Ocoee was founded in the 1850s along the western banks of the pristine Starke Lake, as a camp for laborers working the farms around southern shores of Lake Apopka. A village soon grew up around the camp and became what is now the downtown historic district.

How was Ocoee established?

The City of Ocoee was formed as a small agricultural settlement supported by the local citrus and vegetable farming industry. Following the end of the Civil War, a number of settlers moved into the area including Captain Bluford M. J. D. Starke and established the first citrus nursery in the United States. ...

Where did the name Ocoee come from?

The name “Ocoee” originates from the Cherokee word “u-wa-go-hi” (which sounds a bit like “ocoee” if you think about it), referring to the perennial bloom of Passiflora incarnata, more commonly known as wild apricot or passion flower.