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48-489: Kissimmee ( / k ɪ ˈ s ɪ m i / kih- SIM -ee ) is the largest city and county seat of Osceola County , Florida , United States. As of the 2020 census , the population was 79,226. It is a Principal City of the Orlando-Kissimmee-Sanford, Florida, Metropolitan Statistical Area , which had a 2020 population of 2,673,376. The Census Bureau defines an urban area with Kissimmee as

96-531: A Superior Court and Sheriff (as an officer of the court ), both located in a designated "shire town". Bennington County, Vermont has two shire towns; the court for "North Shire" is in the shire town Manchester , and the Sheriff for the county and court for "South Shire" are in the shire town Bennington. In 2024, Connecticut , which had not defined their counties for anything but statistical, historical and weather warning purposes since 1960, along with ending

144-513: A city in 1883. The modern town, the county seat of Osceola County, was founded before the Civil War by the Bass, Johnson and Overstreet families. The etymology of the name Kissimmee is debated, apart from general agreement that it is Native American in origin. Its growth can be credited to Hamilton Disston of Philadelphia , who based his four-million acre (8,000 km) drainage operation out of

192-410: A county seat may be an independent city surrounded by, but not part of, the county of which it is the administrative center; for example, Fairfax City is both the county seat of Fairfax County, Virginia and completely surrounded by Fairfax County, but the city is politically independent of the county. When the county seat is in the independent city, government offices such as the courthouse may be in

240-667: A county was the magistrate , who oversaw both the day-to-day operations of the county as well as civil and criminal cases. The current number of counties mostly resembled that of the later years of the Qing dynasty . Changes of location and names of counties in Chinese history have been a major field of research in Chinese historical geography, especially from the 1960s to the 1980s. There are 1,355 counties in Mainland China out of

288-497: A day with two paved airport runways—respectively 5,000 and 6,000 feet (1,500 and 1,800 m). There are also two flight training schools and a museum at the airport. Orlando International Airport can be reached from Kissimmee in 40 minutes by car. The major roads in the Kissimmee area are Florida's Turnpike , Interstate 4 , Osceola Parkway , and US 192 . Among other important routes are US 17/92 that join with US 441 into

336-509: A large measure. But even though the Disney facility took over much of the open range cattle lands, cattle ranches still operate nearby, particularly in southern Osceola County. The 1998 Kissimmee tornado outbreak killed dozens of people in the area. On August 13, 2004, Hurricane Charley passed through Kissimmee with winds in excess of 100 miles per hour (160 km/h), damaging homes and buildings, toppling trees and cutting electrical power to

384-615: A multi-modal transportation hub between Neptune Road and Monument Street. It includes the Amtrak train station , which is a stop on the SunRail commuter rail system. There is a Greyhound bus station. The hub also has a bus terminal providing service by the Lynx network. Kissimmee Gateway Airport has four fixed-base operators that provide service to the area. Kissimmee Gateway Airport (ISM) accommodates general aviation air service 24 hours

432-480: A number of English and Spanish conventions were held by the Witnesses, bringing thousands of delegates to the Kissimmee area for the three-day events. Kissimmee has a number of public parks, including: The Shingle Creek Regional Trail (SCRT) is an inter-governmental project that is planned to connect Kissimmee to Orlando through a 32-mile bicycle trail. It runs along the environmentally sensitive Shingle Creek, and

480-581: A total of 2,851 county-level divisions. In Taiwan , the first counties were first established in 1661 by the Kingdom of Tungning . The later ruler Qing empire inherited this type of administrative divisions. With the increase of Han Chinese population in Taiwan, the number of counties also grew by time. By the end of Qing era, there were 11 counties in Taiwan. Protestant missionaries in China first romanized

528-694: Is Florida's sixth-largest municipally-owned utility, providing electric services to approximately 80,000 customers. KUA owns, operates, and manages the municipal electric system established by the City of Kissimmee . The utility is known for its commitment to reliable service and community engagement. KUA operates and jointly owns the Cane Island Power Park and has ownership interests in other generating stations, including coal, natural gas, and nuclear sources. In addition to electric services, KUA provides billing for refuse and stormwater services for

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576-598: Is a section of Middle Township , an incorporated municipality. In some states, often those that were among the original Thirteen Colonies , county seats include or formerly included "Court House" as part of their name, such as Spotsylvania Courthouse, Virginia . Most counties have only one county seat. However, some counties in Alabama , Arkansas , Georgia , Iowa , Kentucky , Massachusetts , Mississippi , Missouri , New Hampshire , New York , and Vermont have two or more county seats, usually located on opposite sides of

