The fort was active until the Army withdrew from the area in 1849. A number of soldiers and their families settled in the area to grow citrus and raise cattle. In 1856, Fort Gatlin became the county seat for Orange County, formerly part of Mosquito County. The community changed the name to Orlando. In 1941, the U.S. Navy established the Underwater Sound Research Laboratory on Lake Gem Mary. The laboratory was closed in 1997.

This historic marker was erected when Fort Gatlin was declared a Florida Historic Site and is sponsored by the Fort Gatlin Historical Group, Orange County Public Schools, the Orange County Government, and the Florida Department of State. An earlier historic marker was erected by the Orlando Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) on March 27, 1924.]]> RICHES of Central Florida]]> Thomas Cook Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Originally created by Thomas Cook and published by RICHES of Central Florida.]]> Copyright to this resource is held by Thomas Cook and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>