An interesting comparison of 1947 and 2016 aerials illustrating the impact of expressways penetrating through various Orlando neighborhoods and districts.

3. Downtown Orlando

Developed as an African-Americans community during the 1880s, Parramore was seamlessly connected with downtown Orlando in 1947. By the late 1960s, Interstate 4 was constructed in a location that severed the neighborhood from the city’s downtown core.

4. Orlando Fashion Square Mall

The Orlando Municipal Airport was the first commercial airport in Central Florida when it opened in 1928. In 1940, it was taken over by the United States Army Air Corps and renamed the Orland Army Air Base. After World War II, the airfield was given back to the city and military support facilities to the north became the Orlando Air Force Base. The base eventually became Naval Training Center Orlando before closing in 1999 and being replaced with a new urbanist development called Baldwin Park. The portion of the land deeded to the city along Colonial Boulevard became home to two of the region’s oldest malls, Colonial Plaza and Orlando Fashion Square Mall by 1973. Encroaching development led to commercial flights at the airport being shifted to what is now Orlando International Airport.

5. College Park

Although it dates back to the late 19th century, College Park largely came to life after the end of World War II.

6. International Drive

Serving a similar purpose to that of the Las Vegas Strip, International Drive (I-Drive) is an 11-mile thoroughfare serving as the city’s main tourist strip near the interchange of I-4 and the Beachline Expressway. Now serving as the southermost limist of the City of Orlando, I-Drive wasn’t on anyone’s mind in 1947. When it was first built, it was called “Finley’s Folly” because it was located in the boondocks.