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"At Weekiwachee Springs It's All Done Under..."
Newspaper article entitled "At Weekiwachee Springs It's All Done Under..," describing the mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, published in the Independent, St. Petersburg, Florida, on November 21, 1947. The article was written by John A.…
"Merman Perry"
Newspaper article entitled "Merman Perry" about Newton "Newt" Perry published in unidentified newspaper in 1983. 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…
"Newton Perry Has Enviable Record"
Clipping of newspaper article "Newton Perry Has Enviable Record" published in the Atlantic Coast Line News about Newton "Newt" Perry's athletic, educational, and professional accomplishments, in September 1929. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in…
"Perry 'Choked Up' At Dedication"
Newspaper article entitled "Perry 'Choked Up' at Dedication" describing a ceremony dedicating a new swimming pool at Central Florida Community College to Newton "Newt" Perry some time between 1970-1987. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta,…
"The Human Fish"
Newspaper article entitled "The Human Fish" about Newton "Newt" Perry published in Grit, on April 19, 1964. 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…
"Weekiwachee Springs Maids Make Difficult Underwater Feats and Ballet Look Simple"
Newspaper article entitled "Weekiwachee Springs Maids Make Difficult Underwater Feats and Ballet Look Simple," describing the mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, published in the Orlando Evening Star on August 11, 1950. The article was…
Ann Blyth and Newton "Newt" Perry on the Underwater Set of "Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid" at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park
Photograph of Ann Blyth (left) and Newton Perry (right) on the underwater set used in the film "Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid," which was built for filming at Weeki Wachee State Park in 1948. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908,…
Ann Tanzler with Weeki Wachee Mermaids and Press Release
Ann Tanzler, wife of Jacksonville Mayor Hans G. Tanzler, putting on a diving mask with the aid of two Weeki Wachee mermaids. An accompanying press release sent out on November 22, 1971, describes the busy life of Ann Tanzler, who, on top of being a…
Baboon and Raccoon from Weeki Wachee's Jungle Cruise
A raccoon and caged baboon on the river bank of the Weeki Wachee River. This river was used for Weeki Wachee Spring's Jungle Cruise attraction. This attraction would take guests down the river in a glass bottom boat, where they would observe caged…
Bonnie Georgiadis
Bonnie Georgiadis assisting an archeological dig of a Native American burial mound at Weeki Wachee Springs in July of 1970. She is using archeological tools to uncover a vase. The dig was conducted by the University of Florida.
Along with a group of…
Bonnie Georgiadis and Weeki Wachee Mermaids
Bonnie Georgiadis and three other Weeki Wachee mermaids training for future performances by practicing a pose. Bonnie Georgiadis was a mermaid from 1950 to 1968. After retiring from underwater theater, she took on other responsibilities at the park,…
Construction of Hercules Beetle Sculpture at Weeki Wachee Springs
A team of people guide the placement of a Hercules beetle sculpture in the 1950s. A crane lowers the sculpture in place near the May Museum of the Tropics at Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida. The large beetle sculpture served as an advertisement to…
Eileen Perry Hogshead
A signed photograph of Eileen Perry Hogshead, the daughter of Newton "Newt" Perry, aged fourteen, as a Weeki Wachee Mermaid. The photograph was taken by Newton Perry around 1950. On the reverse of the photograph is a hand-written caption by Newton.…
Employee Rules and Regulations for the May Museum of the Tropics
Six pages of the May Museum of the Tropics employee handbook. The owner of the museum, John May, created the handbook for his employees to follow in the 1960s. The table of contents on the first three pages gives insight to what is included in the…
Entrance to the May Museum of the Tropics
The entrance of the May Museum of the Tropics. Faux thatched roof, tiki sculptures, and a list of countries the insects in the collection came from adorn the space, giving it an exotic feel. …
Exterior of the Underwater Theater at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park
Exterior photograph of the underwater theater at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park around 1950. 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…
Exterior of Underwater Theater at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park
An exterior photograph of the underwater theater at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Florida, around 1950.
