Kissimmee Old Town, on the shores of Lake Tohopekaliga (Lake Toho, to you and me) is well worth a visit. And if you want to impress the locals, do pronounce their city’s name correctly, with the stress on the second syllable - “Kissimmee”.

Kissimmee (previously known as Allendale) was incorporated as a city in 1883. It was the heart of cow country and the sound of the men “cracking” cow whips led to them being called “Florida Crackers”. Ranching and citrus packing remained an important part of the local economy until the opening of Walt Disney World in 1971. After that, tourism took over, although cattle ranches still operate nearby.

The Kissimmee downtown area is a bit of real genuine Americana, and is pedestrian friendly. Yes - you can park your car and actually walk around streets full of brick buildings, boardwalks, shops and restaurants. Currently the Kissimmee downtown area has several restaurants, an art gallery, photographers, and a number of retailers selling clothing, music, art, antiques, video games, and furniture; plus lawyers, doctors, accountants, architects, printers, beauty & barber shops.

We came across the Farmers’ Market which operates at Toho Square on Thursdays from 7 am to 1 pm. It is modest in size but has lovely fresh produce for sale.

And if you are looking for some good ol’ “down home” cookin’ and a bit of old time service, do what we do, and eat at Joanie’s Diner at 120 Broadway, Kissimmee. You will not be disappointed with the food or the friendly service. It’s where the locals go.

Should you be in Kissimmee in the evening you can also go on ghost walks, and hear tales of the “headless horseman”, the “hanging tree” and the “ghost of the lake”.

A lot of money has been poured into the area for improvements, and a lot of the historic houses in the roads leading down to the lakefront have been renovated or rebuilt and are well worth a look. Also on the road down to the lake is the very quirky “Monument of States”.

Down at the Lakeside, you can walk along a long promenade by the lake which has piers, bait shops, boat slips and marinas. Chill out, watch the fishermen, or take an airboat ride, daytime or night time. There’s also a lot of green space for relaxation down by the lake, with playgrounds, picnic areas and bike paths, all well used by the locals at the weekend.

Do have a look at Kissimmee. It’s well worth it.

Andy Brownlie

Our family villa is located on the Indian Point sub division in Kissimmee and is only 8 miles from the Disney World theme parks. As most people don’t know much about Kissimmee itself, here is a little information about the City and it’s history.

Kissimmee is 17 miles S of Orlando, and 68 miles E of Tampa.  It’s located in Osceola County in Central Florida along the shore of Lake Tohopekaliga, which is locally referred to as Lake Toho. It has a large Hispanic population which includes a large number of Puerto Ricans.

Kissimmee History

The area was established in the mid-19th century and was known as Allendale. Kissimmee was incorporated as a city in 1883. Hamilton Disston was mainly responsible for the initial growth of the municipality. His large drainage business was located in Kissimmee. Disston had a contract with Florida to drain the southern portion of the state, in return for owning half of the acreage he successfully drained.He also deepened the Kissimmee River, so products could be shipped into the Gulf of Mexico and points beyond and  became one of the largest single landowners in the nation.

The Kissimmee shipyard produced steamboats to transport people as well as goods for Disston’s dredging and land speculation enterprises. The steamships lost a significant amount of business due to the popularity of trains for transporting people and goods. The Kissimmee area became a prominent location for raising cattle.

In 1884 W.B. Makinson, Sr. opens Makinson Hardware in downtown Kissimmee, which remains Florida’s oldest operating hardware store.

 Disney World opened in 1971 and tourism and development became the main factors for the economy and the cattle industry decreased in importance.

 In 2004 (while our family were at our villa) Hurricane Charlie caused major damage to homes and buildings. Luckily our villa only suffered superficial damage.

Kissimmee Activities

The Osceola County Softball Complex is a popular location and includes five quality softball fields. The Austin-Tindall Regional Park is popular for sports activities.

The city features a large water park and numerous golf courses including Kissimmee Golf Club, Ginn Reunion Resort Golf Course and Kissimmee Oaks Golf Club.

 Excellent fishing opportunities are available at Lake Toho.

