The establishment became part of history during the late 1880's (as far back as we have documentation). The first record owner of the land was the Consolidated Land Co., then the Florida Industrial Co. In this period of time this part of Osceola County was probably in Brevard County. Florida became a state in 1845; however, a large area of the state was submerged. In 1881 a project was begun by Di
sston in an effort to reclaim land from the southern Orlando area to south of Okeechobee. One of the already existing railroads (1882 in Kissimmee) possibly the Florida East Coast Railway, aided in moving timber in this area. This led to part of the motel site being developed into one of the water depots for the old railway trams carrying logs. Between 1917 and 1930 history was made with the cowboys moving cattle from Kissimmee River, Orlando and places north down to the Indian reservations and places south in which Yeehaw was the only watering hole!!! The Desert Inn patrons at that time included Indians as well as cowboys, business people, moonshiners, traders (trading goods and lumber), and lumber men. Cowboys remember ox teams and Model T's. http://www.desertinnrestaurant.com/history.html
