in As You Like It . According to Cheney, Speer, "was a gentleman of culture and an admirer of William Shakespeare ..." Quoting a letter that Speer wrote, "Orlando was a veritable Forest of Arden , the locale of As You Like It ." Speer's descendants have also confirmed this version of the naming and the legend has continued to grow. This account also has some validity in that, as mentioned above, Speer

7416-421: The naming of Orlando) rose in the heat of the argument and said, "This place is often spoken of as 'Orlando's Grave.' Let's drop the word 'grave' and let the county seat be Orlando." The origin of the name is unknown but at least five stories relate how Orlando got its name. The most common stories are that the name Orlando originated from the tale of a man who died in 1835 during an attack by Native Americans in

7519-479: The new Orlando Jetport, the precursor of the present-day Orlando International Airport, was built from a portion of the McCoy Air Force Base. By 1970, four major airlines ( Delta Air Lines , National Airlines , Eastern Airlines , and Southern Airways ) were providing scheduled flights. McCoy Air Force Base officially closed in 1975, and most of it is now part of the airport. The airport still retains

7622-546: The new Roux Library opened in a different location on campus. The new location was designed by Nils Schweizer in a mid-century modern style. Schweitzer was a protege of Frank Lloyd Wright and went on to have a successful architectural career in the state of Florida. After the Roux Library moved in 1968, the original building was renamed the Thad Buckner Building and was used for lectures, seminars, and

7725-418: The northern portion of Osceola County , but is not connected to the main stem of this route. Surrounding cross-roads include Sand Lake Road, Kirkman Road, SR 536 , and Universal Boulevard , which runs parallel to the midsection of International Drive. At its northern end, International Drive is home to Orlando International Premium Outlets and Universal Orlando resort, along with being in close proximity to

7828-419: The oldest homes in Orlando. On June 12, 2016, more than 100 people were shot at Pulse , a gay nightclub in Orlando. Fifty (including the gunman) were killed and 60 were wounded. The gunman, whom the police SWAT team shot to death, was identified as 29-year-old Omar Mir Seddique Mateen , an American security guard. The act of terrorism was both the deadliest mass shooting in modern United States history at

7931-471: The original pioneers, but Speer's family has since claimed that Speer simply used the Orlando Reeves legend to help push his plan for naming the settlement after the Shakespearean character from As You Like It , his favorite play. This has become the most common accepted version of how Orlando got its name. Historians agree that likely no soldier was named Orlando Reeves. Folklore is that Reeves

8034-399: The place where the previous 1835 ambush that had killed over 100 soldiers had been planned. When the U.S. military abandoned the fort in 1839, the surrounding community was built up by settlers. Prior to being known by its current name, Orlando was once known as Jernigan. This name originates from the first European permanent settlers, Isaac and Aaron Jernigan , cattlemen who moved from

8137-539: The post office was removed from Jernigan, and opened under the name of Orlando at a new location in present-day downtown Orlando. During the American Civil War , the post office closed, but reopened in 1866. The move is believed to have been sparked, in part, by Aaron Jernigan's fall from grace after he was relieved of his militia command by military officials in 1856. His behavior was so notorious that United States Secretary of War Jefferson Davis wrote, "It

8240-802: The quarterly Convocation, held in the Branscomb Auditorium. Past speakers include: Conservationist Jeff Corwin , Herbert Fisk Johnson III of S. C. Johnson, Jamie Tworkowski of To Write Love on Her Arms , New York Times ' best-selling author Da Chen , and author-businessman Stephen Covey . The institution has over 80 student organizations on campus, including. Notable alumni include athletes such as Major League outfielder Matt Joyce , first baseman Lance Niekro , pitcher Rob Dibble , infielder Greg Pryor , and pitcher Brett Tomko , as well as professional golfers Lee Janzen , Rocco Mediate and U.S. Women's Open champion Kathy Cornelius . Alexi Cortez currently plays professional indoor soccer for

8343-428: The setting for movies, including The Marriage-Go-Round (1961) and The Waterboy (1998). 28°01′53″N 81°56′51″W  /  28.03138°N 81.94745°W  / 28.03138; -81.94745 Orlando, Florida Orlando ( / ɔːr ˈ l æ n d oʊ / or- LAN -doh ) is a city in and the county seat of Orange County, Florida , United States. Part of Central Florida , it

