150th Anniversary of the City of Orlando

1887 photo of Orange Avenue looking south

Orlando is a place where history is being made every day. But the stories that truly define us are the personal ones that capture the spirit of our community.

As part of our year long celebration of the city's 150th anniversary we want you to share your Orlando history with us. Whether it's beautiful architecture of your family's old Florida home, the legacy of a local business, a cherished memory from an Orlando event or experience, or a glimpse into the city's vibrant cultural community, we want to hear from you.

Share your written narratives, photographs, articles, newspaper clippings, and any other materials that tell the story of your Orlando. Your contributions will be featured on our community history board throughout the year.

Orlando is a place where history is being made every day. But the stories that truly define us are the personal ones that capture the spirit of our community.

As part of our year long celebration of the city's 150th anniversary we want you to share your Orlando history with us. Whether it's beautiful architecture of your family's old Florida home, the legacy of a local business, a cherished memory from an Orlando event or experience, or a glimpse into the city's vibrant cultural community, we want to hear from you.

Share your written narratives, photographs, articles, newspaper clippings, and any other materials that tell the story of your Orlando. Your contributions will be featured on our community history board throughout the year.

Add your memories

Share written narratives, photographs, articles, newspaper clippings, or any other materials that tell the story of Orlando.

Thank you for sharing your story with us.

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  • 60+ Years of Memories!

    by Suellen53, 10 months ago

    I moved to Orlando from Western Massachusetts in 1961 as an elementary school student after my father took a job in the defense industry. My mom shortly thereafter was hired as a teacher at Lake Como Elementary School, and we enjoyed strolling up to school together in the mornings from our nearby neighborhood. From those early years I remember Duck and Cover exercises during the Cuban Missile Crisis, learning Spanish on TV with Senoritas Rosita and Conchita, the Alley Cat dance and how to twirl a baton, and being a cheerleader for informal tag football games after school. Taking piano... Continue reading

    I moved to Orlando from Western Massachusetts in 1961 as an elementary school student after my father took a job in the defense industry. My mom shortly thereafter was hired as a teacher at Lake Como Elementary School, and we enjoyed strolling up to school together in the mornings from our nearby neighborhood. From those early years I remember Duck and Cover exercises during the Cuban Missile Crisis, learning Spanish on TV with Senoritas Rosita and Conchita, the Alley Cat dance and how to twirl a baton, and being a cheerleader for informal tag football games after school. Taking piano lessons at the Iris Daniel Engel School of Music on Summerlin. Participating in a 100-piano festival at the old, acoustically challenged Orlando Munical Auditorium. (What a difference from what we have now!) Attending Advent Lessons and Carols at Knowles Memorial Chapel on the Rollins College campus at the invitation of one of my teachers who sang in the choir (an event that cemented my determination to sing in the Chapel Choir myself, which I did over a 25-year span during and following my days as a student there). Serving as the Easter Seal Ambassador for Central Florida after attending (and learning to swim!) at Camp Challenge, then Florida's only summer camp for kids with handicaps/disabilities/special needs, in 1962.

    I have other vivid memories from this time that will probably stay with me forever. The delicate scents of orange blossoms and night-blooming jasmine. The iconic neon signs at the Orange Court Hotel downtown, the Western Way Shopping Center on West Colonial Drive and the Merita Bread bakery on Kaley (oh, that smell, too!). Lovely Leu Gardens. The T. G. Lee cow pasture abutting the dairy in the Milk District and the hubbub when the pasture was sold for development of an extension of the old Colonial Plaza strip mall, anchored by the (4 stories high!) Jordan Marsh store. The 360-degree view of solid orange groves from the top of the Citrus Tower in Clermont. The sounds of the carillon Tower at the peaceful and serene Historic Bok Sanctuary in Lake Wales. Eating from the kid's menu at Ronnie's Restaurant, and its iconic sign, as well!) Visiting one of many freshwater springs nearby (Rock Springs was a favorite). And, of course, the beaches on either coast, so easily reached from our central location in the state. The morphing of Lake Barton Road into State Road 436 and the buildling of I-4. AND the grand opening of Walt Disney World, at which I sang in the massed choir during my freshman year at Rollins.

    After college and grad school I returned to Orlando, singing with the first Orlando Opera Performing Studio, the Messiah Choral Society, the Bach Festival and others, and serving several churches as organist and choirmaster, including one that started out as a fledgling congregation meeting in an Elk's lodge and at a downtown storefront before building their forever home in East Winter Park.

