Weeki Wachee Tourist Standing Near Sign Advertising Mermaid Positions

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Dublin Core

Title

Weeki Wachee Tourist Standing Near Sign Advertising Mermaid Positions

Alternative Title

Color Photograph: Weeki Wachee Springs Tourist Standing Near Sign Advertising Mermaid Job Openings, April 1964

Subject

Weeki Wachee Springs (Fla.)
Tourism--Florida
Photograph albums--1960-1970
tourism & museum
Tourism--1960-1980
Mermaids--Florida--Weeki Wachee--History
Theater--20th century

Description

Color photograph of a tourist visiting Weeki Wachee Springs in 1964. The tourist is standing beside a sign that reads, "Openings for Mermaid Training School Apply Here." 

Weeki Wachee Springs is a state park that opened to the public in October of 1949 by Newton Perry along with a group of investors. This attraction opened as the roadside era of Florida was ramping up and consisted of an amalgamation of vendors including an orchid garden, a river boat tour, as well as the star attraction- the mermaid show that took place in an underwater theatre. The attraction grew to include The May Museum of the Tropics, an ‘abandoned Seminole village’, an show called “Birds of Prey”, and a petting zoo. As theme parks became the new norm for Florida’s tourist industry, Weeki Wachee Springs began steadily declining until the state of Florida absorbed the attraction into the state park system in 2008. The attraction now focuses on appealing to a modern audience, while still preserving its rich history.

Abstract

Color photograph of Weeki Wachee Springs Tourist

Creator

Family of Karen Geiken

Source

Original color photograph of Weeki Wachee Springs Tourist, April 1964: Private Collection of Karen Geiken.

Publisher

Date Created

1964-04-01

Date Copyrighted

1964-04-01

Is Format Of

Digital reproduction of original photograph: April 1964. Scanned by RICHES team. RICHES, Orlando, Florida.

Is Part Of

Format

image/jpg

Extent

568 KB

Medium

Color Photograph

Type

Still Image

Coverage

Weeki Wachee Springs State Park, Spring Hill, Florida

Accrual Method

Donation

Mediator

History Teacher
Humanitites Teacher
Visual Arts Teacher
Theater Teacher

Provenance

Originally created by family of Karen Geiken, owned by Karen Geiken, and published by RICHES.

Rights Holder

Copyright to this resource is held by Karen Geiken and is provided here by RICHES  for educational purposes only.

Contributing Project

Florida Humanities Council Community Grant Program and Friends of Weeki Wachee Springs State Park

Curator

Schwandt, Rebecca

Digital Collection

Source Repository

Private Collection of Karen Geiken.

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.

Citation

Family of Karen Geiken, “Weeki Wachee Tourist Standing Near Sign Advertising Mermaid Positions,” RICHES, accessed December 24, 2024, https://richesmi.cah.ucf.edu/omeka/items/show/11185.

Locations

Categories