The September 23, 1909 edition of the “St. Cloud Tribune” announced completion of the Hotel St. Cloud, as it was originally named. It was built from material salvaged from the Disston Sugar Mill. Two weeks later the newspaper reported it had been filled to capacity since opening; with many sleeping on cots in the hotel parlor and other available places.

Electricity came to Kissimmee 113 years ago.

The pioneer vision that led the citizens of Kissimmee to vote to own and operate the city’s electric utility in 1901 has paid untold benefits to residents in the century since then.

We’ve shared a lot this summer about our beloved Pioneer Village. It’s a laundry list of history and information that has flooded the blog about the various historic structures from how they came to be (including the history of the pioneer families that once inhabited them) to so much more. If you missed out on any of it, here’s a little of what we have to offer:

• We’ve told the rich history of the Tyson House, the Cadman Family Bachelor’s Quarters and the Citrus Packing House. 

• We’ve showed how the Seminole Tribe has become a part of our village through the building of the Seminole Chickee structures. 

• And we’ve told you 9 things we learned from moving historic buildings in Osceola County (although we’ve probably learned even more by now!)

As you walk down the streets of downtown Kissimmee, listen closely. Can you hear the echoes of the past? The splashing of the steamboat paddle on the lake? The bellowing of cattle passing through town? The shrill whistle of a train? While the sights and sounds of downtown Kissimmee have evolved over the years, one thing in particular remains the same: Makinson Hardware.

The exhibit that will be on display at the History Museum is titled, Spanish Pathways, where viewers will trace the Spanish in Florida and will investigate the earliest cattle industry, the Naváez expedition, De Soto’s epic march, Catholic mission sites, St. Augustine, Ft. Mose, Count Gálvez and the American Revolution, the Second Spanish Era, Paulina Pedrosa and Las Patriotas,the cigar industry, and finally, the dramatic impact of the 1959 Cuban revolution on south Florida. The timeline dates from 1492 through 1992, five hundred years of hispanic history.

With the opening of the new Pioneer Village this fall, we are happy to announce the ribbon cutting of The Paddling Center at Shingle Creek. This is a great step forward in recreational activities provided on Shingle Creek for visitors of the Pioneer Village, Welcome Center and beyond.

Seated in front of an aerial map of Kissimmee, FL, City Manager Mike Steigerwald glanced through the fifth floor City Hall conference room window, looking out over Historic Downtown Kissimmee.

Arriving on her first railway trip through Kissimmee in the late 1880s, Historian Minnie Moore-Wilson observed that “…from the oil street lamps, the little city, now numbering about 1,000 inhabitants, presented a picture of tropical beauty.”

Wilson might be shocked today to see how “the little city” (now numbering about 65,000 inhabitants), and its lakefront, have grown. Entering its final phases of construction, the Kissimmee Lakefront Revitalization Project has transformed the Tohopekaliga lakefront into a modern community center, complete with electric car charging stations and a focus toward the future of Osceola County’s community.

Medieval Times, located a hop, skip and a jump from the Osceola County Historical Society Welcome Center and History Museum is a dinner and tournament event anyone in the area should experience at least once.

Nestled within the Cypress trees covered with Spanish moss, Shingle Creek is a local treasure and a natural remnant of Florida’s rich cultural history.

Shingle Creek has been a pivotal part of life in Osceola County for centuries. Long before pioneers moved to Osceola County, Native Americans used the Shingle Creek area to sustain life. The creek was utilized for transportation, hunting, fishing, gathering and protection. Waterways were very important for them, and Shingle Creek provided nearly everything for their day to day needs. During the Second Seminole War, Shingle Creek was a Native American stronghold.