Orange County, Florida

Orange County Florida General Information

Orange County Florida is located in the middle of Florida, in the United States. The population was 1,145,956 according to the 2010 census, making it Florida’s fifth largest county. Orlando is the county seat.

Because of the fruit that was the county’s main commodity crop, Orange County was rebranded from it’s previous name of Mosquito County. Orange County had 80,000 acres (320 km2) of citrus planted at its inception in the early 1970s. The county was filled with the dark greenery of orange trees, as well as the scent of orange blossoms when they were in bloom. By the end of the 20th century, there were fewer commercial orange groves. The freezing temperatures of the winters of 1985–1986, particularly the 1985 cold wave, which was the worst since 1899, destroyed the majority of groves.

Many growers found the financial setbacks to be too difficult. Many people left the land because they were economically destroyed. Others were looking forward to new opportunities. The Tropicana Corporation was a major landowner and grower in the region. Rather than attempt to recover from what seemed to be an endless cycle of generational annihilation, they withdrew. With no viable agricultural options and Florida’s continued strong population growth and attendant needs (assisted and supported by the accomplishment of the neighboring Walt Disney World and Universal Studios), these areas began to evolve for housing. Several packing plants and wholesalers, however, remain in Orange County.