By Jim Carchidi
April 1, 2026
Orlando is synonymous with tourism, but there’s more to local history than theme parks and resorts. A curious collection of events and unique factoids evolved during the city’s journey from a small town to the nation’s top vacation destination.
As an alternative to an April Fool’s prank, The Orlando Real presents a short list of strange-but-true stories about The City Beautiful.
Lake Eola sinkhole
The downtown centerpiece dates back to 1873, when a sinkhole formed at the edge of 200 acres of land owned by Jacob Summerlin, aka the Cattle King of Florida. The natural aquifer and stormwater runoff created a lake, dubbed 'Sandy Beach,” which became a gathering spot for local settlers. The land was donated for public use in 1883 and later became a public park.
Florida’s largest library
At 290,000 square feet, Orlando Public Library is the largest public library building in the state. The design is an example of Brutalist architecture, characterized by raw concrete surfaces and angular geometric shapes. The building opened in 1966 at a size of 60,000 square feet and was expanded in 1986 to meet the needs of the growing community.
FDR's stadium
Orlando Stadium – later renamed the Tangerine Bowl , Citrus Bowl Stadium, and now Camping World Stadium – was built in 1936 as part of President Franklin D. Roosevelt’s Works Progress Administration: a New Deal program designed to create jobs and add infrastructure, public buildings, schools, and hospitals during the Great Depression. The facility was constructed at a cost of $115,000 and hosted the first college football bowl game on January 1, 1947 with a seating capacity of 10,000. Ticket prices were between $1.50 and $3.00.
Haunted hardware store
The Bumby Building on W. Church Street dates back to 1886 and began as the location of the Joseph Bumby Hardware Co. The business closed in the 1960s and the building was eventually developed into the Church Street Station entertainment complex. Guests and passersby have reported ghost sightings including a small girl in 1800’s clothing skipping in the road or waving from the windows. Others have seen bartenders wiping down countertops before evaporating into thin air.
Joyland
Lake Ivanhoe was once more than a spot for scenic strolls and boating. In 1910, entrepreneur George Russell built the area’s first waterpark by its shore. Originally dubbed Russell’s Point and renamed Joyland, it offered waterslides, a dance hall, picnic areas, and a dock that accommodated 50 boats. The attraction operated for nine years before the land was sold and developed into the College Park subdivision.
City Hall blockbuster
After the completion of a new City Hall in 1991, Orlando leaders sold the former building to the production of “Lethal Weapon 3” for a demolition scene at the start of the film. However, the tricky part was preserving the new building, which was constructed right behind the old one. It took crews more than 10 months to design the implosion, placing charges at specific pillars to drop the building in a safe direction. Just to be safe, the new City Hall was insured for $20 million.
Aloha Beatles
While vacationing at Walt Disney World in December 1974, John Lennon signed the legal documents that officially dissolved The Beatles. Lennon signed the paperwork in his room at Disney's Polynesian Village Resort. The band had broken up four years earlier, but signatures were required to legally end the partnership. Lennon was the last member of the band to sign the documents.
Sponsor: The Orlando Real is sponsored by the Pozek Group — the #1 real estate team in Orlando and the Official Real Estate Team of the Orlando Magic.
About the Author
Jim Carchidi is an Orlando journalist and photographer with previous work at the Orlando Sentinel and Orlando Business Journal. He covers development, arts, culture, and local stories for The Orlando Real.
Enjoy this blog post? Click here to subscribe for updates
Leave A Comment