Orange County, Florida
Template:Short description Template:Use mdy dates Template:Infobox settlement
Orange County is a county located in the central part of the U.S. state of Florida. As of the 2020 census, the county had a population of 1,429,908, making it the fifth-most populous county in Florida and the 28th-most populous county in the United States.<ref name="2020CensusPopulationByRace" /><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Its county seat is Orlando,<ref name="GR6">Template:Cite web</ref> which, along with it being the county's largest city, is the core of the Orlando metropolitan area, which had a population of 2.67 million in 2020.
As of 2022, Orange County has a gross domestic product of $115 billion, the third-largest GDP of Florida's 67 counties and the 27th-largest for the nation's 3,033 counties.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> The county is a tourist, economic, and cultural hub for the Central Florida region. Popular destinations within the county include Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, SeaWorld Orlando, Icon Park, Kia Center, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando Museum of Art, and many other attractions. It is the home to the University of Central Florida (UCF), which as of Fall 2023 had a student population of 69,320, making it the fourth-largest on-campus student body of any public university in the United States.<ref>"UCF Facts 2023-2024". Retrieved June 10, 2024.</ref> The county is home to other notable colleges, including Rollins College and Valencia College. Despite rapid development countywide, swaths of nature still do exist. There are many lakes within the county, most notable of such being Lake Apopka. Wekiwa Springs is a Template:Convert state park, that features natural springs, trails, and campsites.
History
[edit]Template:See also The land that is Orange County was part of the first land to come up from below the Early Oligocene sea 33.9–28.4 million years ago and is known as Orange Island. Orange County's Rock Spring location is a Pleistocene fossil-bearing area and has yielded a vast variety of birds and mammals including giant sloth, mammoth, camel, and the dire wolf dating around 1.1 million years ago.<ref name="Petuch, Edward J. 2007">Petuch, Edward J., Roberts, Charles; The geology of the Everglades and adjacent areas, 2007, Template:ISBN.</ref>
19th century to mid-20th century
[edit]
Immediately following the transfer of Florida from the Spanish to the United States in 1821, Governor Andrew Jackson created two counties: Escambia to the west of the Suwannee River and St. Johns to the east.<ref>Template:Cite book</ref> In 1824, the area to the south of St. Johns County was organized as Mosquito County, and Enterprise was named its county seat. This large county took up much of central Florida. The Indian Removal Act of 1830 authorized relocation of the Seminole people from Florida to Oklahoma. This resulted in pushback from the Seminole community, leading to the Second Seminole War. In 1845 when Florida finally became a state, the county was renamed Orange County.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> After the population increased in the region, the legislature organized several counties, such as Osceola (1887), Seminole (1913), Lake (1887), and Volusia (1854), from its territory.
Early on, the county greatly suffered, due to the Union blockade, but things greatly improved during Reconstruction. A boom in population, resulting from the incorporation of the Town of Orlando in 1875, greatly changed the demographics of the county.<ref name="Historic Orange County:The Story of Orlando and Orange County">Template:Cite book</ref> Orlando, establishing itself as a city in 1885,<ref>[1] Template:Webarchive</ref> experienced rapid growth from 1875 to 1895, due to it becoming the hub of Florida's citrus industry. The fruit that constituted the county's main commodity crop, was the impetus to the aforementioned county's renaming. The dark-green foliage of orange trees filled the county, as did the scent of the orange blossoms when in bloom. Fewer commercial orange groves remained by the end of the twentieth century. The majority of groves were destroyed by the freezing temperatures that occurred in December 1983, January 1985, and December 1989, the worst since 1899.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
During the post-Reconstruction period, white people committed a high rate of racial violence against black people in Orange County; racial terrorism was used to re-establish and maintain white supremacy. Whites lynched 33 African Americans here from 1877 to 1950; most were killed in the decades around the turn of the 20th century. This was the highest total of any county in the state, and sixth highest of any county in the country.<ref name="jeff"/> Florida had the highest per-capita rate of lynchings of any state in the South, where the great majority of these extrajudicial murders took place.<ref>Template:Dead link Lynching in America/ Supplement: Lynchings by County, 3rd Edition, 2015, p.2Template:Dead link</ref>
Among the terrorist lynchings was the death of Julius "July" Perry of Ocoee, whose body was found November 3, 1920, hanged from a lightpole in Orlando, near the house of a judge known to be sympathetic to black voting.<ref name="jeff">Jeff Kunerth, "Report: Orange County ranks 6th in lynchings from 1877-1950", Orlando Sentinel, February 11, 2015; accessed March 21, 2018</ref> But this was part of a much larger story of KKK and other white attempts to suppress black voting in Ocoee and the state. African Americans had organized for a year to increase voter turnout for the 1920 presidential election, with organizations helping prepare residents for voter registration, paying for poll taxes, and similar actions. On Election Day in Ocoee, blacks were turned away from the polls. Perry, a prosperous farmer, was suspected of sheltering Mose Norman, an African-American man who had tried to vote.<ref name="ortiz"/> After Norman was twice turned away, white violence broke out, resulting in a riot through the black community, leaving an estimated 50 to 60 African-Americans dead and all the properties destroyed. Many blacks fled from Ocoee to save their lives, and the town became all-white.<ref name="ortiz">Ortiz, Paul (May 14, 2010). "Ocoee, Florida: Remembering the 'single bloodiest day in modern U.S. political historyTemplate:'", Facing South, The Institute for Southern Studies; University of Mississippi. Retrieved on March 21, 2018</ref><ref name="jeff"/> Voting efforts were suppressed for decades.
