April 13, 1986
The Orlando City Council approved a deal outlining a new arena in the downtown area.
They planned to spend $35 million to build the 14,000 to 17,000-seat sports and entertainment complex.
Construction began in 1987 and the arena officially opened two years later.
It later was renamed the TD Waterhouse Centre, and then the Amway Arena in late 2006.
April 14, 1941
Orlando's new post office building was dedicated.
It took a little more than a year to build the facility on the corner of Magnolia and Jefferson streets.
The staff moved into the new building on April 28.
The old office was built in 1917 on the southwest corner of East Central Avenue and Court Street.
April 15, 1843
Orlando's first documented financial transaction takes place.
The deed shows a transfer of more than $7,000 for the purchase of 37 slaves.
The slave population was never large in the Central Florida area, but this recorded deed did prove that at least some slave trade existed.
April 16, 1972
Apollo 16 launched with local resident John Young on board.
It was Young's first and only trip to the lunar surface.
While there, he conducted performance tests with the lunar rover, at one time getting up to a top speed of 11 miles per hour, which still stands in the Guinness Book of Records as the record speed for any wheeled vehicle on the Moon.
Young and two other astronauts would return to Earth more than a week later on April 27.
April 17, 1990
Orange County pitches in big bucks to help the city of Orlando.
The county decided to finance the $33.6 million expansion of the Florida Citrus Bowl.
The city started construction without financial backing and it cost taxpayers nearly $1.3 million in interest.
County Commissioners agreed to borrow the money and repay it with a 4 percent resort tax on county hotel rooms.
The expansion increased the stadium from 52,000 to 72,000 seats.
April 18, 1959
Dr. P. Phillips, one of Orange County's most famous entrepreneurs, died.
In the early 1900s, Dr. Phillips was the largest citrus grower in the world.
A post office, train station, school, even an entire town were named in his honor.
The businessman earned a fortune estimated at $50 million before his death, including a huge home in Orlando.
April 19, 1943
The first ski show was held at Cypress Gardens.
Several soldiers showed up the next day to see the "water show," although the park did not have a show.
Julie Pope, wife of Dick Pope, rounded up her children and friends to stage the park's first water ski show.
Soon, Cypress Gardens was dubbed the "Water Ski Capital of the World."