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…
Fish Swimming in Front of an Underwater Filming Tank
Photograph of a fish swimming in front of an underwater filming tank created by Newton "Newt" Perry between 1950 and 1970. This photograph may be either from Weeki Wachee Springs State Park or from Newton "Newt" Perry's career as an underwater…
Football Players
Photograph of two men wearing football equipment some time between 1920 and 1940. 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…
General Company Rules for Mermaids, Swimmers & Trainees
Weeki Wachee Springs employee handbook for mermaids, swimmers and trainees. The first four pages detail scheduling rules, dress code and rules of conduct. Some of the rules for mermaids cover what makeup to wear in and out of the water, where to keep…
Greetings from Weeki Wachee, Florida
A postcard depicting several Weeki Wachee mermaids lounging around the pool of the local Holiday Inn with the words "Greetings From Weeki Wachee, Florida" printed on the front. The back of the postcard features an ad for the Holiday Inn that lists…
Inside the May Museum of the Tropics
The original interior of the May Museum of the Tropics in the 1950s. In the months following the photograph, several specimen began to droop and wilt in the cases due to humidity. The owner, John May, was forced to hand make new display cases out of…
John Hamlet with Boar
John Hamlet, naturalist, placing his hand into a trained boar's mouth as part of an attraction at Weeki Wachee Springs.
Along with a group of investors, Newton Perry opened Weeki Wachee Springs to the public in October of 1947. At the time, roadside…
John May Building the May Museum of the Tropics
John May at the foundation of the May Museum of the Tropics at Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida. The date written on the photograph is November 20th, 1953. …
Letter from Arthur W. Sinclair to C. W. Sheffield (December 22, 1967)
A letter from Arthur W. Sinclair, executive manager of the Winter Garden Chamber of Commerce, to C. W. Sheffield, chairman of the Technical Committee. The committee was formed by Florida Governor Claude R. Kirk, Jr. (1926-2011) to develop plans for…
Letter from Charles P. Kimball to John M. May (June 7, 1957)
A letter from entomologist Charles P. Kimball to the owner of the May Museum of the Tropics, John M. May, dated June 7, 1957. In the letter, Kimball details an insect trap design that utilizes thin plastic instead of glass, to allow more sunlight…
Letter from Gaye Guinta to Delee Perry (March 31, 1997)
A letter dated March 31, 1997, from the director of the Museum of Florida History, Gaye Guita, to Delee Perry. In the letter, printed on Florida Department of State letterhead, Gaye Guita invites Delee Perry to attend the opening reception for an new…
Letter from Joe D. Seltzer to John M. May (June 17, 1959)
A letter from the manager of Weeki Wachee Springs, Joe D. Seltzer, to the owner of the May Museum of the Tropics, John M. May, dated June 17, 1959. In the letter, Seltzer expresses his and his company's wish to build a new walkway and parking lot…
Letter from John M. May to Directors of St. Petersburg Springs Co (January 28, 1957)
A letter from the owner of the May Museum of the Tropics, John M. May, to the directors of the St. Petersburg Springs Co., owners of Weeki Wachee Springs, dated January 28, 1957. May discusses his concerns with management and inquires about…
Letter from John M. May to Joe D. Seltzer (July 7, 1959)
A letter from the owner of the May Museum of the Tropics, John M. May, to the manager of Weeki Wachee Springs, Joe D. Seltzer. In the letter, May tentatively agrees to Seltzer's plan to create another walkway to the museum, but expresses hesitation…
Letter from John M. May to John T. Creighton (November 20, 1963)
A letter from the owner of the May Museum of the Tropics, John M. May, to University of Florida entomology professor John T. Creighton, dated November 20, 1963. May extended a warm invitation to Creighton and his colleagues to visit the May Museum,…
Letter from John M. May to John T. Greighten (November 20, 1963)
A letter from John M. May, owner of the May Museum of the Tropics, to John T. Creighten, an employee of the Department of Entomology at the University fo Florida, dated November 20, 1963. replying to Mr. Creighten's interest in the museum and its…
Letter from John M. May to Myrtle Colson (January 14, 1959)
A letter from the owner of the May Museum of the Tropics, John M. May, to the manager of the museum, Myrtle Colson, dated January 14, 1959. May expresses his hopes that Colson is feeling better, as she recently had the flu, and informs her that his…
Letter from John M. May to Myrtle Colson (May 7, 1959)