Later 20th century to present
[edit]
Economically destroyed at the turn of the century from the decimation of the citrus industry, many farmers walked away from the region. The freeze caused many farmers in central Florida to move to other warm climates, such as to the Caribbean or to California (such as the similarly named Orange County, California). Others awaited other opportunities. One of the region's major land owners and growers was the Tropicana company. They withdrew rather than try to come back from these seemingly endless generational decimation. With no realistic avenues for agricultural use of this rural land, and Florida's continuing strong population growth and its attendant needs (aided and supported by the success of nearby Walt Disney World and Universal Studios Florida), these areas began to be developed for housing and other industries, especially after World War II.
In 1962 Orlando Jetport was built. The predecessor of modern-day Orlando International Airport, it 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) had begun providing scheduled flights. McCoy Air Force Base officially closed in 1975, in which the airport still retains the former Air Force Base airport code (MCO).
In 1965, Walt Disney announced plans to build Walt Disney World. The renowned resort opened in October 1971. This had a seismic impact to the region, resulting in an explosive growth in the county's population and in its economy. The success of Disney World, allowed for other theme parks and entertainment attractions to open and thrive in the county, such as Universal Orlando and SeaWorld Orlando. The county now has more theme parks and entertainment attractions than anywhere else in the world.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
In the 21st century, the county's economy has since diversified.<ref>"Economic Diversification: A Necessary Priority for EDOs", tradeology, December 21, 2020. Accessed June 17, 2024.</ref><ref>Hudak, Stephen."Orange County approves $2 million to diversify economy amid COVID-19 recovery", Orlando Sentinel, February 23, 2021. Accessed June 17, 2024.</ref> Despite the rapid development in the county, thanks to gentrification relics of the historic core of "Old Orlando" still reside in downtown Orlando (along Church Street, between Orange Avenue and Garland Avenue), as well as within Orange County communities outside city limits, such as in Eatonville, Windermere, and Winter Park.
Geography
[edit]
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of Template:Convert, of which Template:Convert is land and Template:Convert (10.0%) is water.<ref name="GR1">Template:Cite web</ref> Orange County is about Template:Convert above sea level.<ref name=gnis>Template:GNIS</ref> The county is bordered by Osceola County by the south, on the southwest by Polk County, on the west by Lake County, on the north by Seminole County, on the northeast by Volusia County, and on the east by Brevard County.
Most of the county lies in the Florida coastal lowlands, while the northwestern areas rise into the Florida Central Highlands.<ref name="Szary">Template:Cite book</ref><ref>Woodard, Kenneth & Liu, Kesi & White-Leech, U & Sollenberger, Lynn. (2013). Leaching Potential of Phosphorus from Cattle Excreta Patches in the Central Highlands of Florida. Journal of environmental quality. 42. 872-880. 10.2134/jeq2012.0348.</ref><ref>Florida’s Outdoor Recreation Setting: Chapter 2, Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Accessed July 5, 2024.</ref> The population center of the county is in the central and western sections in the transition zone from coastal plain to highlands, whereas eastern sections in the coastal plain are more remote in population. Orange County was part of the first land to rise up below from below the Early Oligocene sea about 33.9–28.4 million years ago, also known as Orange Island.<ref name="Petuch, Edward J. 2007"/>
The headwaters for the Kissimmee River, which forms the northern part of the Everglades, are located in the county. Boggy Creek rises from the Orlando International Airport at Template:Convert above sea level, which is the primary inflow for East Lake Tohopekaliga in nearby Osceola County.<ref>Template:Gnis</ref> Other watersheds within the county include the Ocklawaha and Wekiva rivers, along with the Upper and Middle basins, which are all sub-watersheds within the extensive St. Johns watershed. Lake Apopka is located in the county, on the course of the Ocklawaha River, and is the fourth largest lake in the state of Florida.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Wekiwa Springs State Park is a Template:Convert Florida State Park along the course of the Wekiva River.
Despite Orange County being landlocked in the center of the state, it is still relatively close to many beaches to the east on the Atlantic Ocean, with Cocoa Beach being the closest and a popular destination. The Gulf of Mexico is also relatively close, although a bit farther away, to the west, with many beaches like Clearwater Beach and St. Pete Beach also being popular destinations.
Regions of Orange County
[edit]
Orange County is divided into six regions; the (central) Downtown area (with urban characteristics); the (southwestern) tourist strip (with a mixture of permanent dwellings, resorts, and hotels); a mixture of working-class, middle-class, and wealthier suburbs in the west (with some exurban characteristics); more historically established suburbs to the north (with inner-ring characteristics, attributed to the SunRail); a mixture of suburbs with more accessibly priced homes in the east (within the influence of University of Central Florida); and working-class neighborhoods and additional tourist attractions to the south (within the influence of nearby Kissimmee in neighboring Osceola County). Florida's Turnpike is popularly regarded as a dividing line between northern areas catering more to permanent residents and southern areas catering more to tourists.
There are 115 neighborhoods within the city limits of Orlando, along with many municipalities and unincorporated areas throughout the county. 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 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.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Failed verification
The center of government, commerce and culture in the county, is in Downtown Orlando, bordered by Marks Street in the north, Mills Avenue (SR 15) in the east, Orange Blossom Trail in the west, and Kaley Avenue in the south. Mostly composed of high-rise residential towers and office towers, 46 of the 79 high-rises in the Greater Orlando region are located in downtown.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Kia Center, Lake Eola, Orlando Museum of Art, and other attractions are located in downtown, along with corporate offices for banks such as Wells Fargo, Seacoast, and Suntrust banks, and government building such as Orange County Courthouse and Orlando City Hall.
