There was a time, about 150 years ago, when farmers, ranchers and other Central Florida producers would journey to a small town known as Allendale where they’d load their well-made wares and agricultural products aboard ocean-bound steamships docked at the north end of a lake who’s full name is really hard to pronounce.
The lake that Seminole Indians called Tohopekaliga (“fort site” for its defensible islands) and now goes by the more tongue-friendly “Lake Toho,” was and still is the centerpiece of Kissimmee, Florida. The waterfront’s a lot different these days, and while the rapid railroad expansion in the late 1800s eventually retired those steamers, this nationally-recognized waterway still sees nearly nonstop boating traffic.
The difference: Recreational has replaced commercial and what was once a bustling lakeside settlement has become a premier Sunshine State destination. The county seat of Osceola County, Kissimmee offers a charming blend of modern comfort with historical charm — and some of the nation’s best fishing.
A Little Background
According to the Osceola County Historical Society, 1881 saw real estate developer Hamilton Disston purchase 4 million acres of Central Florida land from the state with plans of improving navigational routes. Disston dredgeda canal, widened the waterways between Lake Toho and Lake Okeechobee, and drained the swamplands of the Kissimmee River Valley.
Disston established his operation’s headquarters in a small lakefront pioneer settlement called Allendale, which, in 1884, was incorporated and renamed as Kissimmee City. In the language of the Jororo people — the area’s earliest Native American inhabitants — Kissimmee means “long water,” likely a reference to the collection of lakes spaced along the Kissimmee River. While a few adjacent bodies technically belong to the chain, the main lakes are:
• Toho (18,810 acres)
• Cypress (4,097 acres)
• Hatchineha (6,665)
• Kissimmee (35,000 acres)
An Army Corps of Engineers lock allows access from Toho to Cypress, with canals linking the lower three lakes and the Kissimmee River connecting its namesake lake to Okeechobee. Florida’s largest lake, Okeechobee links to the Gulf of America via the Caloosahatchee River (part of Disston’s development) on its west side. An Atlantic connection via the St. Lucie Canal was added in 1926, but that early route put Kissimmee on the map.
Bass & More
Boasting a range of habitat features from hydrilla, hyacinth, pads and Kissimmee grass, to docks, riprap, and shell bars, this fertile chain is renowned for its bass fishing. Recently, Cody Stahl showcased the chain’s potential during less-than-ideal post-frontal conditions by winning the Turtlebox Bassmaster Open at Kissimmee Chain presented by Battery Tender with a 3-day total of 74 pounds, 6 ounces, which included a 9-6 and an 8-pounder. Jonathan Kelley’s 10-7 earned the event’s big bass award.
Along with the stellar bass fishing, the Kissimmee Chain holds plenty of bluegill, catfish and crappie. Deer, turkeys and wild hogs are commonly sighted in the chain’s less populated reaches, while cattle and bison often wade right into the shallow vegetation where anglers seek those big bass.
Did you know that Kissimmee boasts one of the largest concentrations of breeding bald eagle pairs in the U.S.? You’ll also see plenty of ospreys diving for their dinner, along with the distinctive snail kite, with their long talons and sharply hooked beaks ideally suited for capturing and opening apple snails.
Alligators? Oh yeah, Kissimmee has plenty. Sunny days find these modern-day dinosaurs sunning on quiet banks and kindly posing for souvenir photos.
Rules are simple: Don’t mess with the gators and the gators won’t mess with you. (Besides, harassing these federally protected creatures is a big no-no.)
Things to See and Do
There’s no dismissing the massive impact that Walt Disney World Resort brought to Central Florida, but make time to enjoy Kissimmee’s menu of activities, attractions and points of interest. Here’s a selection of notables.
Old Town: This 18-acre entertainment district offers an assortment of shops, restaurants, bars, rides, family-friendly attractions owned by local mom-and-pop businesses — and an 86-foot-tall Ferris wheel.
Gatorland Zoo: A 110-acre property with thousands of alligators, an aviary,breeding marsh and bird rookery, petting zoo, nature walk, reptilian shows, the Gatorland Express train, the Screamin’ Gator Zip Line, and the Stompin’ Gator Off-road Adventure. The latter carries visitors on a trip through real Florida wetlands and into a pond full of alligators.
Osceola Heritage Park: This modern entertainment, sports and convention facility is best known for hosting the famous Silver Spurs Rodeo.
Pioneer Village: Operated by the Osceola Historical Society, this venue holds a collection of relocated authentic structures reflecting the Kissimmee area’s early years. Included are a general store and post office, schoolhouse, church, train depot, homesteads from Osceola settlers, Seminole settlement, a cow camp and working structures such as a blacksmith shop, citrus packing plant, cane grinder, and barn.
Monument of States: This 50-foot tall step pyramid with rocks, fossils, and plaques from each of the United States and several foreign countries was conceived by Kissimmee resident Dr. Charles W. Bressler-Pettis as a symbol of American unity after the December 7, 1941 attack on Pearl Harbor. Completed in 1943, the structure located at 300 E. Monument Avenue is listed in the National Register of Historic Places.
1881 Restaurant & Bar: Opened in 2023, this modern eatery named for the year of the Disston Purchase, stands at the renovated site of historicMakinson’s Hardware (1884-2021). The original sign with its iconic horse statue honors this Kissimmee heritage.
Osceola County Courthouse: This red brick building on Broadway Avenue opened on May 6, 1890 is the state’s oldest working courthouse.
Kissimmee Train Station: Built as a South Florida depot in 1883 by railroad titan Henry Plant, this station linked Downtown Kissimmee to other Central Florida cities and still operates today.
At the Edge
One of Kissimmee’s sparkling gems, Lake Front Park, makes a nice closing point, as it directly connects to our introduction. Where commercial wharves once stood, this spacious venue with plenty of parking, has hosted several Bassmaster events at every level, including the 2006 Bassmaster Classic.
Home to Big Lake Toho Marina, the park offers a playground, picnic pavilions, walking/biking paths, lots of open spaces and a 30-foot lighthouse. The Bataan-Corregidor Memorial honors the soldiers who defended the Philippines during WWII, while Ruby Plaza Café by Limbhelados offers Puerto Rican snacks and frozen treats.
Sunrise, sunsets or midday strolls, the Lake Front Park waterside pathways offer ideal vantage points for land-bound visitors to spot great blue herons, ibis and limpkin wading the shallows, while turtles and smaller alligators sun bathe on high spots.
Close your eyes and you might envision wooden ships and horse-drawn carts. Open them and you’ll see the premier view of a town well deserving its world-class destination status, as much for its bountiful chain of lakes, as for the character, culture and history that makes Kissimmee, Florida well worth a visit.
Find more about Kissimmee, Florida at experiencekissimmee.com and osceolahistory.org.