Visitors have opportunities to take a tour of the region’s working cattle ranches and the Boggy Creek wetlands.

Close by, Lake Buena Vista is popular for outdoor activities. The Kissimmee Chain of Lakes is well known for its largemouth bass fishing. Residents and visitors can easily take day trips to Melbourne Beach and other shoreline destinations.

Kissimmee Attractions

• Oldtown.
• Osceola Centre for the Arts.
• Osceola County Historical Society & Museum.
• The Houston Astros participate in Spring Training in Kissimmee at the Osceola County Stadium.
• Silver Spurs Arena is popular for concerts and other events.
• Warbird Museum restores World War II aircraft to flying condition. Tours are available of the work shops, planes and aircraft which are being restored.
• Osceola County Historic Courthouse.
• A world of Orchids.
• Green Meadows Petting Farm.
• Pirate’s Island Adventure Golf.
• Jungleland Zoo.

Juan Ponce de Leon discovered Florida in 1513, landing in NE Florida (probably near St Augustine), and claimed Florida for Spain.  In 1565 the first European settlement was established in St Augustine by Spain.

The British took control of Florida in 1763, with Spain regaining the territory in 1783.

Florida became a US territory in 1821, and was admitted to the US as a State in 1845 (27th State).

During the Civil War (1861-1865), the small trading settlement of Allendale (located on the northwest shore of Lake Tohopekaliga) and the surrounding area had become important to the Confederate Army by providing cattle to feed the hungry troops. The local men that worked the cattle during that conflict, became known as the “cow cavalry” and their efforts established the settlement as the heart of cow country. The sound of “cracking” cow whips used by these men to drive the cattle through the palmettos and underbrush led to them being called “crackers” and further led to the designation, “Florida Cracker.”

Following the American Civil War, the land was purchased by Hamilton Disston (owner of Disston Saw Company, in Philadelphia), as being part of four million acres of marshland and plane, for $1million (25 cents an acre!).  Disston infused $1million in the state of Florida reportedly rescuing it from financial disaster.  However, following a disastrous freeze in Florida in 1896, his company returned to Philadelphia.

In 1883, Allendale voted to be incorporated and known as Kissimmee City. (Look out for the Festival & Fireworks on Sat March 29th 2008, when Kissimmee has its 125th birthday).

In the 1870’s cargo steamships were a major part of the transportation system.  With the extension of the railroad from Sanford, Florida in 1882, and the dredging of a river highway from Lake Tohopekaliga to the Caloosahatchee River in Fort Myers (SW coast) in 1884, together with a further railroad extension from Kissimmee City to Tampa in 1885, this area became a center of commerce and trade.

In 1884, Makinsons Hardware store opened in Kissimmee, and remains the oldest operating hardware store in Florida today.

Osceola County was formed by the Florida State Legislature in 1887, and Kissimmee City was chosen as the county seat in 1888, and as where the Osceola County Courthouse would be built.  The courthouse was build and then dedicated in 1890, and is today, the oldest courthouse in the state of Florida still in use for the purpose it was originally built.

1900 saw electricity come to Kissimmee

Kissimmee Airport was built in the 1940’s by the US Army Corps of Engineers ready for the US involvement in WW11, causing Kissimmee’s population to increase by 38%.  (The “Bataan Corregidor Monument” honouring the American and Philipino soldiers, and civilians of WW11 was unveiled in 2002.  It is located at Lakeshore Blvd/Monument Ave, Lakefront Park, Kissimmee.)

A big tourist attraction in Pre-Disney Florida was the Monument of States, erected in 1943.

Walt Disney World opened in 1971, and the population doubled in size by 1980.

Nowadays, the population is over 17 million, with 1000 people moving to Florida every day.

To start getting a feel for Kissimmee’s traditions and history, the best place to go is the Osceola County Historical Society and Pioneer Museum (750 North Bass Road). You’ll be taken back in time as you visit a Florida Cracker house and a cow hunter’s camp.

And to really experience what life was like in Kissimmee in its very beginnings, you can visit a real, working cattle ranch or attend the rodeo .