Hey everyone! As the title says, here is my first history paper this year. Hope you like it! :)
The city of Ocala, Florida, was named for an important Timucua village that it was developed near. This Timucua village, called Ocale, or Ocali – which means Big Hammock – was abandoned, probably as a result of Hernando de Soto's attack in 1539.
In 1827, American soldiers built Fort King, and it saw use during the Second Seminole War, which lasted from 1835-1842. The city of Ocala began developing around the fort, most of the residents being soldiers who had come to serve in the fort.
The Civil War had some negative effects on Ocala. Both the population and value of property went down. However, by shipping fruits, vegetables, cotton, and merchandise, the city began to grow rapidly in wealth and importance. A railroad built to the city in 1881 encouraged even more development.
However, on Thanksgiving Day, 1883, a fire destroyed most of downtown Ocala. The destroyed buildings were rebuilt using bricks, which later gave Ocala the nickname “The Brick City."
In the 1900s, Ocala became a tourist attraction. Attractions included the Silver Springs Nature Theme Park and Wild Waters. In 1943, a man named Carl G. Rose started a Thoroughbred farm in Ocala called Rosemere Farm. The Thoroughbred industry expanded quickly, and Ocala, along with surrounding Marion County, has produced many good racehorses, including 1978 Triple Crown winner Affirmed, as well as 1997 Derby and Preakness winner Silver Charm and 1998 Derby and Preakness winner Real Quiet. Ocala is known today as the Horse Capital of the World.
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