624-514: Is an athletic facility in the area that hosts a variety of annual events. The city is also home to the annual NCCAA men's soccer National Championship Tournament. Osceola Heritage Park is an event facility featuring a concert arena ( Silver Spurs Arena ) and professional sports stadium ( Osceola County Stadium ). The Silver Spurs Arena has hosted many acts, from Hilary Duff and Bob Dylan to an annual rodeo. Jehovah's Witnesses use Silver Spurs Arena for their annual district conventions. In 2008,

672-608: Is based in Kissimmee. According to Kissimmee's 2018 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the city's top employers are: From 1985 to 2016, the Houston Astros conducted spring training in Kissimmee, at Osceola County Stadium . The stadium also hosts numerous amateur baseball events throughout the year in conjunction with USSSA , Triple Crown Sports, World Baseball Federation and Promotion Sports. The Jim Evans Academy of Professional Umpiring has also called Osceola County Stadium home since 1994. Austin-Tindall Regional Park

720-490: Is characterized by hot, humid summers and generally mild, dry, and sunny winters. According to the Köppen climate classification system, Kissimmee has a humid subtropical climate ( Cfa ). As of the 2020 United States census , there were 79,226 people, 22,836 households, and 15,732 families residing in the city. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 59,682 people, 22,040 households, and 15,812 families residing in

768-403: Is land and 0.6 square miles (2 km), comprising 3.7%, is water. Kissimmee and St. Cloud are the county's only incorporated settlements. They are in proximity to each other along U.S. Highways 192 and 441. A large geographical area of unincorporated Osceola County is also referred to as Kissimmee. This includes most of the 192 corridor west of the city border to Highway 27 , areas north of

816-565: Is the Osceola County courthouse . The main thoroughfare follows Highway 17/Highway 92 through the city's center and is a combination of three streets: Main Street, Broadway Street, and Emmett Street. The downtown area consists largely of restaurants, small shops, and historic residences. The University of Central Florida has a business incubator in the area that is an important part of the economic engine downtown. The climate in this area

864-717: The Kissimmee City Street Railway . But Kissimmee's heyday was short-lived. Expanding railroads began to challenge the steamships for carrying freight and passengers. By 1884, the South Florida Railroad, now part of the Plant System , had extended its tracks to Tampa . The Panic of 1893 was the worst depression the U.S. had experienced up to that time, crushing land speculation and unsound debt. Disston closed his Kissimmee land operation. Consecutive freezes in 1894 and 1895 wiped out

912-752: The People's Republic of China . Xian have existed since the Warring States period and were set up nationwide by the Qin dynasty . The number of counties in China proper gradually increased from dynasty to dynasty. As Qin Shi Huang reorganized the counties after his unification, there were about 1,000. Under the Eastern Han dynasty , the number of counties increased to above 1,000. About 1400 existed when

960-542: The Sui dynasty abolished the commandery level (郡 jùn), which was the level just above counties, and demoted some commanderies to counties. In Imperial China, the county was a significant administrative unit because it marked the lowest level of the imperial bureaucratic structure; in other words, it was the lowest level that the government reached. Government below the county level was often undertaken through informal non-bureaucratic means, varying between dynasties. The head of

1008-522: The United States , a county is an administrative or political subdivision of a state that consists of a geographic area with specific boundaries and usually some level of governmental authority. The city, town, or populated place that houses county government is known as the seat of its county. Generally, the county legislature, county courthouse, sheriff's department headquarters, hall of records, jail and correctional facility are located in

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1056-411: The provinces of Ontario , Quebec , New Brunswick , Prince Edward Island , and Nova Scotia have counties as an administrative division of government below the provincial level, and thus county seats. In the provinces of Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia the term "shire town" is used in place of county seat. County seats in China are the administrative centers of the counties in

1104-628: The 3.23% Asians living in Kissimmee, 1.1% were Indian and 0.8% were Filipino . As of the 2000 census , there were 47,814 people, 17,121 households, and 11,813 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,866.6 inhabitants per square mile (1,106.8/km). There were 19,642 housing units at an average density of 1,177.6 per square mile (454.7/km). The racial makeup of the city was 67.22% White , 9.99% African American , 0.52% Native American , 3.38% Asian , 0.10% Pacific Islander , 14.15% from other races , and 4.66% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino people of any race were 41.73% of

1152-532: The Cane Island Power Park, which consists of four generating units with a combined capacity of 740 megawatts. The utility also has ownership interests in other generating stations, including coal, natural gas, and nuclear sources, to ensure a diverse and reliable power supply. KUA serves approximately 80,000 customers in Osceola County, Florida, including the cities of Kissimmee and St. Cloud, as well as parts of unincorporated Osceola County. In July 2024,