In the southern region of the county is the rapidly growing community of Lake Nona. Along with being home to Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, it is also the health district for the city of Orlando, with Lake Nona Medical City. Featuring Nemours Children's Hospital, University of Central Florida's Health Sciences Campus, which includes the university's College of Medicine, Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, College of Nursing, College of Dental Medicine, a teaching hospital, and other healthcare amenities.<ref name="medcampus">Template:Cite web</ref>
The main tourist strip for the city is in the southwestern section of the county. International Drive, commonly known as I-Drive, is a major Template:Convert thoroughfare that traverses central and southern portions of unincorporated Orange County. An additional extension is known as International Drive South, partly located in the northern portion of Osceola County. Other major roads in this region 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 the upcoming Epic Universe theme park (set to open in 2025).<ref>Orlando Premium Outlets-International Official Website, Orlando International Premium Outlets. Accessed May 20, 2024.</ref><ref>[2], Universal Orlando Resort. Accessed May 20, 2024.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Further south on International Drive, it features the Orange County Convention Center, Dezerland Park mall, SeaWorld Orlando (along with Aquatica, SeaWorld's water park), ICON Park (featuring its famous Ferris wheel, Orlando Eye), the World's Largest Entertainment McDonald's, and other tourist ventures.<ref>International Drive Resort Area Official Website, International Drive Resort Area Official Website. Accessed May 20, 2024.</ref> This region is most known for being the location of Walt Disney World Resort, which covers nearly Template:Convert (of which half has been developed).<ref name="Fun Facts">Template:Cite news</ref> The Central Florida Tourism Oversight District (formerly the Reedy Creek Improvement District) is the governing jurisdiction and special taxing district for the land of Disney World, encompassing a large swath of Template:Convert in southern Orange county and northern Osceola County. It acts with most of the same authority and responsibility as a county government.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="LAT 2023-03-01">Template:Cite news</ref> It includes the cities of Bay Lake and Lake Buena Vista, as well as unincorporated land, within Orange County. Other communities in southwestern Orange County, which have primarily suburban and exurban characteristics, include Bay Hill, Dr. Phillips, Four Corners, Horizon West, MetroWest, Williamsburg, and Windermere.
Orange County communities due west of Downtown Orlando, which primarily have exurban characteristics, include Apoka, Gotha, Oakland, Ocoee, Pine Hills, Tildenville, and Winter Garden. Orange County communities due north of Downtown Orlando, which are primarily more well-established and that have suburban and urban characteristics, include Baldwin Park, Eatonville, Fairview Shores, Goldenrod, Lockhart, Maitland, and Winter Park. Orange County communities due east of Downtown Orlando, which primarily have suburban and rural characteristics, include Alafaya, Avalon Park, Azalea Park, Bithlo, Christmas, Union Park, and Wedgefield. The east side of the county is also the home of the University of Central Florida (UCF).<ref>[official website|https://www.ucf.edu/], University of Central Florida official website. Accessed July 5, 2024.</ref> Orange County communities due south of Downtown Orlando, which primarily have suburban characteristics, include Conway, Hunter's Creek, Lake Nona, Meadow Woods, Oak Ridge, Southchase, and Taft.
Communities
[edit]
Template:Main Orange County includes 13 incorporated areas, 38 census-designated places, and 7 unincorporated regions.
Adjacent counties
[edit]- Seminole County - north
- Volusia County - northeast
- Brevard County - east
- Osceola County - south
- Polk County - southwest
- Lake County - west
Climate
[edit]| Template:Climate chart |
Demographics
[edit]| Historical racial composition | 2020<ref name="2020CensusPopulationByRace" /> | 2010<ref name="2010CensusPopulationByRace" /> | 2000<ref name="2000CensusPopulationByRace" /> | 1990<ref name="1990Census1" /> | 1980<ref name="1980Census1" /> |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White (non-Hispanic) | 37.2% | 46.0% | 57.5% | 73.3% | 80.0% |
| Hispanic or Latino | 33.1% | 26.9% | 18.8% | 9.6% | 4.2% |
| Black or African American (non-Hispanic) | 18.4% | 19.5% | 17.5% | 14.8% | 14.6% |
| Asian and Pacific Islander (non-Hispanic) | 5.5% | 4.9% | 3.4% | 2.0% | 1.3% |
| Native American (non-Hispanic) | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.2% | 0.3% | |
| Other Race (non-Hispanic) | 1.1% | 0.5% | 0.3% | 0.1% | |
| Two or more races (non-Hispanic) | 4.6% | 2.0% | 2.2% | N/A | N/A |
| Population | 1,429,908 | 1,145,956 | 896,344 | 677,491 | 471,016 |
| Demographic characteristics | 2020<ref name="2020CensusHouseholds">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="2020CensusSexByAge">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="2020CensusMedianAge">Template:Cite web</ref> | 2010<ref name="2010CensusHouseholds">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="2010CensusSexByAge">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="2010CensusMedianAge">Template:Cite web</ref> | 2000<ref name="2000CensusHouseholds">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="2000CensusSexByAge">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="2000CensusMedianAge">Template:Cite web</ref> | 1990<ref name="1990Census1" /> | 1980<ref name="1980Census1" /><ref name="1980Census2">Template:Cite web</ref> |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Households | 561,851 | 487,839 | 361,349 | 254,852 | 170,754 |
| Persons per household | 2.54 | 2.35 | 2.48 | 2.66 | 2.76 |
| Template:Abbr | 95.0 | 97.0 | 98.0 | 98.4 | 94.6 |
