The history of Orlando started in 1838 at the height of the Seminole Wars. Fort Gatlin, south of present day Orlando, was established by the U.S. Army to protect settlers from Native American attacks. By 1840, a tiny community had grown up around the Fort. It was known as Jernigan, named after the Jernigan family who established the first settlement in the area. Six years later, the settlement was expanding north, and the community officially changed its name to Orlando. History is not entirely clear on where the name Orlando originated, but there are a few stories up in the air. One of the most popular stories is of a man named Mr. Orlando, who was on his way to Tampa with a caravan of ox when he fell ill, died, and was buried. The legend goes that traveling folks would pass by and say “there lies Orlando.” While no one is sure of where its name really came from, one thing about the city is for certain. It’s a hotspot for nightlife, restaurants, and you guessed it – ghosts! The history of Orlando has left spirits running rampant in its streets, especially in some of its most haunted bars, which we’ve researched and added to our Orlando Haunted Pub Crawl!
Meeting point address: The Elixir at 9 West Washington St
Duration: Approximately 2 hours
Parking: We recommend parking near Elixir. To see options, click below:
Use parkme.com for more parking locations.
Jessica Van Winkle
Verified Customer
September 24th 2023
"I had a great time! My guides were so knowledgeable about the history of Orlando, and the ghosts wer ... "
Bekka Schuman
Verified Customer
September 23rd 2023
"David was amazing! He was funny, dramatic, and an amazing story teller. He is also just a great pers ... "
Matthew Steinberg
Verified Customer
September 11th 2023
"David was a great tour guide. He was very informative on all the supernatural events that occurred i ... "
Please arrive to the designated meeting location before your tour’s start time, or they may leave without you! Your email confirmation will verify map and meeting location.
No need to print anything out. Just show up, and the tour guide will mark you present! Please save your email confirmation handy on your phone for reference.
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This tour is a walking tour.