Busch Gardens opened as a hospitality facility for Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. on March 31, 1959. Busch Gardens originally hosted a brewery with beer tastings, but it was closed in 1995 and the roller coaster Gwazi was constructed in its place. In 1965, Serengeti Plains, inhabited by African wildlife, opened. In 1971, the Serengeti Express Railway, a two-mile railroad surrounding the park, was opened. The Stanleyville section opened, including the Stanley Falls Flume in 1973. In 1976, the Congo area opened, featuring Busch Gardens' first roller coaster, Python. Various theme areas and attractions have been added to the park over the years.

From 1976 through the 1990s, the theme park was called Busch Gardens: The Dark Continent, but was renamed Busch Gardens Tampa Bay during that same decade. From 2006 to 2008, the park was renamed Busch Gardens Africa. In 2008, it returned to its original name. The park is currently owned by SeaWorld Entertainment and the Blackstone Groups. Busch Gardens includes several themed areas in addition to the Edge of Africa: Morocco, Stanleyville, Congo, Jungala, Pantopia, Nairobi, Crown Colony Plaza, and Egypt.]]>
Tampa Collection, Hillsborough County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>

From 1976 through the 1990s, the theme park was called Busch Gardens: The Dark Continent, but was renamed Busch Gardens Tampa Bay during that same decade. From 2006 to 2008, the park was renamed Busch Gardens Africa. In 2008, it returned to its original name. The park is currently owned by SeaWorld Entertainment and the Blackstone Groups. Busch Gardens includes several themed areas in addition to the Edge of Africa: Morocco, Stanleyville, Congo, Jungala, Pantopia, Nairobi, Crown Colony Plaza, and Egypt.]]>
Tampa Collection, Hillsborough County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>

From 1976 through the 1990s, the theme park was called Busch Gardens: The Dark Continent, but was renamed Busch Gardens Tampa Bay during that same decade. From 2006 to 2008, the park was renamed Busch Gardens Africa. In 2008, it returned to its original name. The park is currently owned by SeaWorld Entertainment and the Blackstone Groups. Busch Gardens includes several themed areas in addition to the Edge of Africa: Morocco, Stanleyville, Congo, Jungala, Pantopia, Nairobi, Crown Colony Plaza, and Egypt.]]>
Tampa Collection, Hillsborough County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>

From 1976 through the 1990s, the theme park was called Busch Gardens: The Dark Continent, but was renamed Busch Gardens Tampa Bay during that same decade. From 2006 to 2008, the park was renamed Busch Gardens Africa. In 2008, it returned to its original name. The park is currently owned by SeaWorld Entertainment and the Blackstone Groups. Busch Gardens includes several themed areas in addition to the Edge of Africa: Morocco, Stanleyville, Congo, Jungala, Pantopia, Nairobi, Crown Colony Plaza, and Egypt.]]>
Tampa Collection, Hillsborough County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>

Busch Gardens opened as a hospitality facility for Anheuser-Busch Companies, Inc. on March 31, 1959. The park originally hosted a brewery with beer tastings, but it was closed in 1995 and the roller coaster Gwazi was constructed in its place. In 1965, Serengeti Plains, inhabited by African wildlife, opened. In 1971, the Serengeti Express Railway, a two-mile railroad surrounding the park, was opened. The Stanleyville section opened, including the Stanley Falls Flume in 1973. In 1976, the Congo area opened, featuring Busch Gardens' first roller coaster, Python. Various theme areas and attractions have been added to the park over the years.