| Ages 0–17 | 22.0% | 23.6% | 25.3% | 23.8% | 26.6% |
| Ages 18–64 | 65.6% | 66.7% | 64.7% | 65.6% | 62.8% |
| Ages 65 + | 12.4% | 9.7% | 10.0% | 10.6% | 10.6% |
| Median age | 35.6 | 33.7 | 33.3 | 31.4 | 29.5 |
| Population | 1,429,908 | 1,145,956 | 896,344 | 677,491 | 471,016 |
| Economic indicators | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017–21 American Community Survey | Orange County | Florida | |
| Template:Abbr<ref name="ACSPersonalIncome">Template:Cite web</ref> | $33,160 | $34,367 | |
| Template:Abbr<ref name="ACSHouseholdIncome">Template:Cite web</ref> | $65,784 | $61,777 | |
| Poverty Rate<ref name="ACSPoverty">Template:Cite web</ref> | 13.9% | 13.1% | |
| Template:Abbr<ref name="ACSEducationalAttainment">Template:Cite web</ref> | 89.5% | 89.0% | |
| Template:Abbr<ref name="ACSEducationalAttainment" /> | 35.7% | 31.5% | |
| Template:Abbr<ref name="ACSEducationalAttainment" /> | 12.7% | 11.7% | |
| Language spoken at homeTemplate:Efn | 2015Template:Efn | 2010Template:Efn | 2000<ref name="2000CensusLanguage">Template:Cite web</ref> | 1990<ref name="1990Census2">Template:Cite web</ref> | 1980<ref name="1980Census3">Template:Cite web</ref> |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | 64.7% | 66.6% | 74.6% | 86.4% | 92.9% |
| Spanish or Spanish Creole | 24.7% | 23.2% | 17.3% | 9.0% | 3.9% |
| French or Haitian Creole | 3.6% | 3.2% | 2.6% | 1.1% | 0.6% |
| Vietnamese | 1.2% | 1.0% | 0.9% | 0.7% | 0.3% |
| Other Languages | 7.0% | 7.0% | 5.5% | 3.5% | 2.6% |
| Nativity | 2015Template:Efn | 2010Template:Efn | 2000<ref name="2000CensusNativity">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="2000CensusForeignBorn">Template:Cite web</ref> | 1990<ref name="1990Census2" /> | 1980<ref name="1980Census3" /> |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| % population native-born | 79.3% | 80.9% | 85.6% | 92.5% | 95.0% |
| ... born in the United States | 70.2% | 73.0% | 78.7% | 88.0% | 93.2% |
| ... born in Puerto Rico or Island Areas | 7.8% | 6.7% | 5.8% | 3.4% | 1.8% |
| ... born to American parents abroad | 1.3% | 1.2% | 1.0% | 1.1% | |
| % population foreign-bornTemplate:Efn | 20.7% | 19.1% | 14.4% | 7.5% | 5.0% |
| ... born in Haiti | 2.4% | 2.0% | 1.5% | 0.4% | N/ATemplate:Efn |
| ... born in Colombia | 1.5% | 1.7% | 1.0% | 0.3% | N/ATemplate:Efn |
| ... born in Mexico | 1.4% | 1.7% | 1.2% | 0.4% | 0.2% |
| ... born in Cuba | 1.3% | 1.1% | 1.0% | 0.7% | 0.6% |
| ... born in Venezuela | 1.2% | 0.6% | 0.3% | < 0.1% | N/ATemplate:Efn |
| ... born in Jamaica | 1.1% | 1.1% | 1.0% | 0.6% | 0.2% |
| ... born in the Dominican Republic | 1.0% | 1.0% | 0.6% | 0.2% | < 0.1% |
| ... born in Brazil | 1.0% | 0.8% | 0.5% | < 0.1% | N/ATemplate:Efn |
| ... born in other countries | 9.8% | 9.1% | 7.3% | 4.9% | 4.0% |
Economy
[edit]Corporate
[edit].jpg){kind=link}
ABC Fine Wine & Spirits, Atlantic.net, Central Florida Expressway Authority, Darden Restaurants, Miller's Ale House, Planet Hollywood, and Tijuana Flats (among others) have their corporate headquarters in the county.<ref>"ABC Fine Wine & Spirits: About Us. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref><ref>Atlantic.net: About Us. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref><ref>Central Florida Expressway Authority: Contact Us. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref><ref>"Darden 2011 Annual Report" (PDF). Darden Restaurants, Inc. Archived from the original (PDF) on December 24, 2012. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref><ref>Miller's Ale House Company Profile. PitchBook. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref><ref>Miller's Ale House: Terms and Conditions of Use. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref><ref>Planet Hollywood: About Us. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref><ref>Tijuana Flats: Story. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref>
Other companies with offices in the county include (but are not limited to):
- Amazon
- JetBlue<ref>"JetBlue's HQ contest down to NYC, Orlando." Crain's New York Business. Retrieved February 13, 2010</ref>
- Lockheed Martin<ref>Lockheed Martin Locations: Orlando, Florida. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref>
- Tupperware
Orange County Convention Center is a convention center located in the aforementioned county. It is the primary public convention center for the Central Florida region and the second-largest convention center in the United States, after McCormick Place in Chicago.<ref name="cvent.com"/> Located on the south end of International Drive, the OCCC offers Template:Convert of space, Template:Convert of which is exhibit space. The OCCC hosts events attracting about 1.5 million people annually, injecting $2.5 billion into the region's economy.<ref>OCCC Economic Impact. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref>
Healthcare
[edit]
Orange County has been a growing-hub for healthcare in Central Florida. Two of the largest healthcare networks in the county are AdventHealth and Orlando Health, which were both founded in the county. Currently, the headquarters for Orlando Health is in Orange County, whereas the headquarters for AdventHealth is located in neighboring Seminole County.<ref>Orlando Health: Has a New Address. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref><ref>AdventHealth Locations: Corporate Offices. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref>
Lake Nona Medical City (a master-planned community) is a Template:Convert health and life sciences park in Lake Nona. The city is home to the University of Central Florida's Burnett School of Biomedical Sciences, the College of Medicine, the College of Nursing, and the College of Dental Medicine, along with its teaching hospital.<ref name="medcampus"/> The city also includes the Sanford-Burnham Medical Research Institute, Nemours Children's Hospital, and the University of Florida's College of Pharmacy (ranked #5 among all pharmacy schools in the nation<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>).