A letter from the owner of the May Museum of the Tropics, John M. May, to the manager of the museum, Myrtle Colson, dated May 7, 1959. In the letter, May apologizes to Colson for not informing her sooner about how to handle counting groups of…
Letter from John M. May to Myrtle Colson (September 27, 1958)
A letter from John M. May, owner of the May Museum of the Tropics, to the manager of the museum, Myrtle Colson, dated September 27, 1958. May reassures Colson that she is doing fine, expressing remorse for the losing an employee and hope that their…
Letter from John M. May to the Employees of the May Museum of the Tropics (January 8, 1959)
A letter from the owner of the May Museum of the Tropics, John M. May, to the employees of the museum, dated January 8, 1959. May asks his employees to water the plants around the outside of the museum to ensure they don't wilt or die, and hopes that…
Letter from John May to Joe and Martha Seltzer (February 25, 1962)
A letter from John May to Joe and Martha Seltzer, the management of Weeki Wachee Springs. The letter details May's sadness that Seltzer was resigning. May expresses that he hopes to remain in contact and that Seltzer and his wife can leave their…
Letter from Myrtle Colson to John M. May (February 23, 1957)
A letter from the manager of the May Museum of the Tropics, Myrtle Colson, to the owner of the museum, John M. May, dated February 23, 1957. Colson expresses her belief that the upcoming tourist season would be one of the best yet, for both Weeki…
Letter from Myrtle Colson to John M. May (February 25, 1959)
A letter from Myrtle Colson, manager of the May Museum of the Tropics, to the owner of the museum, John M. May, dated February 25, 1959. Colson discusses a surprise audit from the owners of Weeki Wachee, The Florida Chain of Theaters. She writes that…
Letter from Myrtle Colson to John M. May (June 1, 1958)
A letter from Myrtle Colson, manager of the May Museum of the Tropics, to the owner of the museum, John M. May, dated June 1, 1958. Colson tells May about the increasing sales to the museum due to efforts of the new owner of Weeki Wachee Springs, and…
Letter from Myrtle Colson to John M. May (March 1, 1959)
A letter from the manager of the May Museum of the Tropics, Myrtle Colson, to the owner of the museum, John M. May, dated March 1, 1959. The letter celebrates the recent high number of visitors that the Museum had. Additionally, the letter informs…
Letter from Myrtle Colson to John M. May (March 28, 1956)
A letter from Myrtle Colson, manager of the May Museum of the Tropics, to the owner of the museum, John M. May, dated March 28, 1956. Myrtle writes that earlier in the day, she allowed an African-American couple to enter the museum, as he had…
Letter from Myrtle Colson to John May (February 11, 1961)
A letter from the manager of the the May Museum of the Tropics, Myrtle Colson, to the owner of the museum, John May. The letter details concerns that the manager was having with an employee as well as her complaints about being excluded from certain…
Letter from Val Darling to Newton "Newt" Perry (March 26, 1981)
A letter dated March 26, 1981, from the Acting Chairman of the Florida Sports Hall of Fame, 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…
Man and Mermaid at Weeki Wachee Springs
Photograph of a man wearing diving goggles and fins handing an air hose to a Weeki Wachee Mermaid in a swimsuit and fins who is posing underwater around 1950. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to…
Man with Advertising Posters
Photograph of a man standing in front of advertising posters on the exterior of a building some time between 1920 and 1930. One poster is for the film "Captain Fly By Night," which was released in 1922. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta,…
May Museum Exhibit
The original interior of the May Museum of the Tropics.
The May Natural…
Mermaid Motel
A postcard showcasing the lobby of the Mermaid Motel, which was located directly across the street from Weeki Wachee Springs. Two cars are parked under a pavilion next to the building. The back of the postcard features an add that describes the…
Mermaid Swimming in Front of an Underwater Filming Tank Designed by Newton "Newt" Perry
A photograph of a mermaid swimming in front of an underwater filming tank created by Newton "Newt" Perry some time between 1950 and 1970. The photograph may be either from Weeki Wachee Springs State Park or from Newton "Newt" Perry's career as an…
Mermaid Underwater with Air Hose
Underwater photograph of a mermaid wearing goggles and holding an air hose at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, around 1950. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to Ocala, Florida in 1922. He was a…
Mermaid Villa
The Mermaid Villa building at Weeki Wachee Springs. Mermaids used the building to change into their costumes for their underwater performances, shower after their performances, and lounge while on break.
