Florida State Archives, Division of Library and Information Services, Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.]]> Mermaid Performing at the Weeki Wachee Springs Waterpark." 1949: Image number PC12593. Florida Memory.]]> Florida State Archives, Division of Library and Information Services, Florida Department of State, Tallahassee, Florida.]]> Laura Cepero Collection, RICHES.]]> Florida State Archives and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
Weeki Wachee, located at 6131 Commercial Way in Spring Hill, Florida, is best known for its famous tourist attraction, Weeki Wachee Springs. Weeki Wachee Springs features performances by underwater mermaids, a glass-bottom boat ride, and other natural attractions. The springs are named after the Seminole words for "little spring" or "winding river." In 1946, former U.S. Navy member Newt Perry (1908-1987) began to develop a tourist attraction at Weeki Wachee. By the 1950s, Weeki Wachee was one of the top tourist stops in the United States. The American Broadcasting Company (ABC) purchased the site in 1959 and continued to expand. In 2008, Weeki Wachee was taken over by the state of Florida as a state park.]]> Laura Cepero Collection, RICHES.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Laura Cepero Collection, RICHES.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>