Shopping
[edit]
The transient nature of Orange County makes it a major regional commercial hub for the State of Florida. The Florida Mall is located in unincorporated Orange County, and with a gross leasable area of Template:Convert it is one of the largest single-story malls in the United States and the largest mall in Central Florida.<ref>"The Florida Mall Fact Sheet" (PDF). Simon Property Group. Archived August 4, 2018. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref> With over 250 stores and various dining options (including 25 quick-service restaurants and 8 sit-down restaurants), The Florida Mall attracts over 20 million visitors annually, including domestic and international tourists.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
Disney Springs (formerly Downtown Disney) is an outdoor shopping, dining, and entertainment complex at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista. The Template:Convert complex includes four distinct areas: Marketplace, The Landing, Town Center, and West Side.<ref>Disney Springs Official Website. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref> Walt Disney Imagineers took inspiration from real coastal towns in Florida, such as St. Augustine and Coral Gables.<ref name="USAStory">Template:Cite news</ref> Universal CityWalk in Orlando is the entertainment and retail district located adjacent to the theme parks of Universal Studios Florida and Universal Islands of Adventure at Universal Orlando.<ref>Universal CityWalk at Universal Orlando. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref>
Other regional shopping destinations in the county include Dezerland Park Orlando, Disney's Flamingo Crossings, The Mall at Millenia, Orlando Fashion Square, Orlando International Premium Outlets, Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets,<ref>Orlando Vineland Premium Outlets: A Simon Center. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref> Waterford Lakes Town Center, West Oaks Mall, Winter Garden Village,<ref>Winter Garden Village Official Website. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> and Winter Park Village.
Sports
[edit]
Orange County hosts two major league professional sports teams: the Orlando Magic of the National Basketball Association (NBA), and Orlando City SC of Major League Soccer (MLS). There are also minor league professional teams, such as the Orlando Solar Bears of the ECHL, the Orlando Predators of the National Arena League (NAL), and the Orlando Anarchy of the Women's Football Alliance. The UCF Knights, the athletics teams of the University of Central Florida, compete in NCAA Division I.
The ESPN Wide World of Sports Complex is a Template:Convert multi-purpose sports complex located at Walt Disney World in Bay Lake. The complex includes nine venues, hosting professional and amateur sporting events throughout the year. Most notable of events hosted at the venues include the 2020 NBA Bubble (due to the Covid-19 pandemic), the MLS is Back tournament, the 2016 Invictus Games, the Pro Bowl skills competition from 2017 to 2020, the 1997 U.S. Men's Clay Court Championships, and the 2022 Special Olympics USA Games. The Atlanta Braves utilized the facilities for spring training from 1997 to 2019, along with the Tampa Bay Rays utilizing the complex in 2023 spring training, due to Charlotte Sports Park being heavily damaged by Hurricane Ian in the previous year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
The Arnold Palmer Invitational on the PGA Tour is played each March at the Bay Hill Club and Lodge, a private golf resort owned since 1974 by Arnold Palmer in the community of Bay Hill.<ref>Arnold Palmer's Bay Hill Club & Lodge: History of Bay Hill. Accessed June 13, 2024.</ref> Other notable golf clubs in the county are the Eagle Creek Golf Club, the Lake Nona Golf & Country Club, and the Rio Pinar Country Club. The Golf Channel was formerly headquartered in Orange County. However in February 2020, it was reported that the Golf Channel would consolidate its television operations with the remainder of NBC Sports at its facilities in Stamford, Connecticut.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> GolfNow and GolfPass services continue to primarily operate out of the greater Orlando area.
Tourism and hospitality
[edit]
Tourism remains at the core of Orange County's economy. Nicknamed the 'Theme Park Capital of the World', the county is home to Walt Disney World, Universal Orlando, and SeaWorld Orlando, among many other theme parks. As of 2022, with over 2.9 million visitors, Orlando was the third-most visited city in the U.S. after New York City and Miami.<ref>"America's 10 most visited cities"., World Atlas, December 5, 2023.</ref> Orlando International Airport is the 7th-busiest airport in the United States and the 18th-busiest in the world.<ref name=":2">Template:Cite web</ref><ref name="PANYNJ 2023 report">Template:Cite web</ref> The county features 7 of the 10 most visited theme parks in North America (5 of the top 10 in the world), as well as the 4 most visited water parks in the U.S.<ref>2012 TEA AECOM Themed Index Template:Webarchive. , June 12, 2024</ref> The Walt Disney World resort is the area's largest attraction. The resort is home to, the Magic Kingdom, Epcot, Disney's Hollywood Studios, Disney's Animal Kingdom, Disney's Typhoon Lagoon, Disney's Blizzard Beach and Disney Springs. Universal Orlando encompasses Universal Studios Florida, Universal Islands of Adventure, Universal Volcano Bay and Universal CityWalk. SeaWorld Orlando is an animal theme park, featuring numerous marine wildlife displays, alongside an amusement park, Aquatica water park, and Discovery Cove. Other theme parks include Fun Spot Orlando, Icon Park, Madame Tussauds, and Sealife Aquarium.
