Reached via the Atlantic Coast Line Railway was a lavish inland retreat of its time, the Runnymede Lodge. Comprised of fishing grounds and the lush surroundings of the Runnymede area itself, the lodging was undoubtedly special. The area was close to Narcoossee, Fells Cove, and Ashton. English settlers were developing each town, and the principal attraction was a large hotel erected around 1885, situated three […]
If you have ever visited the permanent exhibits at the Osceola History Welcome Center & History Museum, you may have noticed a dignified wooden statue standing proudly at attention, among the historical artifacts and reenacted landscapes. How did this 4-foot statue find its way into the Osceola History Collections, and who might this statue represent? The mix of local intrigue, military mystery, and Osceola […]
Our county is named in honor of the Seminole Tribe leader Osceola, who is said to have meant “Black Drink” or is a corrupted English pronunciation of the Seminole name for “Black Drink Singer”. Born in 1804, Billy Powell was named at birth, the son of a Black Seminole mother of Creek origin and a white Alabama trader named William Powell. The young Osceola was […]
The KAST Club, or more formally, Kissimmee All-States Tourist Club, was organized in 1924 as a way to attract visitors (and so-called snowbirds) to the Kissimmee area. It was designed as a non-profit organization operating under a State Charter, cordially extending memberships to all citizens, winter residents, and tourists alike. The area strived to showcase its extraordinary climate, while advocating for physical and mental health […]