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- 1881 — Loring Chase and Oliver Chapman established the town of Winter Park. At the time, the land that would become Central Park was covered with orange trees.
- 1894 — Volunteers cleared the land to create a pleasant stretch of green surrounding the railroad station, which served to anchor the town's civic buildings and commercial center. For the next half century, Central Park served as the port of arrival and departure for Winter Park.
- 1906 — Charles Hosmer Morse donated a six-acre tract to the city with the condition that it would always be used as a park. Today, two large bronze plaques mounted in the park commemorate his gift.
- 1920 — A park fountain was dedicated to local heroes who served in World War I.
- 1959 — The city planned its first large-scale redevelopment, which included replantings, new walkways, rearranging and adding benches, as well as numerous other plans to ensure the park was adequate for the city's residents. At this time, the historic 1913 train station was demolished and a new station built.
- 1960s — Morse Boulevard was widened to four lanes and extended through the park.
- 1994 — Residents came together to discuss the future of downtown Winter Park. From this discussion, and in the spirit that the city should always strive to improve itself, a long-term need to address Central Park was identified.
- 1999 — Following completion of the Park Avenue Enhancement Project, the park edge was enhanced by widening the sidewalks, reducing the width of the travel lanes, and changing Park Avenue to a brick-lined street. These additions improved the connectivity of the eastern park edge to the retail side of Park Avenue.
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