Becky Young

Bicentennial edition of Weeki Wachee Springs trifold brochure, c. 1976. The mermaid mock playing the flute is Rebecca Young (previously Stahlhut). This photoshoot is the one she is most proud of from her time as a Weeki Wachee Mermaid. The photoshoot required several hours to take this perfect picture, as everyone's hair, costumes, and the flag had to be in correct positions. The inside of the brochure lists the attractions and mentions the special "salute to the Bicentennial, 'Happy Birthday America!'"

Many women who became Weeki Wachee Mermaids gained an interest for the job because of their love of swimming. Becky Young sought out Weeki Wachee Springs for just this reason: "When I was in middle, what we used to call junior high school, I remember seeing a special on Weeki Wachee. I was an avid swimmer. I swam competitively. I swam in synchronized swimming. Swimming was a big part of my life. So I thought, 'Boy if I ever get to Florida, I gotta’ see that place.'" After seeing that television special, her mind was made up: "I just remember seeing these amazing glamourous women who were swimming for a living and diving in the beautiful springs and I just kept that memory in my head..."