1200-574: The City of Kissimmee, Florida. KUA is governed by a five-member board of directors appointed by the Kissimmee City Commission for staggered five-year terms. The Mayor of Kissimmee serves as an ex officio member. As of January 2024, the board members include: The board selects a president and general manager who is responsible for day-to-day operations of the utility. Key executive positions include: KUA operates and jointly owns

1248-498: The KUA board of directors approved a $ 293 million operating and capital budget for the 2025 fiscal year. KUA is actively involved in the community it serves. The utility offers various programs and initiatives, including: In 2004, KUA faced significant challenges when three major hurricanes struck its service area: KUA workers worked extensively to restore power, logging 16-hour days to repair damage and restore electricity. Following

1296-692: The Orange Blossom Trail (OBT) and the John Young Parkway . The city of Kissimmee also runs a service named Freebee Kissimmee which is a cab that provides transportation around Downtown Kissimmee, Advent Health , and Valencia College . Osceola Library System operates the Hart Memorial Central Library in Kissimmee. There are only two hospitals in Kissimmee, AdventHealth Kissimmee and HCA Florida Osceola Hospital . County seat In Canada ,

1344-484: The citrus industry. The freezes, combined with South Florida 's growth and the relocation of steamship operations to Lake Okeechobee , left Kissimmee dependent on open range cattle ranching . Kissimmee had a population of 4,310 in 1950. At that point, there was some citrus packing as well as ranching. Ranching remained an important part of the local economy until Walt Disney World opened nearby in 1971. After that, tourism and development supplanted cattle ranching to

1392-479: The city to Hunters Creek , and areas south of the city to Poinciana . The city is mostly built on deep sand which is poorly drained in its natural state. The most common soil series is Myakka . Drained by the Kissimmee River , the city is on the northwest shore of Lake Tohopekaliga (locally called Lake Toho, West Lake Toho, or simply West Lake) in central Florida . Shingle Creek , largely considered

1440-507: The city. Out of Kissimmee's 58.93% Hispanic or Latino residents in the 2010 US census, 33.1% were Puerto Rican , 5.1% Dominican , 4.0% Colombian , 3.9% Mexican , 2.6% Cuban , 1.4% Venezuelan , 0.9% Ecuadorian , 0.7% Salvadoran , 0.7% Peruvian , 0.6% Honduran , and 0.6% were Nicaraguan . Also in 2010, out of the 9.59% non-Hispanic African American or Black residents, there was an additional 2.8% of people who were Afro-Latino or Black Hispanic . The 2010 census also showed that from

1488-495: The county seat is the entire county. Ellicott City , the county seat of Howard County, Maryland , is the largest unincorporated county seat in the United States, followed by Towson , the county seat of Baltimore County, Maryland . Likewise, some county seats may not be incorporated in their own right, but are located within incorporated municipalities. For example, Cape May Court House, New Jersey , though unincorporated,

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1536-491: The county seat, though some functions (such as highway maintenance, which usually requires a large garage for vehicles, along with asphalt and salt storage facilities) may also be located or conducted in other parts of the county, especially if it is geographically large. A county seat is usually an incorporated municipality . The exceptions include the county seats of counties that have no incorporated municipalities within their borders, such as Arlington County, Virginia , where

1584-420: The county. Examples include Harrison County, Mississippi , which has both Biloxi and Gulfport as county seats, and Hinds County, Mississippi , which has both Raymond and the state capital of Jackson . The practice of multiple county seat towns dates from the days when travel was difficult. There have been few efforts to eliminate the two-seat arrangement, since a county seat is a source of civic pride for

1632-554: The entire city. Kissimmee Utility Authority restored power to 54 percent of the residents in the first 72 hours and to 85 percent within one week. Service was restored to all customers on August 28. Three weeks after Hurricane Charley, the area was struck by Hurricane Frances , then Hurricane Jeanne three weeks later. According to the United States Census Bureau , the city has an area of 17.32 square miles (44.9 km), of which 16.7 square miles (43 km)

1680-531: The headwaters of the Everglades , also runs through the city, and features a canoe/kayak trail that runs from Steffe Landing on US 192 and ends in Lake Tohopekaliga . The downtown area lies near the intersection of U.S. Highway 17/92 and U.S. Highway 192 . Downtown Kissimmee has no skyscrapers; most of the buildings are two or three stories high. The biggest and the tallest building downtown

1728-625: The independent city under an agreement, such as in Albemarle , or may in be enclaves of the county surrounded by the independent city, such as in Fairfax . Others, such as Prince William , have the courthouse in an enclave surrounded by the independent city and have the county government, the Board of Supervisors, in a different part of the county, far from the county seat. The following counties have their county seat in an independent city: Bedford