    Flashing forward a number of years, I practiced law at several of the historic locations - The State Bank of Orlando building at 1 North Orange, the Empire Hotel Building on Central and the Tinker building on Pine Street. Court hearings were held at the old downtown post office, the former courthouse that now houses the Orange County HIstorical Museum and the old Angebilt Hotel on Orange - and I musn't forget traffic court at the former J.C. Penney's building at Orange and Jefferson!

    I was also privileged to be one of the founders of and the legal advisor for the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and its predecessor, Music Orlando, during the 1990s, and to serve as an initial stakeholder and board member of the Healthy Community Initiative of Greater Orlando, as well as on other boards in the area.

    And now I'm privileged to live in almost century-old home in a beautiful old neighborhood (with live oaks!) near SODO and to enjoy strolling around one of the city's many lovely nearby parks with my husband. A couple of years ago we even took the maiden voyage of Lake Eola's new wheelchair-accessible swan boat, during which we got a(n unintended but fun!) up-close and personal look at workers cleaning and maintaining the fountain whose colored lights mesmerized that elementary school kid years ago during evenings when ner parents would drive downtown for a look. I also now have my psychotherapy practice in one of the older downtown neighborhood, close to home.

    Add to all of this the many friends (plus the afore-mentioned husband!) I met here over the years and there's a story of a life happily lived in Orlando. I'm looking forward to my next adventure in The City Beautiful - I wonder what it will be!





  • Honoring the People Who Built the City Beautiful

    by Marsha Lorenz, 10 months ago

    The best way my team and I are celebrating Orlando’s 150 years is by honoring the people who built it. For nearly three decades, I’ve dedicated my career to advocating for Orlando’s seniors—ensuring they age with dignity and independence. As President and CEO of Seniors First, I am passionate about helping seniors remain in their homes where their happiness and well-being are optimized through our programs of home-delivered meals, congregate lunch sites, mobility equipment and personal care and caregiver respite. Aging in place also benefits our community with reduced tax burdens.

    My journey began in 1995, when I led the... Continue reading

    The best way my team and I are celebrating Orlando’s 150 years is by honoring the people who built it. For nearly three decades, I’ve dedicated my career to advocating for Orlando’s seniors—ensuring they age with dignity and independence. As President and CEO of Seniors First, I am passionate about helping seniors remain in their homes where their happiness and well-being are optimized through our programs of home-delivered meals, congregate lunch sites, mobility equipment and personal care and caregiver respite. Aging in place also benefits our community with reduced tax burdens.

    My journey began in 1995, when I led the Visiting Nurse Association of Central Florida. That experience—and the merger with Seniors First—deepened my lifelong commitment to aging in place. Along the way, I have collaborated with government, healthcare, and nonprofit partners to create innovative, efficient, collaborative solutions for our rapidly growing elderly population.

    The seniors we serve are the teachers, veterans, small business owners, hospitality workers, civil servants, and neighbors whose hard work and quiet dedication shaped Orlando into the vibrant city we know today. Their legacy is in every neighborhood, every park, every school, and every family they helped support.

    As Seniors First approaches its 60th anniversary, our mission remains clear: to honor those who have shaped our community by building a stronger, more inclusive future where every senior in Orlando can age with confidence, connection, and care. As we celebrate Orlando’s 150-year history, we also celebrate the strength, resilience, and contributions of our seniors.

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  • Dr. Phillips natives

    by Dr. Phillips native, 10 months ago
    My stepmom‘s family came down to Orlando from New York when she was two they were a family of 8 and were one of the first ones to live in SandLake Hills. Her and her siblings went to West Orange, and all still live in the Orlando area today. Eventually, her and my dad bought the house from her mom. They raised me and my three siblings, in the same house and still live in it today. I think there are too many wonderful memories for us to ever let that house go. It was like living in a small... Continue reading
    My stepmom‘s family came down to Orlando from New York when she was two they were a family of 8 and were one of the first ones to live in SandLake Hills. Her and her siblings went to West Orange, and all still live in the Orlando area today. Eventually, her and my dad bought the house from her mom. They raised me and my three siblings, in the same house and still live in it today. I think there are too many wonderful memories for us to ever let that house go. It was like living in a small town in a big city. We all had a lot of the same teachers from elementary school all the way up to high school at Dr. Phillips. We are so fortunate to have grown up in a place like Dr. Phillips Orlando.
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  • Goodbye O-rena

    by 2 Squares Solutions , 11 months ago

    I had my very first corporate office on the 6th floor of the Angebilt buidling and then moved over to the 15th floor at The Plaza and that office had the perfect view to take pictures of the O-Rena demolition from a very high and safe distance and was able to get a picture with the charges going off inside the building before the explosion.


