1 100 1 https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/files/original/fe5f57a36eba5daac91eb181f5ee9ca2.jpg 8698cafa30b398a4f4d8ae0f2c03c0ee 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 Val Darling to Newton "Newt" Perry (March 26, 1981) Alternative Title Letter from Darling to Perry (March 26, 1981) Subject Weeki Wachee Springs (Fla.) Tourism--Florida Springs--Florida Parks--Florida Mermaids--Florida Sports--Florida Athletes--United States Swimming--Florida Perry, Newton, 1908-1987 Description A letter dated March 26, 1981, from the Acting Chairman of the <a href="https://flasportshof.org/" target="_blank">Florida Sports Hall of Fame</a>, Val Darling, to Newton "Newt" Perry, informing Perry of his selection to the Florida Sports Hall of Fame for his "immense contributions to the world of sports" and inviting him to an induction ceremony on April 17, 1981.<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 Val Darling to Newton "Newt" Perry, March 26, 1981: 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 Val Darling to Newton "Newt" Perry, March 26, 1981. Coverage Florida Sports Hall of Fame, Cypress Garden, Florida Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Weeki Wachee, Florida Creator Darling, Val Publisher <a href="https://riches.cah.ucf.edu/">RICHES</a> Date Created 1981-03-26 Date Issued 1981-03-26 Date Copyrighted 1981-03-26 Format image/jpeg Extent 997 KB Language eng Mediator History Teacher Humanities Teacher Theater Teacher Provenance Originally created by Val Darling, owned by Delee Perry, and published by <a href="https://riches.cah.ucf.edu/">RICHES</a>. Rights Holder Copyright to this resource is held by Val Darling 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> athletics Delee Perry diving Florida Sports Hall of Fame Florida tourism mermaids natural springs Newton "Newt" Perry parks Rebecca Schwandt roadside attractions roadside tourism swimming tourist attractions Val Darling Weeki Wachee Springs State Park