Museum of Seminole County History in Sanford, Florida.]]> 0:00:56 Growing up in Sanford and Charleston
0:04:33 Father’s gas station
0:05:13 Celery and gladiola farming
0:09:55 Working on a farm
0:14:07 Father’s service in the Navy
0:19:29 Parents and sister
0:23:04 How Sanford has changed over time
0:25:44 Employment history
0:29:05 World travel experiences
0:34:06 Retirement
0:37:15 Working with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
0:40:11 Wife and children
0:45:25 Serving in the Army and the Air Force
0:55:04 Apollo 8
0:57:01 Closing remarks]]> Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.]]> Museum of Seminole County History, Sanford, Florida.]]> Linda McKnight Batman Oral History Project Collection, Seminole County Collection, RICHES of Central Florida.]]> QuickTime.]]> Adobe Acrobat Reader]]> Museum of Seminole County History and is provided here by RICHES of Central Florida for educational purposes only.]]>
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.

The Sinclair Oil Corporation was founded on May 1, 1916. The corporation created dinosaur exhibits in several world's fairs that featured a brontosaurus, which was the company's mascot. Other promotional materials featuring the dinosaur included bobble head toys and inflatables.]]> Weeki Wachee Springs State Park Weeki Wachee, Florida.]]> RICHES]]> Weeki Wachee Collection, Hernando County Collection, RICHES.]]> Weeki Wachee Springs State Park and is provided here by RICHES for educational purposes only.]]>