Kissimmee began as Allendale, a trading post on Lake Toho, and voted to incorporate in 1883. Six National Register listings, museums and landmarks.
Last checked Oct. 9, 2026. Sources: the City of Kissimmee’s History of the City page; the Osceola County Historical Society’s History of Kissimmee and hours and admission pages; the National Park Service’s National Register of Historic Places listed-properties file.
Kissimmee started as Allendale, a small trading post on the north shore of Lake Tohopekaliga. It grew into the county seat of Osceola County, a cattle and citrus town, and, after 1971, a gateway to Central Florida’s theme parks. The city and the county historical society tell its story in their own words; where they differ, we give both.
Who to call
- Osceola County Historical Society (museum, Pioneer Village, research): 407-396-8644
- City of Kissimmee Historic Preservation Board: through the Planning Division, 407-518-2140
- Historic district map: the city’s interactive GIS maps
The name
The city says most local historians agree “Kissimmee” is a modern spelling of a native word. It cites the book Florida Indians and the Invasion from Europe, which links the name to the Jororo people, and historian John Hann, who suggested it came from Atissimi, a Spanish mission name; a 1752 Spanish map spells it “Cacema.” The Osceola County Historical Society says the name traces to the Jororo language and means “long water.”
Founding and incorporation
| Year | What happened |
|---|---|
| 1873 | First post office opens near Shingle Creek; Clement R. Tyner is postmaster (city) |
| 1881 | Hamilton Disston buys 4 million acres from the state at 25 cents an acre and sets up drainage headquarters at Allendale (city; society) |
| 1882 | The first newspaper, the Florida, is published; a one-room schoolhouse and First United Methodist Church open; trains from Sanford reach Kissimmee (city; society) |
| 1883 | 33 of 36 registered voters choose to incorporate Allendale as Kissimmee City; T.A. Bass is first mayor (city). The historical society says that “by 1884” the town had incorporated |
| 1884 | W.B. Makinson Sr. opens Makinson Hardware, which the city says was Florida’s oldest operating hardware store until 2022 |
| 1887 | Osceola County is created and Kissimmee becomes county seat (society) |
| 1895 | A disastrous freeze drives families south; Disston’s land company stops paying on its bonds (city) |
Steamboats once carried cypress lumber and sugar cane from Kissimmee down the chain of lakes and the Kissimmee River, the city says.
The 20th century
- 1900: electricity arrives (city).
- 1915: Osceola High School plays its first football game, beating Orlando High 6-0 (city).
- 1924: the Kissimmee Chamber of Commerce is chartered; 1934, the Cattleman’s Association (city).
- 1943: the Monument of States is completed on Monument Avenue by Charles W. Bressler-Pettis and J.C. Fisher (society).
- 1944: the first Silver Spurs Rodeo is held July 4; admission was a war bond (city).
- 1971: Walt Disney World opens; the city says its population doubled from 7,500 to 15,000 by 1980 and doubled again in the 1980s to 30,000.
Today’s population is in our Kissimmee population guide.
National Register of Historic Places
Six Kissimmee properties are listed, according to the National Park Service’s listed-properties file:
| Property | Address | Listed |
|---|---|---|
| Osceola County Courthouse | Bounded by Emmett, Bryan, Rose and Vernon streets | Aug. 16, 1977 |
| Colonial Estate (Tucker/Ivey House) | 2450 Old Dixie Highway | Jan. 3, 1994 |
| First United Methodist Church | 215 E. Church St. | Jan. 3, 1994 |
| Old Holy Redeemer Catholic Church | 120 N. Sproule Ave. | Jan. 3, 1994 |
| Kissimmee Historic District | Roughly bounded by Aultman Street, Monument Avenue, Penfield Street and Randolph Avenue | Jan. 4, 1994 |
| Monument of States | East Monument Avenue and Lakeview Drive | Dec. 8, 2015 |
The courthouse is listed for its significance to the state; the others for local significance. The Kissimmee Historic District covers about 70 acres of downtown and is listed for community planning and development, commerce and architecture.
Museums and places to visit
- Osceola County Welcome Center and History Museum, 4155 W. Vine St. Dioramas of the county’s swamps, pine flatwoods, oak hammocks and lakefront, plus exhibits on citrus, cattle, transportation and early tourism. Free. Open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; closed Easter, Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and New Year’s Day.
- Pioneer Village at Shingle Creek, 2491 Babb Road. Historic buildings moved from around the county: a general store and post office, schoolhouse, church, train depot, homesteads, a Seminole settlement, a cow camp, a blacksmith shop and a citrus packing plant. Open daily 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; admission $8 for adults and $4 under 12, with a Museums for All discount for SNAP households. No pets.
- Monument of States and the lakefront Veterans Memorial and Bataan-Corregidor Memorial, Kissimmee Lakefront Park, 201 Lakeview Drive. Free.
What this means for you
- Walk the Kissimmee Historic District downtown, listed on the National Register since 1994.
- The free museum on West Vine Street is the quickest introduction to county history.
- Own a building in the historic district? Ask the Planning Division, 407-518-2140, what review applies.
Related: parks and trails, population and moving to Kissimmee.
Frequently asked questions
When was Kissimmee founded?
Kissimmee grew from Allendale, a trading post on the north shore of Lake Tohopekaliga. The city says that in 1883, 33 of 36 registered voters chose to incorporate as Kissimmee City, with T.A. Bass as first mayor; the county historical society dates the incorporation to 1884.
What does Kissimmee mean?
The city says most historians agree it is a modern spelling of a native word, possibly from Atissimi, a Spanish mission name, and a 1752 Spanish map shows ‘Cacema.’ The Osceola County Historical Society says the name comes from the Jororo language and means ‘long water.’
What is the Monument of States in Kissimmee?
A lakefront monument completed in 1943 by Charles W. Bressler-Pettis and J.C. Fisher, who hoped it would inspire American solidarity during World War II, the historical society says. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2015.
Is there a history museum in Kissimmee?
Yes. The Osceola County Welcome Center and History Museum, 4155 W. Vine St., is free and open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. The historical society’s Pioneer Village is at 2491 Babb Road.
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