Along with these tourist offerings, the county is also home to the corporate headquarters for these theme parks' operations. One of the two corporate headquarters for Disney Experiences is located in Lake Buena Vista (the other headquarters is located in Glendale, California). There were reportedly plans from Disney, that they were to expand more of their corporate presence in Orange County, with the transferring of DPEP positions over the next couple of years to a new 60-acre corporate campus in the Lake Nona area of the county, with as many as 90% of the transferred positions being Imagineering positions.<ref name="MacDonald">Template:Cite news</ref><ref name="Rice">Template:Cite news</ref> However, the planned relocation was cancelled in May 2023 amidst the feud between Disney and Florida's governor Ron DeSantis.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> United Parks & Resorts (formerly SeaWorld Entertainment Inc.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> or SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment) is an American theme park and entertainment company, with corporate headquarters located in Orange County.<ref>Powers, Scott "Busch Entertainment to call Orlando home", Orlando Sentinel, October 25, 2007, Archived from original: October 26, 2007. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref><ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Along with SeaWorld, United Parks & Resorts is the parent company for the theme parks Adventure Island, Aquatica, Busch Gardens, Discovery Cove, Sesame Place, Water Country USA, and Worlds of Discovery.<ref>United Parks & Resorts: Our Brands. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref>
In-turn, hospitality is incredibly vital to the county's economy. Westgate Resorts, an American timeshare resort company, was founded and is currently headquartered in the county.<ref>Westgate Resorts: Corporate Contact Information. Accessed June 12, 2024.</ref> As of July 2021, Westgate Resorts has 22 locations across the United States.<ref>Westgate Resorts</ref> Other major hospitality companies with a significant economic presence (both corporate and in its resort properties) within the county include:
- Hilton Grand Vacations Club
- Marriott Vacation Club International
- Ryman Hospitality Properties
- Travel + Leisure Co. (formerly part of Wyndham Worldwide)
Government
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The county functions under a charter form of government. The charter serves as a constitution, detailing the structure and operation of the local government. A Charter Review Commission has the power to consider and place amendments on the ballot. Voters then decide whether to accept or reject all amendments put forth. If voters approve an amendment, it is then inserted into the charter.
Federal representation
[edit]Four districts of the U.S. House of Representatives represent parts of Orange County.
District 8 encompasses all of Brevard and Indian River Counties and far eastern Orange County. District 9 encompasses all of Osceola County, eastern Polk County and southern Orange County. District 10 encompasses most of Orange County. District 11 encompasses all of Sumter County, and parts of Lake, Polk, and western Orange County.
State representation
[edit]Orange County residents are represented in Tallahassee with 3 Senate seats.
| State senators | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| District | Incumbent | Hometown | % Voters<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | Next election |
| Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center"|11 | Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center"|Randolph Bracy | Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center"|Orlando | Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center"| 37.44 | Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center"|2020 |
| Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" |13 | Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" |Linda Stewart | Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" |Orlando | Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 42.55 | Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" |2020 |
| Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" |15 | Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" |Victor Torres | Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" |Orlando | Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" | 20 | Template:Party shading/Democratic align="center" |2020 |
District 11 encompasses northwestern Orange County, District 13 encompasses north central and northeastern Orange County, and District 15 encompasses all of Osceola County and the southern third of Orange County.
Orange County residents are represented in Tallahassee with 9 House seats.
District 37 encompasses southern Seminole and portions of northern Orange County, Districts 35, 46, and 47 encompass Osceola County and Orange County, and Districts 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, and 44 are wholly composed of Orange.
County representation
[edit]Template:Unreferenced section Orange County is served by a board of commissioners. The board consists of an elected mayor and six commissioners. The mayor is elected At-large, while commissioners are elected from single-member districts. The mayor and commissioners each serve staggered four-year terms. Commissioners from Districts 1, 3, and 5 are elected in presidential election years, while the mayor and commissioners from Districts 2, 4, and 6 are elected in alternate years. The county is also served by a clerk of courts, sheriff, property appraiser, tax collector, supervisor of elections, state attorney, and public defender. All positions are four-year terms, requiring direct election by voters in presidential election years.
Politics
[edit]Orange County is located along the pivotal Interstate 4 corridor, which until recently was a powerful swing region in what was one of the country's most critical swing states. Many close elections were won or lost depending on the voting outcome along the corridor. Voters were considered independent, traditionally splitting their votes, electing Democrats and Republicans on the same ballot. As a result of such independence, voters were inundated with non-stop television and radio ads months preceding a general election.
Orange County was one of the first areas of Florida to turn Republican. It swung from a 15-point victory for Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1944 to a seven-point victory for Thomas E. Dewey in 1948. It eventually became one of the stronger Republican bastions in Florida, as evidenced when it gave Barry Goldwater 56 percent of its vote in 1964. For most of the second half of the 20th century, it was one of the more conservative urban counties in Florida and the nation. From 1948 to 1988, Democrats only cracked the 40 percent barrier twice, in 1964 and 1976. However, the Republican edge narrowed considerably in the 1990s. George H. W. Bush fell from 67 percent of the vote in 1988 to only 45.9 percent in 1992. In 1996, Bob Dole only won the county by 520 votes.
