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https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/files/original/46448d2b6608e6cb8acaa909990c5639.jpg
5e2ff9aced7ecc9017fa6fac50a92be4
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
Weeki Wachee Collection
Alternative Title
Weeki Wachee Collection
Description
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.
Subject
Weeki Wachee (Fla.)
Weeki Wachee Springs (Fla.)
Tourism--Florida
Springs--Florida
Parks--Florida
Contributor
Schumacher, Elmer "Sparky"
Is Part Of
<a href="https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka2/collections/show/63" target="_blank">Hernando County Collection</a>, RICHES.
Language
eng
Type
Collection
Spatial Coverage
Weeki Wachee Springs, Spring Hill, Florida
Curator
Schwandt, Rebecca
Digital Collection
<a href="https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/map/" target="_blank">RICHES MI</a>
External Reference
<span>"</span><a href="http://weekiwachee.com/about-us/history-of-weeki-wachee-springs.html" target="_blank">History of Weeki Wachee Springs</a><span>." Weeki Wachee Springs State Park. http://weekiwachee.com/about-us/history-of-weeki-wachee-springs.html.</span>
<span>Pelland, Maryan, and Dan Pelland. </span><a href="http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/67516850" target="_blank"><em>Weeki Wachee Springs</em></a><span>. Charleston, SC: Arcadia, 2005.</span>
<span>Vickers, Lu, and Bonnie Georgiadis. </span><a href="http://www.worldcat.org/oclc/780478262" target="_blank"><em>Weeki Wachee Mermaids: Thirty Years of Underwater Photography</em></a><span>. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2012.</span>
Contributing Project
Rebecca Schwandt's Thesis Project
Dublin Core
The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/.
Title
Letter from Gaye Guinta to Delee Perry (March 31, 1997)
Alternative Title
Letter from Guinta to Perry (March 31, 1997)
Subject
Weeki Wachee Springs (Fla.)
Tourism--Florida
Springs--Florida
Parks--Florida
Mermaids--Florida
Motion pictures--Production and direction
Underwater photography
Florida--In motion pictures
Perry, Newton, 1908-1987
Description
A letter dated March 31, 1997, from the director of the <a href="https://museumoffloridahistory.com/" target="_blank">Museum of Florida History</a>, Gaye Guita, to Delee Perry. In the letter, printed on <a href="https://dos.myflorida.com/" target="_blank">Florida Department of State</a> letterhead, Gaye Guita invites Delee Perry to attend the opening reception for an new exhibit about Florida's film heritage at the Museum of Florida History on April 6, 1997. This exhibit featured and was dedicated to the memory of Perry's father, Newton "Newt" Perry, and Guita thanks Perry for her assistance with the exhibit.<br /><br />
Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to Ocala, Florida in 1922. He was a member of the swimming and diving teams at the University of Florida. Perry earned the nickname "The Human Fish" for his performances of underwater stunts in advertising clips and film shorts, and acted as a swim double for actors in movies and TV shows, including Johnny Weissmuller as "Tarzan." Perry also advised filmmakers filming underwater scenes at Silver Springs, Wakulla Springs, and Weeki Wachee Springs, and developed a system for breathing underwater using an air compressor and hose, which was used in the 1948 film "Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid" and during Weeki Wachee Springs' mermaid shows.<br /><br />
Perry worked as a lifeguard, public school principal, coach, swimming and scuba diving instructor, and Ocala city pool manager. He opened Perry's Swim School in 1955, and taught more than 120,000 individuals to swim during his career. Perry was inducted into the Florida Sports Hall of Fame in 1981. Perry's daughter Delee Perry took over Perry's Swim School following her father's death in 1987, and it was still in operation as of 2020.<br /><br />
Along with a group of investors, Newton Perry opened Weeki Wachee Springs to the public in October of 1947, and used his experiences working at Silver Springs and Wakulla Springs to develop the original concepts for its underwater theater and mermaid shows. Perry sold his stake in Weeki Wachee Springs in 1950. 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.
Type
Text
Source
Original 1-page letter from Gaye Guinta to Delee Perry, March 31, 1997: Personal Collection of Delee Perry.
Is Part Of
<a href="https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/collections/show/63" target="_blank">Weeki Wachee Collection</a>, RICHES.
Is Format Of
Digital reproduction of original 1-page letter from Gaye Guinta to Delee Perry, March 31, 1997.
Coverage
Museum of Florida History, Tallahassee, Florida
Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Weeki Wachee, Florida
Creator
Guinta, Gaye
Publisher
<a href="https://riches.cah.ucf.edu/">RICHES</a>
Date Created
1997-03-31
Date Issued
1997-03-31
Date Copyrighted
1997-03-31
Format
image/jpeg
Extent
971 KB
Language
eng
Mediator
History Teacher
Humanities Teacher
Theater Teacher
Provenance
Originally created by Gaye Guinta and published by <a href="https://riches.cah.ucf.edu/">RICHES</a>.
Rights Holder
Copyright to this resource is held by Delee Perry and is provided here by <a href="https://riches.cah.ucf.edu/">RICHES</a> for educational purposes only.
Accrual Method
Donation
Contributing Project
Rebecca Schwandt's Thesis Project
Curator
Kephart, Anna
Digital Collection
<a href="https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/">RICHES MI</a>
Source Repository
Personal collection of Delee Perry
External Reference
Florida Department of State. Division of Historical Resources. "<a href="https://dos.myflorida.com/historical/preservation/national-register/national-preservation-month-2020/weeki-wachee-springs/" target="_blank">Weeki Wachee Springs</a>." https://dos.myflorida.com/historical/preservation/national-register/national-preservation-month-2020/weeki-wachee-springs/. Accessed May 15, 2020.
Florida Department of Environmental Protection, Florida State Parks. "<a href="https://www.floridastateparks.org/learn/history-weeki-wachee" target="_blank">History of Weeki Wachee</a>." https://www.floridastateparks.org/learn/history-weeki-wachee. Accessed May 15, 2020.
Rizzo, Marian. "<a href="https://www.ocala.com/article/LK/20130814/News/604145183/OS" target="_blank">'Human Fish' Had a Life Filled With Aquatic Exploits</a>." <em>Ocala Star Banner</em>. August 14, 2013. https://www.ocala.com/article/LK/20130814/News/604145183/OS. Accessed May 15, 2020.
Schwandt, Rebecca. "<a href="https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/6189" target="_blank">Revisiting Roadside Attractions: A 'Deep Dive' into Florida's Weeki Wachee Springs</a>." <em>Electronic Theses and Dissertations, 2004-2019 (6189), 2018. https://stars.library.ucf.edu/etd/6189.
Turtle, Howard. "Kansas Citians Stage Shows in Deep Water in Florida." <em>Kansas City Star</em>. March 7, 1948.</em>
Delee Perry
diving
Florida tourism
Gaye Guita
mermaids
Museum of Florida History
museums
natural springs
Newton "Newt" Perry
parks
Rebecca Schwandt
roadside attractions
roadside tourism
swimming
tourist attractions
underwater filmmaking
underwater photography
Weeki Wachee Springs State Park