Kissimmee, Florida

Kissimmee is a city located in Osceola County, Florida. As of the 2000 census, the city had a total population of 47,814. As of 2004, the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 56,153. It is the county seat of Osceola County.

Kissimmee (pronounced kiss-SIM-mee, with the accent on the second syllable), on the northwest shore of Lake Tohopokeliga (locally called "Lake Toho") was founded in the mid-19th Century as Allendale. The name was changed when the city was incorporated in 1883.

Cattle ranching was an important part of the economy and large cattle ranches remain nearby.

After the opening of nearby Walt Disney World in 1971, Kissimmee and its neighbouring city of Saint Cloud grew rapidly.

On August 13, 2004, Hurricane Charley went through Kissimmee bringing winds of greater than 100 miles per hour. Even though hurricane winds only affected the city for less than an hour, it damaged many buildings, knocked down trees, and left much of the city without power for a week or longer.