May 11, 1870
The city of Sanford was established.
Henry S. Sanford purchased 23 square miles of land on the St. Johns River.
The city was financed and promoted by the Florida Land and Colonization Company, a business that Sanford created.
The city was finally incorporated in 1877 and is still thriving today.
May 12, 1988
Church Street Exchange held its grand opening.
It was part of the expansion of the downtown Orlando area, which eventually would include a 74,000 square foot entertainment complex.
At the time, it was a hot spot for tourists and locals.
But eventually most of the businesses moved out.
Efforts to revitalize the area continue to this day.
May 13, 1985
Seminole County beefed up its patrol for drunken boaters.
New state legislation allowed law enforcement officers to arrest boat drivers under the influence.
The county Sheriff's Water Patrol prowled the St. John’s and Wekiva rivers, Lake Monroe and several other large lakes, checking for those who threatened the safety of the waterways.
May 14, 1949
President Truman signed a bill establishing a rocket test range at Cape Canaveral.
The Cape was determined to be a good site for the testing because it was away from heavily populated areas and had a huge overwater flight area.
At the time, the entire facility was under the management of the Army, Navy and Air Force. However, soon the Air Force assumed total control.
May 15, 1927
The Florida Power Corporation came to be.
The company was first known as the St. Petersburg Electric, Light and Power Company, which dated back to 1897.
At the time, the new company had a broad service area that ran up the west coast of Florida and into Georgia.
But at the beginning of 2003, Florida Power changed its name to Progress Energy.
May 16, 1986
Seminole County made it harder for students to attend the school of their choice.
The school board toughened guidelines on a policy that allowed students to transfer from one school to another.
The new policy was instituted after the board found out that a number of families were taking advantage of the system.
The new measure stipulated the student must live with a legal guardian and attend the school in their specific district.
May 17, 1995
After a life of service to Orlando, Belvin Perry, Sr. died.
Perry was one of Orlando's first African-American police officers.
His legacy lives on through his son, Belvin Perry, Jr., who was a circuit court judge at the time of his father's death.
Belvin Perry, Jr. continued his efforts with the justice system and would become a Chief Judge for Orange County.