Believe it; it’s true! Orlando does have a history before the arrival of Walt Disney World. In a region best known for spectacular attractions, the Orange County Regional History Center unveils Central Florida’s rich, diverse story with state-of-the-art audio/visual presentations and hands-on exhibits.
Set in the former 1927 Orange County Courthouse on nearly two acres in downtown Orlando, the History Center offers four floors of exhibits and interaction for visitors of all ages. Relax under the shade of a tall cypress tree in Heritage Square, marking the "Heart of the Community" where early residents plotted land and developed the area. While at Heritage Square, enjoy concerts and festivals in the park or a frolic in the pop-jet fountains.
You are greeted by a three-dimensional Dome featuring more than 150 icons unique to Central Florida. Visitors can relax in a rocker on a Florida back porch, while surrounded by the sights and sounds of old and new Central Florida. Discover the beautiful flora, fauna and rock formations in the Natural Environment exhibit. Probe the famous Winter Park sinkhole - a natural disaster. Propel 12,000 years ago into the lives of the First Peoples, Paleo-Indians, and watch as a child pours shells onto the tall midden. Wander through a Timucuan village where natives are gathering items for trade. Witness a native’s First Contact where a Spaniard is washed ashore in a lifeboat.
Jump into the 1800s. A Seminole settlement and early Florida Pioneer Cracker home are ready for exploration. Sample household items, test the comfort of a mattress filled with Spanish moss, and spy a teenage ritual "Taffy Pull" in progress. Share a campfire with early Florida cattlemen as they spin tales about Florida's early Cattle industry days. Be sure to try on one of their saddles for size! Get the juice on Florida's best-known industry. Spend time with some Citrus pickers - right in the grove while they work.
Close out the century with a railroad car making a stop in the Port of Sanford. Inspect different modes of Transportation of the day. Roar into the 1920s with Model-T travelers camped out in a Tin Can Tourist Camp. Help "Betty the Tourist" pack up before the real estate agent convinces her to buy a bit of paradise as he works on Selling Central Florida during the great land boom.
Be dwarfed under the wing of a B-17 Bomber from WWII. Learn how some of the best flyers in Aviation, from WWII pilots to NASA astronauts, were trained in Central Florida.
Explore new heights with The Day We Changed. Be there for the construction of Cinderella's Castle and the arrival of Walt Disney World. Witness the impact the event had on the area when the news broke.
Visit Courtroom B, the scene of many of the area’s criminal cases. Beautifully restored with preserved artwork, furniture and rich walnut-paneled walls, the historic room is used to re-enact trials. It’s also available for rental and offers a unique setting for high-powered meetings.
Discover the accomplishments of diverse residents in the Community exhibit. Celebrating Central Florida spotlights famous places and activities of the area. Now that the end of the journey is almost complete, test your knowledge on another level with a top view of the Dome. Explore everything from the slow-moving manatee to the high-powered space shuttle.
“The History Center has done an incredible job in taking us back to the people, places and events that shape our region,” said Raiza Tamayo, CEO of American Paving Contractors, Inc., and myregion.org Executive Committee member and Co-Chair of History, “not only with the fantastic exhibits but with the educational programs that they schedule throughout the year,’’ she concluded. How Distant Seems Our Starting Place: The Triumphs and Tragedies of the African-American Community in Central Florida, is new to the permanent exhibits celebrating local African-American heritage and the upcoming special exhibit Walk Through Time with Orlando’s Pioneers Rogues and Rascals premiers February 8 through April 27.
The Research Center and Archives, the only research center of its kind in Central Florida, is available free of charge, by appointment. “Visitors can peruse from more than 2,500 rare and out-of-print books, 25,000 photographs, 30,000 postcards, oral history interviews featuring WWII Vets, early citrus growers and residents, newspapers, yearbooks, scrapbooks, maps, city directories, county records, reference files, personal records from churches, schools, local businesses and more,” said Sara VanArsdel, Director of the History Center and member of myregion.org’s Communications Committee and CEO Roundtable. “If you want to know more about the history of our region, visit us in downtown Orlando. Remember you make history daily! ”
For more information on the Orange County Regional History Center schedule of programs and events call (407) 836-8500 or visit www.thehistorycenter.org. To view the data collected on the region’s history, visit www.myregion.org.
