Favorite Places - Weeki Wachee, the City of Mermaids
When you think "Florida kitsch," what is the first thing that comes to mind? As a native I think of the roadside attractions we used to visit on road trips when I was a kid. I remember a chicken that would play the piano for a nickel. Taxidermic "World's Largest" alligators. Little treasure boxes covered in seashells. Most of those magical and tacky places were eaten up by interstates but a few still remain to fuel our nostalgia.
Like Weeki Wachee. About 45 miles north of Tampa, the City of Mermaids, whose photos graced thousands of postcards sent all over the world. This is real Florida, folks, this is the breathtaking miracle of nature with fearless girls in silicone tails thrown in.
In 1946 Newt Perry, "The Human Fish," constructed an underwater theater in Weeki Wachee Springs. He recruited pretty girls and taught them how to perform underwater using air hoses filled with compressed air - a contraption Perry invented. Perry was also the pioneer of underwater photography, getting his start at Silver Springs near Ocala.
Weeki Wachee Springs bubbles up from one of the deepest underwater caverns in the country. In fact, no one is quite sure how deep it is, but divers recently reported that one pit is over 400 feet deep. In an edge-of-your-seat part of the show a mermaid descends 40 feet into a dark chasm. Another mermaid awaits with an air hose - a lifeline - when she rises.
In 1947 the attraction opened, first billed as The Mountain Underwater. Visitors were much more impressed with the mermaids swimming in water so clear they might have been flying through the air. The fish, turtles, and occasional manatee dispelled that notion.
Back in those days traffic was sparse on that section of US 19. If the girls heard a car, they would run out to the highway in their swimsuits, beckon drivers, and run back to jump in the spring and perform.
In 1948 MGM Studios began filming Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid at the spring. Some of the Weeki Wachee mermaids doubled for star Ann Blyth in underwater scenes.
Weeki Wachee gained national attention in 1959 when it was purchased by the American Broadcasting Company. ABC built the current 400-seat theater and heavily promoted the attraction. Tourists from all over the United States flocked to see the magical mermaids perform seemingly impossible feats underwater, including eating bananas and drinking RC Cola. Movie stars and even Elvis visited the mermaids.
Thanks to interstates, the Mouse, and other mega theme parks, Weeki Wachee seemed destined to be a sweet memory. In 2008, the State of Florida stepped in and made Weeki Wachee Springs a state park. With the help of volunteers, Weeki Wachee maintains its splendor today, 70 years after it debuted.
If you live in Florida (even if you don't) put Weeki Wachee on your must-visit list! (They have a gift shop and I know you know a mermaid who needs a gift.) Watch the mermaids perform, take the family to swim in the water park Buccaneer Bay right next door, rent a kayak and paddle down the Weeki Wachee River. The crystal blue waters will enchant you and you will have the company of fish, turtles, and manatees on your journey. And maybe, just maybe, a mermaid.
Thank you for reading my blog!
Just keep swimming!
Like Weeki Wachee. About 45 miles north of Tampa, the City of Mermaids, whose photos graced thousands of postcards sent all over the world. This is real Florida, folks, this is the breathtaking miracle of nature with fearless girls in silicone tails thrown in.
In 1946 Newt Perry, "The Human Fish," constructed an underwater theater in Weeki Wachee Springs. He recruited pretty girls and taught them how to perform underwater using air hoses filled with compressed air - a contraption Perry invented. Perry was also the pioneer of underwater photography, getting his start at Silver Springs near Ocala.
Weeki Wachee Springs bubbles up from one of the deepest underwater caverns in the country. In fact, no one is quite sure how deep it is, but divers recently reported that one pit is over 400 feet deep. In an edge-of-your-seat part of the show a mermaid descends 40 feet into a dark chasm. Another mermaid awaits with an air hose - a lifeline - when she rises.
In 1947 the attraction opened, first billed as The Mountain Underwater. Visitors were much more impressed with the mermaids swimming in water so clear they might have been flying through the air. The fish, turtles, and occasional manatee dispelled that notion.
Back in those days traffic was sparse on that section of US 19. If the girls heard a car, they would run out to the highway in their swimsuits, beckon drivers, and run back to jump in the spring and perform.
In 1948 MGM Studios began filming Mr. Peabody and the Mermaid at the spring. Some of the Weeki Wachee mermaids doubled for star Ann Blyth in underwater scenes.
Weeki Wachee gained national attention in 1959 when it was purchased by the American Broadcasting Company. ABC built the current 400-seat theater and heavily promoted the attraction. Tourists from all over the United States flocked to see the magical mermaids perform seemingly impossible feats underwater, including eating bananas and drinking RC Cola. Movie stars and even Elvis visited the mermaids.
Thanks to interstates, the Mouse, and other mega theme parks, Weeki Wachee seemed destined to be a sweet memory. In 2008, the State of Florida stepped in and made Weeki Wachee Springs a state park. With the help of volunteers, Weeki Wachee maintains its splendor today, 70 years after it debuted.
If you live in Florida (even if you don't) put Weeki Wachee on your must-visit list! (They have a gift shop and I know you know a mermaid who needs a gift.) Watch the mermaids perform, take the family to swim in the water park Buccaneer Bay right next door, rent a kayak and paddle down the Weeki Wachee River. The crystal blue waters will enchant you and you will have the company of fish, turtles, and manatees on your journey. And maybe, just maybe, a mermaid.
Thank you for reading my blog!
Just keep swimming!
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