Recap of Weeki Wachee Spring's 1969 Annual Mermaid Reunion
Dublin Core
Title
Recap of Weeki Wachee Spring's 1969 Annual Mermaid Reunion
Alternative Title
"Weeki Wachee Calling," The Pictoral Report of the 9th Annual Weeki Wachee Springs Mermaid Reunion
Subject
Weeki Wachee Springs (Fla.)
Tourism--Florida
tourism & museum
Tourism--1960-1980
Ballet--1970-1980
Mermaids--Florida--Weeki Wachee--History
Theater--20th century
Description
"Weeki Wachee Calling" is a 4-page pictoral report of the 9th annual Weeki Wachee Spring's Mermaid Reunion. The first page is written as if it is a telegram and thanks guests for attending as well as informing them of the next reunion in 1970. Over the next 2 pages are 15 photos from the event along with the winners of all of the games and contests that were held during the event. The last page lists the attendance roster. A totall of 130 participated in the event.
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.
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
4-Page typed document
Creator
Weeki Wachee Spring State Park
Source
Original four-page document "Weeki Wachee Calling," 1969: Private collection of Shirley Herdge.
Publisher
Date Created
ca. 1969
Date Copyrighted
ca. 1969
Is Format Of
Digital Reproduction of four page-page document: Shirley Herdge, 1969. Scanned by RICHES Team. RICHES, Orlando, Florida.
Is Part Of
Weeki Wachee Collection, RICHES.
Format
image/pdf
Extent
13.3 MB
Medium
Four-page typed document
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 Shirley Herdge, and published by RICHES.
Rights Holder
Copyright to this resource is held by Shirley Herdge 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 Shirley Herdge
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.
Collection
Citation
Weeki Wachee Spring State Park, “Recap of Weeki Wachee Spring's 1969 Annual Mermaid Reunion,” RICHES, accessed December 25, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/11150.