    I have taken thousands of pictures living on the 15th floor at The Solaire facing East and my office in the 15th floor facing West.


    The O-Rena implosion is one of my favorite pictures from... Continue reading

    I had my very first corporate office on the 6th floor of the Angebilt buidling and then moved over to the 15th floor at The Plaza and that office had the perfect view to take pictures of the O-Rena demolition from a very high and safe distance and was able to get a picture with the charges going off inside the building before the explosion.


    I have taken thousands of pictures living on the 15th floor at The Solaire facing East and my office in the 15th floor facing West.


    The O-Rena implosion is one of my favorite pictures from that period in my life.




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  • Mathers Social Gathering

    by Nick Grecco , about 1 year ago



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  • Visitors Became Residents of Orlando

    by Stefan Amhazi, my grandpa, about 1 year ago

    My Brazilian-Hungarian grandfather immigrated to America in the 1960s, and in the early 1990s, he chose to make Orlando his home to be closer to his daughters and grandchildren. For years before that, he and my grandmother visited annually, each time witnessing the city’s incredible growth and the new amenities shaping its skyline. What was once just a beloved destination for family visits became the place where we put down roots, growing alongside Orlando itself.

    He cherished his daily walks around Lake Eola with his wife and friends, attending Mass at St. James Cathedral, and taking his granddaughters for ice... Continue reading

    My Brazilian-Hungarian grandfather immigrated to America in the 1960s, and in the early 1990s, he chose to make Orlando his home to be closer to his daughters and grandchildren. For years before that, he and my grandmother visited annually, each time witnessing the city’s incredible growth and the new amenities shaping its skyline. What was once just a beloved destination for family visits became the place where we put down roots, growing alongside Orlando itself.

    He cherished his daily walks around Lake Eola with his wife and friends, attending Mass at St. James Cathedral, and taking his granddaughters for ice cream at Thomas Sweet on Church Street. But one of his greatest joys was simply gazing out the window of his Magnolia Towers apartment, watching the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts rise from the ground. He took immense pride in calling Orlando home, a city that welcomed him as it has so many others, offering not just a place to live but a place to belong.

  • My Grandfather's Barber Shop

    by br5259, about 1 year ago

    My grandfather opened and owned a barber shop in downtown Orlando beginning in September of 1927. It was located at 209 Boone Street and stayed in that location for at least 28 years. Eventually his shop had to move and he ended up at 126 South Court Ave. between E. Church and Pine Streets. His shop stayed there until the 70's when the building was sold and he closed his shop.

    Many memories were had in that shop as my dad, Gene Reynolds, also barbered there for many years until he moved up in rank at the Orlando Fire department.

    ... Continue reading

    My grandfather opened and owned a barber shop in downtown Orlando beginning in September of 1927. It was located at 209 Boone Street and stayed in that location for at least 28 years. Eventually his shop had to move and he ended up at 126 South Court Ave. between E. Church and Pine Streets. His shop stayed there until the 70's when the building was sold and he closed his shop.

    Many memories were had in that shop as my dad, Gene Reynolds, also barbered there for many years until he moved up in rank at the Orlando Fire department.

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  • Merita Bread Sign: A Whiff of Nostalgia!

    by City of Orlando, about 1 year ago

    In May 1961, Orlando welcomed the Merita Bread factory and its iconic sign along Interstate 4 near Division Avenue. For over 50 years, the delicious scent of fresh-baked bread greeted drivers on their way through the city. When the bakery closed, the new owners generously donated one of the Merita signs to the Morse Museum, where it now stands as one of the largest objects in the collection at nearly 18 feet high and 48 feet long.

    Last month, the Merita sign was part of a temporary art installation at the Immerse Festival in Downtown Orlando, bringing that beloved piece... Continue reading

    In May 1961, Orlando welcomed the Merita Bread factory and its iconic sign along Interstate 4 near Division Avenue. For over 50 years, the delicious scent of fresh-baked bread greeted drivers on their way through the city. When the bakery closed, the new owners generously donated one of the Merita signs to the Morse Museum, where it now stands as one of the largest objects in the collection at nearly 18 feet high and 48 feet long.