Along with a group of investors, Newton Perry…
Mermaids Performing at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park
Photograph of mermaids performing at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park around 1950. The three mermaids sit on boards in the water. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to Ocala, Florida in 1922. He was a…
Nancy Tribble as a Weeki Wachee Mermaid
Photograph of Nancy Tribble taking a breath from an air hose while seated underwater in costume as a Weeki Wachee Mermaid around 1948. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to Ocala, Florida in 1922. He…
Newt Perry's Aquatic Theater
Photograph of "Newt Perry's Aquatic Theater," showing Newton "Newt" Perry standing on a stage and speaking into a microphone, flanked on each side by two women in swimsuits somewhere between 1950 and 1960. A large glass tank stands behind the group.…
Newton "Newt" Perry and Woman Dancing Underwater
Photograph of Newton "Newt" Perry and a woman dancing underwater, as a second woman looks on and claps while seated at a table some time between 1950 and 1970. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to…
Newton "Newt" Perry Bartending Underwater
Photograph of Newton "Newt" Perry dressed as a bartender, standing at a bar underwater, and shaking a cocktail shaker some time between 1950 and 1970. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to Ocala,…
Newton "Newt" Perry Diving from Platform
Photograph of Newton "Newt" Perry diving off a diving platform some time between 1950 and 1970.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…
Newton "Newt" Perry Dressed as Santa Claus Decorating an Underwater Christmas Tree
Photograph of Newton "Newt" Perry dressed as Santa Claus decorating an underwater Christmas tree at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park around 1950. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to Ocala, Florida in…
Newton "Newt" Perry Dressed as Santa Claus with Mary Darlington
Photograph of Newton "Newt" Perry dressed as Santa Claus with a Weeki Wachee Mermaid named Mary Darlington around 1950. 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…
Newton "Newt" Perry Filming Underwater
A photograph of an underwater filming scene showing Newton "Newt" Perry in a diving helmet at an underwater camera, some time between 1950 and 1970. This photograph may be either from Weeki Wachee Springs State Park or from Newton "Newt" Perry's…
Newton "Newt" Perry in Underwater Theater at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park
Photograph of Newton "Newt" Perry with three men in an underwater theater at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park around 1950. One of the men is holding a movie camera. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family…
Newton "Newt" Perry Repairing Underwater Film Set
Photograph of Newton "Newt" Perry and man repairing an underwater film set some time between 1950 and 1970. 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…
Newton "Newt" Perry Underwater With Female Swimmer and Air Station Postcard
Original printed postcard showing an image of Newton "Newt" Perry underwater with a female swimmer some time between 1950 and 1970. Perry is partially seated inside a glass air supply tank. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908,…
Newton "Newt" Perry with Sea Turtle
Photograph of Newton "Newt" Perry with a sea turtle some time between 1950 and 1970. Perry is embracing the turtle, which is resting on a floating platform.Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to Ocala,…
Newton "Newt" Perry, Johnny Sheffield, and Johnny Weissmuller
Photograph of Newton "Newt" Perry, Johnny Sheffield, and Johnny Weissmuller during filming of "Tarzan Finds a Son" at Silver Springs in 1938. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to Ocala, Florida in…
Orchid Gardens at Weeki Wachee Springs
Orchid Gardens at Weeki Wachee Springs. The hothouse, which allowed visitors to view a variety of orchids, was one of the original attractions to join the mermaid show at Weeki Wachee Springs. …
Perry Family
Photograph of Perry family members in swimming costumes at Hampton Springs, Florida, in 1912. On the back of the photograph is a handwritten caption that partially reads "Kate Perry" and "Augusta Lee". Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta,…
Rita King with Juvenile Alligators
Rita King, mermaid at Weeki Wachee Springs, holding two juvenile alligators.
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…
Sinclair Gas Station
A postcard featuring the dinosaur-shaped Sinclair Gas Station in Weeki Wachee Springs. A handwritten note by Bonita Colson accompanies the postcard, describing a mobile home rental park across the street from the gas station that Weeki Wachee…
Staged Underwater Dining Scene
Photograph of a staged scene of four men eating watermelon underwater while seated around a table somewhere between 1950 and 1970. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to Ocala, Florida in 1922. He was…
Staged Underwater Dining Scene
Photograph of a man and two women seated at a table on the floor of a body of water some time between 1950 and 1970. A standing man wearing a diving helmet appears to direct the scene participants. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in…
Staged Underwater Dining Scene
Photograph of a staged scene of two men and two women dining underwater, seated at a table and chairs some time between 1950 and 1970.Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to Ocala, Florida in 1922. He…
Staged Underwater Footrace Scene
Photograph of a staged underwater footrace scene some time between 1950 and 1970. Three men crouch in a starting position on the floor of a body of water as a fourth man prepares to shoot a starting pistol. One woman appears to yell through a…
Sunbathing at Weeki Wachee Springs
A postcard of Weeki Wachee Springs sometime in the late 1950s. Louise Nan Steer mentions this postcard in her oral history interview because the blonde girl in the pink bathing suit in the center of the postcard is her twin sister, Lynda. The rest of…
Swimming Area at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park
A photograph of a swimming area with bathers in front of a building at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Florida, around 1950.
Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to Ocala, Florida in 1922. He was a…
Three Mermaids Posing on the Beach at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park
Photograph of three mermaids posing on the beach at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park around 1950. The exterior of the underwater theater is visible in the background. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family…
Trained Raccoon
A trained raccoon opening a gift from an employee of Weeki Wachee Springs in the 1950s. For several years, Weeki Wachee offered a "covered wagon" ride through the forest as one of the park's attractions. Along the sides of the forest were a variety…
Underwater Air Station
Photograph of one man and two women free diving underwater. An air supply tank labeled "Air Station No. 3 - 24 Ft" rests on the floor. The photograph was taken some time between 1950 and 1970Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908,…
Underwater Diver in Diving Suit
Photograph of underwater diver in diving suit with a sunken treasure chest, some time between 1950 and1970. The photograph may be either from Weeki Wachee Springs State Park or from Newton "Newt" Perry's career as an underwater filmmaker.
Newton…
Underwater Filming Tank
Photograph of four men preparing to enter an underwater filming tank. Two of the men hold cameras.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…
Underwater Filming Tank Designed by Newton "Newt" Perry
Photograph of an underwater filming tank created by Newton "Newt" Perry between 1950 and 1970. This photograph may be either from Weeki Wachee Springs State Park or from Newton "Newt" Perry's career as an underwater filmmaker. Newton "Newt" Perry was…
Visitors to Weeki Wachee Springs State Park
Photograph of a line of visitors to Weeki Wachee Springs State Park outside the underwater theater around 1950. 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…
Visitors to Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in Underwater Theater
Photograph of visitors to Weeki Wachee Springs State Park in underwater theater around 1950. 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…
Weeki Wachee Live Mermaids
A small poster for Weeki Wachee Springs. The background of the poster is black, featuring a cartoon mermaid and three fish. The text reads, "Weeki Wachee Live Mermaids. U.S. 19 and Florida 50."
Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in…
Weeki Wachee Mermaid Entering Water Tank
Photograph of an unidentified Weeki Wachee mermaid standing on a ladder in preparation to enter a water tank around 1950. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his family to Ocala, Florida in 1922. He was a member…
Weeki Wachee Mermaid Reunion Event
Group photograph of participants at a Weeki Wachee mermaid reunion event from May 13 to 15, 1983. 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…
Weeki Wachee Mermaid with Report Card
A Weeki Wachee Springs mermaid posing underwater with a report card. The card includes grades for bathing, ballet, breathing and boys.
Weeki Wachee Springs is a state park that opened to the public in October of 1949 by Newton Perry along with a…
Weeki Wachee Mermaids in Staged Underwater Dining Scene
Photograph of three Weeki Wachee Mermaids in staged underwater dining scene at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park around 1950. The mermaids are eating watermelon and breathing using air hoses while sitting at a table placed on the bottom of a body of…
Weeki Wachee Mermaids Posing in a Circle on the Shore
Photograph of Weeki Wachee Mermaids posing in a circle on the shore at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park around 1950. The mermaids are wearing swimsuits rather than fins. Newton "Newt" Perry was born in Valdosta, Georgia in 1908, and moved with his…
Weeki Wachee Mermaids Reunion Event
Photograph of a Weeki Wachee Mermaids reunion event somewhere between 1950 and 1955. Newton "Newt" Perry looks on as two mermaids cut a cake with the messages "Welcome Mermaids" and "5th Annual Reunion" written on it in icing. Newton "Newt" Perry was…
Weeki Wachee Mermaids with Boar on Leash
Two mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs walking a young boar on a leash.
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…
Weeki Wachee Springs Memo (February 21, 1963)
A memo from Weeki Wachee Springs State Park manager T.P. Brinzo, circulated to all departments, dated February 21, 1963. The memo informed the entirety of the Springs that new equipment had been acquired for the underwater mermaid shows to help…
Weekiwachee Spring
Advertising card for Weekiwachee Spring from around 1950. 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.…
Weekiwachee's Underwater Ballet
Clipping of newspaper article about Weeki Wachee Springs State Park published in an unidentified newspaper around 1950. 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…