Longwood has been a destination point for Florida travelers since coastal tribes used TheThe Senator Senator, an ancient bald cypress, to find their way over land from the St. Johns River to trading grounds at Spring Hammock. This was the wilderness sanctuary early tribes found when they escaped inland from the Spanish. With the coming of the Depression, development stopped. The City's only bank failed in 1932 and Longwood sought, unsuccessfully, to disincorporate. Toward the end of the 1930's, some growth did occur, and by the 1940's the population of the incorporated city was 406. New economic and development opportunities were brought to the area in the 1960's and 1970's, fueled by both the space industry and the development of Walt Disney World and other attractions. With the growth of Central Florida during the 1970's and 1980's, Longwood developed into primarily a residential community, and by 2000, the population exceeded 13,700.