8446-407: The shooting. The city offered to buy it for $ 2.25 million, but the club's owner declined to sell. The geography of Orlando is mostly wetlands , consisting of many lakes and swamps. The terrain is generally flat, making the land fairly low and wet. The area is dotted with hundreds of lakes, the largest of which is Lake Apopka . Central Florida's bedrock is mostly limestone and very porous;

8549-402: The social and behavioral sciences. The school features a combination of traditional programs and interdisciplinary studies that includes the opportunity for students to design their own major through the "Venture into Adventure" program. The citrus science program has the nation's only citrus bachelor's degree program, including courses taught by industry leaders. The Division of Biology offers

8652-561: The state of Georgia and acquired land 2 miles (3.2 km) northwest of Fort Gatlin along the west end of Lake Holden in July 1843 by the terms of the Armed Occupation Act . Aaron Jernigan became Orange County's first state representative in 1845, but his pleas for additional military protection went unanswered. Fort Gatlin was briefly reoccupied by the military for a few weeks during October and November 1849, and subsequently

8755-495: The story in 1835 during the Second Seminole War. This name is taken from a South Carolinian cattle rancher named Orlando Savage Rees. Rees owned a Volusia County sugar mill and plantation , as well as several large estates in Florida and Mississippi . Rees' sugar farms in the area were burned out in the Seminole attacks of 1835 (the year Orlando Reeves supposedly died). Subsequently, Rees led an expedition to recover stolen slaves and cattle. In 1837, Rees also attempted to stop

8858-628: The sunlight in prismatic patterns. The McKay Archives Center is located adjacent to the Roux Library. The archive is part of the same department as the Roux Library and maintains information on the history of Florida Southern College, alumni and faculty, in addition to its institutional records. Florida Southern College has over 50 undergraduate majors in a variety of disciplines and offers the Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Music Education, and Bachelor of Science in Nursing. Florida Southern College

8961-540: The time and one of the deadliest mass shootings perpetrated by a single person in recorded world history. Mateen pledged allegiance to the Islamic State during his unsuccessful negotiations with police. After the shooting, the city held numerous vigils. In November 2016, Orlando mayor Buddy Dyer announced the city's intention to acquire the Pulse Nightclub to build a permanent memorial for the 49 victims of

9064-542: The time: "The way I grew up, everything was about Publix. We'd go to store openings. I remember attending the 100th store opening when I was eight. I was there for the glory years." Jenkins Barnett was a member of the Publix board of directors from 1983 to 2016. During her time at Publix, the company grew into the largest supermarket chain in Florida, expanded into five other states, and recorded $ 32.5 billion in sales in 2015. Publix Super Markets Charities strives to provide

9167-593: The tourist district southwest of downtown. Skyscrapers built in downtown Orlando have not exceeded 441 ft (134 m), since 1988, when the SunTrust Center was completed. The main reason for this is the Orlando Executive Airport , just under 2 miles (3.2 km) from the city center, which does not allow buildings to exceed a certain height without approval from the FAA. According to

9270-685: The upcoming Epic Universe theme park (set to open in 2025). Further south on International Drive, it features the Madame Tussauds wax museum, the Orange County Convention Center , Pointe Orlando entertainment complex, SeaWorld Orlando (along with Aquatica , SeaWorld's water park), Fun Spot America , ICON Park (featuring its famous ferris wheel, Orlando Eye ), the World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's , and other tourist ventures. The Millennia neighborhood

9373-651: The vicinity of downtown were constructed. The boom ended when several hurricanes hit Florida in the late 1920s, along with the Great Depression . During World War II , a number of Army personnel were stationed at the Orlando Army Air Base and nearby Pinecastle Army Air Field . Some of these servicemen stayed in Orlando to settle and raise families. In 1956, the aerospace and defense company Martin Marietta (now Lockheed Martin ) established

9476-466: The wind ensemble, symphony band, jazz ensemble, symphony orchestra, and several choral groups. Each large ensemble is featured in concert at least once every semester through the Festival of Fine Arts. Smaller chamber ensembles are numerous. The opera theater usually produces an opera every year. Among music faculty have been Beverly Wolff and Robert MacDonald. Branscomb Memorial Auditorium is located on

