Kissimmee is a town in Osceola County, central Florida, just south of the city of Orlando and very close to Disney World, Sea World and Universal Orlando Resort. It is located on the shores of Lake Tahoe (also known as Lake Tohopekaliga, West Lake and West Lake Tahoe). It has a population of 62,500 people, comprising a diverse population with a great proportion being Puerto Rican in origin. The city is in an area which has been hit by hurricanes, chiefly Hurricane Charley which devastated the area in 2004 closely followed by Hurricane Frances and Hurricane Jeanne. Transportation links are provided by Amtrak and Greyhound. Those moving to Kissimmee will also discover three notable sports venues in the city – the Osceola County Stadium for baseball, the Osceola County Softball Complex and the Austin-Tindall Regional Park for athletics.
History:
The town was originally named Allendale when it was established in the middle of the 19th century, but was renamed as Kissimmee when it reached city status in 1883. A certain Mr Hamilton Disston came to Kissimee from Philadelphia to drain the surrounding area of two million acres and to create a waterway for development of the city, in return for which he was given half of the reclaimed land, thus making him the single largest owner of land in the US. Mr Disston created a steamship building business for transportation along the new Kissimmee waterway but, at the same time, the South Florida Railway was being extended to reach the city. The railway system won in the end, and the steamships were put out of business. The 1893 economic depression, combined with two years of freezing winters which caused havoc to the citrus growing industry, resulted in cattle ranching being the main income generator.
Economy:
Cattle ranching and citrus production are still factors in the economy of Kissimmee but, when Walt Disney World opened very close to the city in 1971 followed by Universal Orlando Resort and Sea World, tourism overtook them to become the number one employer and money earner for the city, due to the large scale development needed in the area in the form of hotels and other tourism services.
Tourism:
As stated above, tourism to the city of Kissimmee is based on it being in such close proximity to Walt Disney World, Sea World and Universal Orlando Resort. Within Kissimmee the Osceola Heritage Park features the Silver Spurs Arena which is a concert venue and Osceola County Stadium for sporting events. There is also a large outdoor water park with a 650 person capacity; and for golf lovers, there are many very good courses. A large and attractive outdoor shopping mall and multiplex theatre complex, The Loop, attracts many. The Osceola Center for the Arts and the Osceola County Historical Society and Museum cater to the culturally minded.