    Last month, the Merita sign was part of a temporary art installation at the Immerse Festival in Downtown Orlando, bringing that beloved piece of Orlando’s past into a new space. Even the installation had the familiar smell, making it a full-circle experience of nostalgia.

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  • Touring the city with my dad who built a lot of it! :)

    by Cecil SODO, about 1 year ago

    My dad is now (in 2025) turning 87 years old and came to Central Florida in search of iron work when he was 21. He had a wife, a kid (my older sister) and a car with very little else when he showed up. His specialty was high iron and he worked on nearly all of the jobs that happened in the Orlando and at Cape Canaveral (KSC) before 1975.


    I too worked in the construction industry with my mother, my sister in law and my brother. We have also made some lasting changes to Orlando and surrounding areas from... Continue reading

    My dad is now (in 2025) turning 87 years old and came to Central Florida in search of iron work when he was 21. He had a wife, a kid (my older sister) and a car with very little else when he showed up. His specialty was high iron and he worked on nearly all of the jobs that happened in the Orlando and at Cape Canaveral (KSC) before 1975.


    I too worked in the construction industry with my mother, my sister in law and my brother. We have also made some lasting changes to Orlando and surrounding areas from working on the original Amway Center to my last big job was being one of the (many) construction superintendents on the Orange County Courthouse but touring around with my dad is one of my favorite things to do. He tells stories of "back in the day" and he doesn't glamorize it but just states the facts of how things were done before OSHA came along and made things at least safer for those that are walking a 4" wide beam 200 feet in the air with 20 mile an hour winds and no net! He tells stories of when one of the best crane operators he ever knew knocked my dad off a building with his crane and the poor operator was so shook he had to take the rest of the day off even though my dad had grabbed the cable and was lowered to safety, the operator knew that he had nearly killed his friend and simply wasn't able to function for the rest of the day.


    Dad tells stories of iron workers during the hippie revolution and how the iron workers, in general, didn't seem to understand "flower power!" :) He also tells stories of darker times when he was in the process of being "escorted off the side of a building" by 2 men when one of his friends came along and was able to turn the tide and save my dads' life. There's so much history that to my dad is just his life but to this city they were often pivotal moments in the decisions of the direction of the city. Dad influenced the direction of the city because at one point in the early 60's he opened his own business doing rebar and high iron. He literally worked on or had crews working on nearly everything that was built that was taller than 5 stories all the way up to 1975 in Central Florida including Kennedy Space Center.


    One of his favorite stories of KSC is that after they "dried in" the Vertical Assembly Building that it actually started to rain inside the building! The VAB is big enough that it can create it's own climate and actually condense and rain inside! He says it took the engineers a few days to figure it out and a few more days to figure out a cure!


    Another good one is how when they were putting up one of the first steel framed buildings in Orlando every morning they would come to work and the building would be "out of plumb" aka not perpendicular to the ground. Therefore, every morning the iron workers would have to spend several hours tightening various turnbuckles to "plumb up" the building so things would be good and square. The next morning, sure as you're living, the building would be out of plumb again and the building superintendent would cuss and gripe and order the iron workers to plumb the building again. After about 30 days of this the iron workers needed to move some of their crew to another job so they told the job site superintendent that the building was moving on it's own. In Florida, overnight, things cool down and during the day they heat up. Steel expands and contracts when cooled and heated therefore the building was constantly moving and that's why it was out of plumb every morning. They of course delivered this as if it were completely new news to them but they all ended up working every day until they had to go to the other job! 🤣


    I guess the moral of my story here is, spend some time with the older folks. Get em out where things will spark their memories. You never know what you may learn!

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  • Shaping Orlando's Skyline

    by Eva Zelesky , about 1 year ago

    My dad, Floyd Faucette, helped shape Orlando's Skyline in the 1970's and 1980's. His company developed Orlando's first skyscraper as well as some others along Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando. He loved Orlando. He moved here after marrying my mom from a very small town in Alabama in the 1960's. It is amazing to see how much downtown has changed over the years and I am proud my dad had a hand in it.

    My dad, Floyd Faucette, helped shape Orlando's Skyline in the 1970's and 1980's. His company developed Orlando's first skyscraper as well as some others along Orange Avenue in downtown Orlando. He loved Orlando. He moved here after marrying my mom from a very small town in Alabama in the 1960's. It is amazing to see how much downtown has changed over the years and I am proud my dad had a hand in it.

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