1776-442: The median income for a household in the city was $ 33,949, and the median income for a family was $ 36,361. Males had a median income of $ 25,851 versus $ 21,025 for females. The per capita income for the city was $ 15,071. About 12.3% of families and 15.4% of the population were below the poverty line , including 19.0% of those under age 18 and 10.2% of those age 65 or over. Multinational multi-level marketing company Tupperware Brands

1824-520: The population. The majority of Hispanics residing in the city are Puerto Ricans . There are also small Colombian , Cuban and Dominican communities residing in and/or around the city. In 2000, there were 17,121 households, out of which 37.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 47.2% were married couples living together, 15.8% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.0% were non-families. 20.9% of all households were made up of individuals, and 4.9% had someone living alone who

1872-518: The principal city, which is separated from the Orlando urban area. The Kissimmee– St. Cloud , FL urban area had a 2020 population of 418,404, making it the 100th largest in the United States . The area was originally named Allendale, after Confederate Major J. H. Allen, who operated the first cargo steamboat along the Kissimmee River —the Mary Belle . It was renamed Kissimmee when incorporated as

1920-777: The state's area, has no borough government or borough seat. One borough, the Lake and Peninsula Borough , has its borough seat located in another borough, namely King Salmon in Bristol Bay Borough . In Louisiana , which is divided into parishes rather than counties, county seats are referred to as "parish seats". In New England , counties have served mainly as dividing lines for the states' judicial systems. Rhode Island has no county level of government and thus no county seats, and Massachusetts has dissolved many but not all of its county governments. In Vermont , Massachusetts , and Maine county government consists only of

1968-580: The term as hien . When Taiwan became a Japanese colony in 1895, the hierarchy of divisions also incorporated into the Japanese system in the period when Taiwan was under Japanese rule. By September 1945, Taiwan was divided into 8 prefectures ( 州 and 廳 ), which remained after the Republic of China took over. There are 13 county seats in Taiwan, which function as county-administered cities , urban townships , or rural townships . In most of

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2016-402: The town. Disston had contracted with the financially wobbly state of Florida to drain its southern lands, for which he would own half of all he successfully drained. This deal made Disston the largest single landowner in the United States. Disston's dredging and land speculation required a small steamboat industry to transport people and goods along the new waterway. The Kissimmee shipyard

2064-416: The towns involved, along with providing employment opportunities. There are 33 counties with multiple county seats in 11 states: Alaska is divided into boroughs rather than counties; the county seat in these case is referred to as the "borough seat"; this includes six consolidated city-borough governments (one of which is styled as a "municipality"). The Unorganized Borough, Alaska , which covers 49% of

2112-544: The use of county seats in particular, will fully transition with the permission of the United States Census Bureau to a system of councils of government for the purposes of boundary definition and as county equivalents. Two counties in South Dakota , Oglala Lakota and Todd , have their county seat and government services centered in a neighboring county. Their county-level services are provided by Fall River County and Tripp County , respectively. In Virginia ,

2160-448: Was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.77 and the average family size was 3.21. In 2000, in the city, the population was spread out, with 27.0% under the age of 18, 12.0% from 18 to 24, 34.9% from 25 to 44, 18.5% from 45 to 64, and 7.6% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females, there were 98.1 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 95.8 males. As of 2000,

2208-489: Was an independent city from 1968 to 2013, while also being the county seat of Bedford County . Bedford reverted to an incorporated town, and remains the county seat, though is now part of the county. The state with the most counties is Texas, with 254, and the state with the fewest counties is Delaware, with 3. Kissimmee Utility Authority Kissimmee Utility Authority (KUA) is a municipally-owned electric utility founded in 1901 and serving Osceola County, Florida . It

2256-449: Was included on President Obama's America's Great Outdoors list. Kissimmee is home to a number of golf courses and mini-golf courses. Kissimmee is near Orlando, home to Universal Orlando Resort and SeaWorld Orlando , and Lake Buena Vista/Bay Lake, home to Walt Disney World Resort , allowing tourists to access the parks through the city. The School District of Osceola County serves Kissimmee. High schools include: Kissimmee features

2304-560: Was responsible for building most of these large steamships, which were just one jump ahead of civilization—with Kissimmee as the jumping off point. Concurrently, the South Florida Railroad was growing and extended the end of its line from Sanford down to Kissimmee, making the town on Lake Tohopekaliga a transportation hub for Central Florida . On February 12, 1885, the Florida Legislature incorporated

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