From 1976 through the 1990s, the theme park was called Busch Gardens: The Dark Continent, but was renamed Busch Gardens Tampa Bay during that same decade. From 2006 to 2008, the park was renamed Busch Gardens Africa. In 2008, it returned to its original name. The park is currently owned by SeaWorld Entertainment and the Blackstone Groups. Busch Gardens includes several themed areas in addition to the Edge of Africa: Morocco, Stanleyville, Congo, Jungala, Pantopia, Nairobi, Crown Colony Plaza, and Egypt.]]>
Tampa Collection, Hillsborough County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>

From 1976 through the 1990s, the theme park was called Busch Gardens: The Dark Continent, but was renamed Busch Gardens Tampa Bay during that same decade. From 2006 to 2008, the park was renamed Busch Gardens Africa. In 2008, it returned to its original name. The park is currently owned by SeaWorld Entertainment and the Blackstone Groups. Busch Gardens includes several themed areas in addition to the Edge of Africa: Morocco, Stanleyville, Congo, Jungala, Pantopia, Nairobi, Crown Colony Plaza, and Egypt.]]>
Tampa Collection, Hillsborough County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
Silver Springs Collection, Marion County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> 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.]]>
Oviedo Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> Orlando Collection, Orange County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]> The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.]]> Orlando Collection, Orange County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
Set on the shore of Bay Lake, Disney's first water park opened on June 20, 1976. The wilderness-theme water park utilized a water-filtering system that used water dammed from Bay Lake. Despite competition from Disney's more successful water parks—Typhoon Lagoon and Blizzard Beach—River Country continued to operate until September 1, 2001. Originally, the park had planned to re-open when the warm-weather season came around in the spring of 2002. However, business for all Disney attractions suffered as a result of the terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington, D.C. on September 11, 2001. River Country did not re-open due to lack of guest demand.]]>
Orlando Collection, Orange County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>

Following the American Civil War, the area became a popular tourist destination for wealthy travelers. In 1875, settlers from New Britain, Connecticut, founded the city as New Britain, but the city was incorporated in 1880 as Ormond. The city was named after James Ormond I, an Anglo-Irish-Scottish sea captain responsible for transporting Franciscan settlers to Florida on behalf of King Ferdinand VII of Spain (1784-1833). The St. Johns & Halifax Railroad arrived in 1886 and the Ormond Hotel was constructed in 1888. The first automobile races were held on a track of beach from Ormond south to Daytona Beach in 1902. As a result, Ormond Beach is nicknamed "The Birthplace of Speed."]]>
Ormond Beach Collection, Volusia County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>

Following the American Civil War, the area became a popular tourist destination for wealthy travelers. In 1875, settlers from New Britain, Connecticut, founded the city as New Britain, but the city was incorporated in 1880 as Ormond. The city was named after James Ormond I, an Anglo-Irish-Scottish sea captain responsible for transporting Franciscan settlers to Florida on behalf of King Ferdinand VII of Spain (1784-1833). The St. Johns & Halifax Railroad arrived in 1886 and the Ormond Hotel was constructed in 1888. The first automobile races were held on a track of beach from Ormond south to Daytona Beach in 1902. As a result, Ormond Beach is nicknamed "The Birthplace of Speed."]]>
Ormond Beach Collection, Volusia County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>

Following the American Civil War, the area became a popular tourist destination for wealthy travelers. In 1875, settlers from New Britain, Connecticut, founded the city as New Britain, but the city was incorporated in 1880 as Ormond. The city was named after James Ormond I, an Anglo-Irish-Scottish sea captain responsible for transporting Franciscan settlers to Florida on behalf of King Ferdinand VII of Spain (1784-1833). The St. Johns & Halifax Railroad arrived in 1886 and the Ormond Hotel was constructed in 1888. The first automobile races were held on a track of beach from Ormond south to Daytona Beach in 1902. As a result, Ormond Beach is nicknamed "The Birthplace of Speed."]]>
Ormond Beach Collection, Volusia County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
Ormond Beach Collection, Volusia County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
Located at 70 Boardwalk in Daytona Beach, Florida, this amphitheater was constructed between 1936 1937. The Federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) began constructed in September of 1936 and the first program was presented on July 4, 1937. The bandshell was added to the U.S. National Register of Historic places on March 5, 1999.]]>
Daytona Beach Collection, Volusia County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>