ORLANDO, Fla. – Happy birthday, Orlando!
The city is marking its birthday Saturday 146 years after it was incorporated.
Recommended Videos
[TRENDING: Family gets COVID during Orlando vacation | Guests swim in flooded Magic Kingdom streets | Florida averages 15,780+ cases per day]
According to the city’s website, Orlando’s history dates back all the way to 1838 when the U.S. Army “built Fort Gatlin south of the present day Orlando City limits to protect settlers from attacks by Indians.” Years later, under the name of Orlando, the town was incorporated in 1875 with 85 people.
Today, July 31, is a big day - it's our 146th birthday!
— City of Orlando Gets Vaccinated 💉 #IGotMyShot (@citybeautiful) July 31, 2021
In 1875 the city was incorporated with 85 inhabitants. Now, we're home to more than 280,000 residents - each one making our city more vibrant, diverse and beautiful.
Thank you, Orlando, for 146 amazing years. 🥳 pic.twitter.com/2zirG8pWv4
The City Beautiful’s name has been Orlando since then, but the history behind how it officially received its name is still unclear — though there are a few theories.
One of the four theories, according to the city, is that Judge James Speer named it after a character from Shakespeare’s “As You Like It.”
With at least 146 years of history under its belt, there are many facts about Orlando that its growing population probably doesn’t know, such as how many types of swans call Lake Eola home or what Lake Eola actually is. To learn some of the fun facts about the City Beautiful, click here.