In September 2000,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Democrats overtook Republicans in voter registration. This was a factor in Al Gore becoming the first Democratic presidential candidate to carry the county since 1944. John Kerry narrowly carried the county in 2004. In 2008, however, Orange County swung hard to Barack Obama, who won it by the largest margin for a Democrat since Roosevelt. In the years since, it has become one of the strongest Democratic bastions in Florida.
Since 2000, Republicans have yet to retake the advantage they once enjoyed. In the twelve years that followed, Democrats experienced a modest increase in their voter registration percentage from 41.40% to 42.73% of the electorate. Minor party voters also had modest growth, increasing from 2.17% to 2.37%. In contrast, Republicans experienced a sharp decrease in registered voters, sliding from 40.95% in 2000 down to 29.85% in 2012. The beneficiary of the Republican losses have been unaffiliated voters. The percentage of the electorate identifying as an unaffiliated voter increased from 15.47% to 25.06% during this same period. Orange County is one of two different counties in the entire nation to have voted for Al Gore in 2000 after voting for Dole in 1996, a distinction it shares with Charles County, Maryland.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>
However, Orange County went to Kamala Harris by just 13 points in 2024, the closest margin in Orange County since 2004. This made Orange County one of just six Florida counties to go for Harris as Donald Trump won the former swing state of Florida by 13 points.<ref>https://www.tallahassee.com/story/news/politics/elections/2024/11/06/florida-counties-kamala-harris-won/76090180007/</ref><ref>https://www.cnn.com/election/2024/results/florida</ref> Florida is now considered a red state and presidential campaigns are unlikely to focus on the state in the future.<ref>https://thehill.com/homenews/state-watch/4981681-florida-trump-republican-victory/</ref>
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Voter registration
[edit]| Registered active voters by party as of October 19, 2024<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Total | Percentage | |||
| Template:Party color cell | Democratic | 332,967 | 39.75% | ||
| Template:Party color cell | Republican | 224,915 | 26.85% | ||
| Template:Party color cell | Minor parties | 26,335 | 3.14% | ||
| Template:Party color cell | Unaffiliated | 253,508 | 30.26% | ||
| Total | 837,725 | 100.00% | |||
Education
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Public education
[edit]The Orange County Public Schools deliver public education to students countywide.<ref>Template:Cite web - Text list</ref> Its functions and expenditures are overseen by an elected school board composed of a chairman, elected at-large; and seven members, elected from single-member districts. Each member is elected to a four-year term: the chairman and three other members are elected in gubernatorial election years, while the other four are elected in presidential election years. As of the 2021–2022 school year, the school system operated 205 schools (127 elementary, 9 K-8, 39 middle, 22 high, and 8 exceptional learning), with 206,246 students.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> As of 2023, it is the 4th largest district statewide and eighth largest in the nation.<ref name="largest">Template:Cite web</ref>Template:Better source needed
Colleges and universities
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The University of Central Florida is the sole 4-year public university. As of the Fall 2020 semester, a total of 71,948 students attended the university, making it the largest university in the nation by enrollment.<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> The university's 1,415 acre main campus is situated in northeast Orange County.<ref name=":0" />
Nearby Winter Park is home to Rollins College, a private college situated only a few miles from Downtown Orlando. In 2012, it was ranked #1 by U.S. News & World Report amongst regional universities in the South.<ref>Template:Cite magazine</ref>
With six campuses spread throughout the county, Valencia College offers two-year degree programs, as well three baccalaureate programs.
The law schools for Barry University and Florida A&M are also conveniently located in Downtown Orlando.
Full Sail University is a for-profit university in Winter Park, Florida. Full Sail is not regionally accredited, but is nationally accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC) to award associate's, bachelor's degrees, and master's degrees in audio, film, design, computer animation, business, and other fields.[10] The school offers 35 degree programs and 2 graduate certificates and has a student population of more than 16,800.
Libraries
[edit]Template:MainOrange County is served by the Orange County Library System, which was established in 1923. Before the opening of the Albertson Public Library in 1923, a circulating library maintained by the Sorosis Club of Orlando offered book lending services to patrons on a subscription basis. The Albertson Public Library was established with the collection of Captain Charles L. Albertson and the library was named in his honor. In 1924, the Booker T. Washington Branch of the Albertson Library was established to service the African American community of Orlando. In 1966, the current Orlando Public Library building was completed on the grounds of the Albertson Public Library.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Currently there are 16 libraries within the Orange County Library system.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> The library systems offers a diverse selection of materials, free programs and free access to various databases. In addition, the library offers free delivery of most items through its MAYL service.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>
One exception exists in the cities of Maitland and Winter Park which are each part of a separate library taxing districts and as a result residents of these cities are not entitled to receive resident borrowing privileges at OCLS branches even though they are technically and legally residents of Orange County, instead an agreement was reached between Maitland, Winter Park and the OCLS whereas a resident of those cities can go to any OCLS branch and request a "Reciprocal borrower card" which is provided free of charge. The Reciprocal borrower cards is valid for one year and can be used at any OCLS branch with the exception of the Melrose Center at the Orlando Public Library which requires a separate Melrose Center specific card which is issued after the user applies for the card and goes through a mandatory orientation class. Access to the OCLS Internet on library owned PCs requires a Reciprocal borrower to pay small session access fee. The OCLS Wi-Fi network which is available at all branches remains free of charge to all users including Reciprocal borrowers and visitors who use their own iPad, Mac, PC, Smartphone or tablet devices. Maitland and Winter Park Library do not provide reciprocal privileges to OCLS patrons and charge non-residents a yearly user fee.