9579-655: The world. The Florida Southern College Architectural District is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as a historic district due to the historical significance of its buildings. In 2012, the institution became a part of the National Historic Landmarks of the United States. In 2011 and 2012, it was selected as the most beautiful campus in America by The Princeton Review. In September 2011, Travel+Leisure listed it as one of

9682-401: Was 320,742 inhabitants. It is the state's most populous inland city. Orlando is one of the most-visited cities in the world primarily due to tourism, major events, and convention traffic. It is the third-most visited city in the U.S. after New York City and Miami , with over 2.9 million visitors as of 2022. Orlando International Airport is the 7th-busiest airport in the United States and

9785-476: Was acting as a sentinel for a company of soldiers that had set up camp for the night on the banks of Sandy Beach Lake . Several different lakes are mentioned in the various versions, as no soldiers were in what is now downtown during 1835. The legend grew throughout the early 1900s, particularly with local historian Olive Brumbaugh (or Kena Fries ) retelling in various writings and on local radio station WDBO in 1929. Another historian, Eldon H. Gore, promoted

9888-685: Was completed in 2009. The complex includes Nicholas and Wesley Halls, and houses up to 235 students in lake-view rooms designed to complement Frank Lloyd Wright's existing architecture on campus. The 4,000 sq.ft. Rinker Technology Center opened in March 2010. Stern also designed the Robert E. Christoverson Humanities and the Becker Business Building. In addition to improving the campus proper, FSC also expanded outwardly by acquiring properties in adjacent neighborhoods. The institution acquired

9991-567: Was home of one of two Navy Nuclear Power Schools, and home of the Naval Air Warfare Center Training Systems Division . When McCoy AFB closed in 1976, its runways and territory to its south and east were imparted to the city to become Orlando International Airport , while a small portion to the northwest was transferred to the Navy as McCoy NTC Annex. That closed in 1995, and became a housing, though

10094-437: Was instrumental in changing the name of the settlement from Jernigan to Orlando, though he may have used the Orlando Reeves legend in lieu of his true intent to use the Shakespearean character. According to yet another version of the story, Orlando may have been the name of one of his employees. One of downtown Orlando 's major streets is named Rosalind Avenue; Rosalind is the heroine of As You Like It , but this could also be

10197-461: Was killed in Dade's Massacre on December 28, 1835. The site of construction for Fort Gatlin, a defensible position with fresh water between three small lakes, was likely chosen because the location was on a main trail and is less than 250 yards from a nearby Council Oak tree, where Native Americans had traditionally met. King Phillip and Coacoochee frequented this area and the tree was alleged to be

10300-537: Was rated #19 Best Theatre Program by the Princeton Review . Florida Southern College was ranked by U.S. News & World Report as #8 in Regional Universities South in the 2022-23 Best Colleges rankings. The institution was also named #11 in Best Value Schools. Florida Southern's athletic teams are known as the Moccasins , often shortened to Mocs. Prior to 1926, Florida Southern athletes were known as

10403-442: Was spread out, with 12.0% under the age of 18, 5.7% from 18 to 24, 27.3% from 25 to 44, 18.6% from 45 to 64, and 36.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 33 years. For every 100 females, there were 95.3 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.3 males. Carol Jenkins Barnett Carol Jenkins Barnett (September 30, 1956 – December 7, 2021) was an American philanthropist and businesswoman,

10506-562: Was the namesake of the city. F. K. Bull of South Carolina (Rees' great-grandson) told an Orlando reporter of a story in 1955; years later, Charles M. Bull Jr., of Orlando (Rees' great-great-grandson) offered local historians similar information. Unlike Orlando Reeves, who cannot be traced to any historical record, the record is considerable that Orlando Rees did exist and was in Florida during that time. For example, in 1832, John James Audubon met with Rees in his large estate at Spring Garden, about 45 minutes from Orlando. The final variation has

10609-504: Was the visitor center for the Child of the Sun campus. Today, the visitor center has moved into a new location. The space is still used for lectures and can also be rented for private events. Typical of Frank Lloyd Wright style, the original Roux Library was constructed of reinforced concrete and concrete blocks. Long, narrow windows crown the concrete walls and interspersed throughout the concrete walls are small colorful cubes of glass that cast

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