April 6, 1929
Insect larvae found in a grapefruit sent Central Florida into a Medfly frenzy.
The National Guard enforced a ban on fruit shipments in a 24-square mile area between Maitland and Lake Jennie Jewell.
The quarantine was later extended to the rest of Orange County and parts of Seminole and Lake counties.
When new infestations started to show up, the citrus was picked and buried with quicklime to kill the larvae.
Close to 350,000 acres of fruit were lost.
April 7, 1882
A soon-to-be-prominent Central Florida town was in the works. Founders labored diligently to plan the area that would become Winter Park.
It would take them a little more than five years to get Winter Park ready for incorporation.
They sent out word to attract wealthy residents with intelligence, culture and character.
Winter Park has maintained its affluent reputation to this day.
April 8, 1986
DeLand celebrated one successful year of the Main Street DeLand program.
The program helped promote economic development by preserving and promoting the city's historic image, and allowing new renovations at the same time.
Five entire blocks were preserved and downtown DeLand was officially recognized by the State Bureau of Preservation in September 1994.
April 9, 1962
The parents of eight African-American students sued the Orange County School Board over segregation in the classroom.
They said the board was maintaining a secondary system of colored schools, with second-rate facilities and used books and materials.
Later that year, 18 black students enrolled at Durrance Elementary School.
However, the battle was far from over, it continued until the last desegregation order was issued in 1971.
April 10, 1991
Health workers discovered the Asian Tiger Mosquito in parts of Central Florida.
They worried that the insect's arrival would mean another encephalitis outbreak for the Sunshine State.
More than 200 people were infected with the virus the previous year, with 10 deaths blamed on the illness.
As a result, the mosquito's every move was monitored, especially in Lake and Volusia counties.
That epidemic was responsible for 10 deaths.
April 11, 1970
NASA made its third attempt to land on the moon, but Apollo 13 only made it into orbit.
There were a series of problems starting five minutes into launch. The mission was aborted after a service module oxygen tank ruptured.
However, the Apollo 13 mission was classed as a “successful failure" because NASA was able to rescue the crew.
The whole ordeal was later portrayed in a blockbuster movie.
April 12, 1981
Space shuttle Columbia was launched for the first time from Cape Canaveral.
Columbia was the world's first reusable spacecraft.
This experimental mission tested all the aspects of the shuttle system and was deemed a success.
The system would be used from then on for manned space missions.
Tragically, Columbia would ultimately break up in the skies in February 2003, killing all seven on board.