Document Detailing the Acrobatic Routine Performed by Rita King at a Weeki Wachee Mermaid Reunion

FOWWSSP011.pdf

Dublin Core

Title

Document Detailing the Acrobatic Routine Performed by Rita King at a Weeki Wachee Mermaid Reunion

Alternative Title

Choreography of the Acrobatic Routine Rita King, then Rita McKenna, performed at a Weeki Wachee Springs Reunion in 1960

Subject

Weeki Wachee Springs (Fla.)
Tourism--Florida
tourism & museum
Tourism--1960-1980
Ballet--1970-1980
Mermaids--Florida--Weeki Wachee--History
Theater--20th century

Description

This document lists the choreography of the acrobatic routine Rita King (then Rita McKenna) performed at one of the Weeki Wachee Springs Mermaid Reunions. This event was one of the many mermaid reunions that Weeki Wachee Springs hosted, where they invited former mermaids to attend special events. This particular reunion happened on December 1, 1960. Text cut off at the top of the image reads, "Acrobatic Dance Routine for a Mermaid Reunion Show - Age 21."

Along with a group of investors, Newton Perry opened Weeki Wachee Springs to the public in October of 1947. At the time, roadside attractions were becoming popular stops along Florida roadways. The attraction consisted of an amalgamation of vendors, an orchid garden, a river boat tour, as well as the star attraction: a mermaid show that took place in an underwater theater. Eventually, the May Museum of the Tropics, an "abandoned Seminole village", a show called “Birds of Prey”, and a petting zoo were added. After peaking in the 1950s and 1960s, attendance began to decline as theme parks and highways changed the dynamics of Florida's tourism. The State of Florida took over the attraction as a state park in 2008. Since then, the park has focused on appealing to a modern audience while preserving its history.

Abstract

2-page document

Creator

Weeki Wachee Spring State Park

Source

Original two-page document of choreography, December 1, 1960: Private collection of Rita King.

Publisher

Date Created

1960-12-01

Date Copyrighted

1960-12-01

Is Format Of

Digital Reproduction of 2-page document: Rita King, December 1, 1960s. Scanned by RICHES Team. RICHES, Orlando, Florida.

Is Part Of

Format

image/pdf

Extent

5.43 MB

Medium

Two 8.5 x 11 sheets of paper

Language

eng

Type

Still Image

Coverage

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Spring Hill, Florida

Accrual Method

Donation

Mediator

History Teacher
Humanitites Teacher
Visual Arts Teacher
Theater Teacher

Provenance

Originally created by Weeki Wachee Springs, owned by Rita King, and published by RICHES.

Rights Holder

Copyright to this resource is held by Rita King and is provided here by RICHES for educational purposes only.

Contributing Project

Florida Humanities Council Community Grant Program and Friends of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park

Curator

Schwandt, Rebecca

Digital Collection

Source Repository

Private Collection of Rita King

External Reference

Allman, T.D. Finding Florida: The True History of the Sunshine State. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2013.


Ammidown, Margot. “Edens, Underworlds, and Shrines: Florida’s Small Tourist Attractions.” The Journal of Decorative and Propaganda Arts 23, (1998): 238-259.
Georgiadis, Bonnie and Lu Vickers. Weeki Wachee Mermaids. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2012.
Hollis, Tim. Glass Bottom Boats and Mermaid Tails: Florida’s Tourist Springs. Mechanicsburg: Stackpole Books, 2006.
Pelland, Dan and Maryan Pelland. Images of America: Weeki Wachee. Mount Pleasant: Arcadia Publishing, 2006.
Revels, Tracy J. Sunshine Paradise: A History of Florida Tourism. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2011.
Vickers, Lu. Weeki Wachee City of Mermaids: A History of One of Florida’s Oldest Roadside Attractions. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2007.

Citation

Weeki Wachee Spring State Park, “Document Detailing the Acrobatic Routine Performed by Rita King at a Weeki Wachee Mermaid Reunion,” RICHES, accessed December 25, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/11148.

Locations

Categories