the space industry, as newly arriving Longwood residents were employed at Martin-Marietta's new missile plant in Orlando; Naval Air Station Sanford; Orlando Air Force Base (redesignated Naval Training Center Orlando in 1969); and McCoy Air Force Base in Orlando; as well as Cape Canaveral Air Force Station; Patrick Air Force Base; and the NASA John F. Kennedy Space Center in Brevard County. The development and opening of Walt Disney World in October 1971, along with other tourist attractions and the high technology corridor of businesses, especially those engaged in the modeling, simulation and training (MS&T) industry and associated military training systems activities near Florida Technological University (FTU), now the University of Central Florida (UCF), fueled even further growth. Short-term economic downturns caused by the closure of NAS Sanford in 1968 and McCoy AFB in 1975 were offset with other economic growth across Central Florida during the 1970s and 1980s. As a result, Longwood developed into primarily a residential community for residents working elsewhere in Seminole County or in adjacent Orange County. By 2000, the city had taken significant steps to revitalize its downtown historic district, expanded its borders through annexation and in the process gained a resident population exceeding 13,700. Economy Top employers According to the city's 2020 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top employers in the city are: Points of interest Bradlee-McIntyre House Longwood Hotel Longwood Historic District Longwood (SunRail station) Senator (tree) Wekiva Presbyterian Church Schools The city of Longwood's public schools are a part of Seminole County Public Schools. Longwood contains four public elementary schools (K–5), two public middle schools (6–8), and one public high school (9–12). Two additional high schools are located outside of Longwood, but draw some students from within the city limits. Elementary schools (public) Longwood Elementary School (Closed in 2011, but reopened in the 2017–2018 school year) Sabal Point Elementary School Wekiva Elementary School Woodlands Elementary School Middle schools (public) Milwee Middle School Rock Lake Middle School Teague Middle School (in Altamonte Springs) Greenwood Middle School (in Lake Mary) High schools (public) Lyman High School Lake Mary High School (in Lake Mary) Lake Brantley High School (in Altamonte Springs) Transportation Major Roads A small slice of Interstate 4 runs along the western city limits and includes a single exit for State Road 434, which bisects the city to its eastern boundary at US Highway 17/92. Public Transit Lynx SunRail Notable people Jared Bernhardt,