1 100 1 https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/files/original/5b9057eea09dd35519de86183c4009aa.jpg ed73a1ebef2e35f378c6d417091eace9 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 Geanie L. W. Brooks in her Welding Uniform at the McCloskey Shipyard in Tampa during WWII Alternative Title Photograph: Geanie L. W. Brooks in her Welding Uniform at the McCloskey Shipyard in Tampa, c. 1940s Description Geanie L. W. Brooks in her welding uniform at the McCloskey Shipyard. Geanie learned how to weld and work with heavy machinery at this shipyard during World War II. McCloskey Shipyard paid welding trainees 63 cents and hour to train there and 17% of their workforce during the war were women, which was twice the national figure. In the 1950s, Geanie worked as a waitress at the Patio Restuarant at Weeki Wachee Springs and later became a mermaid. She left this position in 1957. After Weeki Wachee, Geanie drove bulldozers, repaired bulldozer tracks, and drove a dump trunk. Even later, she worked as a bookkeeper, real estate agent, bowling instructor, and department store manager. Her last job was at Home Depot. She left the workforce upon turning 80 years old. According to a two-page life story Geanie wrote, "My family thought I was 'liberated' before anyone had even heard of 'women's liberation.' I always knew men made more money than women, so I applied for men's jobs, knew what they made, asked for it, and got it. (Can't hurt to ask right?) Sometimes I even made more, if I was able to get a percentage of a dumptruck haul."<br /><br /><span>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.</span> Abstract Black and White Photograph of Geanie L.W. Brooks in Welding Uniform Type Still Image Source Original black and white photograph of Geanie L.W. Brooks, c.1940s: Private Collection of Shirley Herdge. Is Part Of <a href="https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/collections/show/63" target="_blank">Weeki Wachee Collection</a>, RICHES. Coverage Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Spring Hill, Florida Publisher <a href="https://riches.cah.ucf.edu/">RICHES</a> Date Created ca. 1940-1950 Date Copyrighted ca. 1940-1950 Format image/jpeg Extent 75.9 MB Medium Black and white photograph Mediator History Teacher Humanitites Teacher Visual Arts Teacher Theater Teacher Rights Holder Copyright to this resource is held by Shirley Herdge and is provided here by <a href="https://riches.cah.ucf.edu/">RICHES</a> for educational purposes only. Accrual Method Donation Contributing Project Florida Humanities Council Community Grant Program and Friends of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park Curator Schwandt, Rebecca Digital Collection <a href="https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/">RICHES MI</a> Source Repository Private Collection of Shirley Herdge. External Reference Allman, T.D. Finding Florida: The True History of the Sunshine State. New York: Atlantic Monthly Press, 2013. Ammidown, Margot. “Edens, Underworlds, and Shrines: Florida’s Small Tourist Attractions.” The Journal of Decorative and Propaganda Arts 23, (1998): 238-259. Georgiadis, Bonnie and Lu Vickers. Weeki Wachee Mermaids. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2012. Hollis, Tim. Glass Bottom Boats and Mermaid Tails: Florida’s Tourist Springs. Mechanicsburg: Stackpole Books, 2006. Pelland, Dan and Maryan Pelland. Images of America: Weeki Wachee. Mount Pleasant: Arcadia Publishing, 2006. Revels, Tracy J. Sunshine Paradise: A History of Florida Tourism. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2011. Vickers, Lu. Weeki Wachee City of Mermaids: A History of One of Florida’s Oldest Roadside Attractions. Gainesville: University Press of Florida, 2007. Is Format Of Digital reproduction of original photograph: Geanie L.W. Brooks, c.1940s. Scanned by RICHES team. RICHES, Orlando, Florida. Provenance Original owned by Shirley Herdge, and published by <a href="https://riches.cah.ucf.edu/">RICHES</a>. Geanie Brooks Geanie L. W. Brooks McCloskey Shipyard riveter Shipyard Tampa welding World War II WWII