Sites of interest
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Museums
[edit]- Albin Polasek House and Studio
- Casa Feliz
- Central Florida Railroad Museum
- Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art
- Corporal Larry E. Smedley National Vietnam War Museum
- Crealdé School of Art
- Maitland Historical Museum
- Maitland Telephone Museum
- Mennello Museum of American Art
- Museum of the Apopkans
- Orange County Regional History Center
- Orlando Museum of Art
- Orlando Science Center
- Pulse Memorial and Museum (still in development, as of 2024)
- Randall Made Knives
- Ripley's Believe It or Not!
- Rollins Museum of Art
- Well'sbuilt Hotel
- William H. Waterhouse House
- Winter Garden Heritage Foundation
- Winter Park Historical Museum
- Withers-Maguire House
- WonderWorks
- Zora Neale Hurston Museum of Fine Arts
Culture and wildlife
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- Annie Russell Theatre
- Beacham Theatre
- Bob Carr Theater
- Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts
- Dr. Phillips House
- Enzian Theater
- Garden Theatre
- Gatorland
- Harry P. Leu Gardens
- Hollywood Hills Amphitheater
- Kraft Azalea Park
- Palm Cottage Gardens
- The Plaza Live
- Sci-Fi Dine-In Theater Restaurant
- Universal Music Plaza Stage
Themed attractions
[edit]Parks
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Sports venues
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- Addition Financial Arena - Located on the main campus of UCF, it is the home to the UCF Knights men's and women's basketball teams
- Camping World Stadium - The current home venue of the Citrus Bowl and the Pop-Tarts Bowl
- FBC Mortgage Stadium - Located on the main campus of UCF, it is the home field of the UCF Knights football team of NCAA Division I FBS college football
- Inter&Co Stadium - The home stadium for the Orlando City SC (MLS) and Orlando Pride (NWSL) soccer teams
- Kia Center – The home venue for the Orlando Magic (NBA basketball), Orlando Solar Bears (ECHL ice hockey), and the Orlando Predators (AFL indoor American football
- The Stadium at the ESPN Wide World of Sports
- The Venue at UCF - Located on the main campus of UCF, it is home to UCF's volleyball team
Golf courses
[edit]- Bay Hill Club and Lodge
- Eagle Creek Golf Club
- Lake Nona Golf & Country Club
- Orange County National Golf Center
- Rio Pinar Country Club
- Winter Park Country Club and Golf Course
Transportation
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Airports
[edit]- Orlando Apopka Airport, a privately owned uncontrolled, public-use airport in the City of Apopka which serves small private aircraft, there is no commercial service.
- Orlando Executive Airport, a public airport owned by GOAA which serves private jets and small aircraft. It is a reliever airport for Orlando International Airport.
- Orlando International Airport, the busiest airport in Florida by passenger traffic, is a public international airport owned by GOAA serving both commercial and private aircraft.
Major highways
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Public transportation
[edit]- Amtrak a nationwide rail service with two stations in Orange County, Orlando and Winter Park
- Brightline, a high-speed rail line which operates service from Orlando International Airport to West Palm Beach, Fort Lauderdale and Miami which started on September 22, 2023
- Greyhound a U.S. Intercity common carrier bus company providing nationwide service from Orlando.
- Lynx a public bus authority providing service in Orange County and five additional Central Florida counties including Lake, Osceola, Polk, Seminole and Volusia.
- SunRail a commuter rail service with eight stations serving Orange County and eight additional stations in three adjacent counties (Osceola, Volusia and Seminole).
Communities
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Cities
[edit]- Apopka
- Bay Lake
- Belle Isle
- Edgewood
- Lake Buena Vista
- Maitland
- Ocoee
- Orlando
- Winter Garden
- Winter Park
Towns
[edit]Census-designated places
[edit]- Alafaya
- Azalea Park
- Bay Hill
- Bithlo
- Christmas
- Clarcona
- Conway
- Dr. Phillips
- Fairview Shores
- Four Corners
- Goldenrod
- Gotha
- Holden Heights
- Holden Lakes
- Horizon West
- Hunter's Creek
- Lake Butler
- Lake Hart
- Lake Mary Jane
- Lockhart
- Meadow Woods
- Oak Ridge
- Orlo Vista
- Paradise Heights
- Pine Castle
- Pine Hills
- Rio Pinar
- Sky Lake
- South Apopka
- Southchase
- Taft
- Tangelo Park
- Tangerine
- Tildenville
- Union Park
- University
- Wedgefield
- Williamsburg
- Zellwood
Other unincorporated communities
[edit]See also
[edit]- Innovation Way
- List of amusement parks in Central Florida
- List of tallest buildings in Orlando
- Mayor of Orange County
- National Register of Historic Places listings in Orange County, Florida
- Board of County Commissioners
- Orange County Health Department
- Teresa Jacobs
- Walt Before Mickey, a locally shot film about Walt Disney creating Mickey Mouse
Notes
[edit]References
[edit]External links
[edit]- Orange County Regional History Center
- The West Orange Times newspaper that serves Orange County, Florida available in full-text with images in Florida Digital Newspaper Library
- Orange County Health Department Template:Webarchive
- Orange County Collection on RICHES Mosaic Interface Template:Webarchive
Template:Orange County, Florida Template:Metro Orlando Template:Geography of Florida