The future of the Orlando’s first settlement is up in the air

The future of a piece of historic land in Orange County is up for debate, but not everyone is on board with the idea to sell it.Residents of the Gatlin community spoke out about the offer on Monday at the Orange County School Board building. Leading up to the school system’s ownership of the land built back in the 1800s, it was originally utilized by the Navy. They used it as a lab to test sounds underwater.Once the Navy was through with it, the U.S. government turned it over to the Orange County Public School system, which used it for administration.The Gatlin community predates the city of Orlando. Now, there’s an anonymous potential buyer who says he’d like to build a public park there, and use the old Navy building as the restroom facilities for the park and future office space. Gatlin community resident Tina Siders said, “We are trying to preserve the area before it gets wiped out by commercialism.”At the corner of Gatlin and Summerlin is an old boarded-up building that seems like nothing impressive on the exterior, but the history behind the land is what makes it interesting. It’s exactly where Fort Gatlin used to stand.The fort was strategically built around three lakes in the late 1830s. It’s considered the first settlement in Orlando. “The fort was built not just for the Army Officers that were serving in the fort, but also for the settlers,” said Laura Pooser, who lives in the Gatlin community currently. “The earliest settlers in this area it was kind of like a place of refuge for the settlers.” The history of Fort Gatlin is the heart of the community today.Orange County Commissioner Mayra Uribe represents the area, says one of her biggest concerns is what happens to it decades from now. “What we don’t want is ten years from for them to say ‘Okay, now we are going to build these apartments or these condos,'” Uribe said. On Dec. 1, the school board plans to hold a meeting to better understand the potential buyer’s intentions for the historic site and let folks who live in the Gatlin community weigh in on it.

ORANGE COUNTY, Fla. —

The future of a piece of historic land in Orange County is up for debate, but not everyone is on board with the idea to sell it.

Residents of the Gatlin community spoke out about the offer on Monday at the Orange County School Board building.

Leading up to the school system’s ownership of the land built back in the 1800s, it was originally utilized by the Navy. They used it as a lab to test sounds underwater.

Once the Navy was through with it, the U.S. government turned it over to the Orange County Public School system, which used it for administration.

The Gatlin community predates the city of Orlando.

Now, there’s an anonymous potential buyer who says he’d like to build a public park there, and use the old Navy building as the restroom facilities for the park and future office space.

Gatlin community resident Tina Siders said, “We are trying to preserve the area before it gets wiped out by commercialism.”

At the corner of Gatlin and Summerlin is an old boarded-up building that seems like nothing impressive on the exterior, but the history behind the land is what makes it interesting. It’s exactly where Fort Gatlin used to stand.

The fort was strategically built around three lakes in the late 1830s. It’s considered the first settlement in Orlando.

“The fort was built not just for the Army Officers that were serving in the fort, but also for the settlers,” said Laura Pooser, who lives in the Gatlin community currently. “The earliest settlers in this area it was kind of like a place of refuge for the settlers.”

The history of Fort Gatlin is the heart of the community today.

Orange County Commissioner Mayra Uribe represents the area, says one of her biggest concerns is what happens to it decades from now.

“What we don’t want is ten years from for them to say ‘Okay, now we are going to build these apartments or these condos,'” Uribe said.

On Dec. 1, the school board plans to hold a meeting to better understand the potential buyer’s intentions for the historic site and let folks who live in the Gatlin community weigh in on it.