Silver Springs 1965

Florida's original themepark - Silver Springs shown here back in 1965. As I understand it, this park opened in the late 1800s when people from up north flocked to see the "unusual" tropical beauty of Florida. The area was settled by local Indians in the 1500s but the Spanish invaded in 1539 lead by DeSoto looking for wealth. A wooden boat still exists from this time -I believe - at the bottom of the river. It can be seen today while riding in one of the famous Glass-Bottom Boats. You can check out the history of the park here.

It seems that Silver Springs had a relatively popular beach area in the 60s (photo above) I don't recall seeing that on my last visit, but the park has expanded to included a waterpark and music venue.

I've always enjoyed the peaceful and relaxing atmosphere of Silver Springs, it's like stepping back in time to when Florida was unexploited and unspoiled. When you're on the Silver River, it's hard to imagine how someone actually found the river. The trees and plants are so thick it's difficult to see 50 feet ahead; not to mention chopping through the thick undergrowth in the blazing Florida sun to create a trail for the expedition.

Silver Springs

Snowcovered

Rose of Sharon buds blanketed with early morning snow

Bush Gardens 1965

Before the installation of countless thrill rides, Bush Gardens was just what the name implied- a garden. Here are some photos of the park when all you saw were beautiful gardens, a brewery and a few flamingos!





Bush Gardens once claimed to have the world's tallest escalator; it was high, take a look:


While visiting Bush Gardens in 1995, I don't recall seeing too many of the lush gardens- without rollercoasters running through them - but today it seems that most Florida attractions need to provide more than just pretty scenery to attract visitors.

Kapok Tree Elegance

The Kapok Tree Inn of Clearwater, Florida was a wonderful restaurant and banquet hall elaborately decorated with lush gardens inside and out including statues and fountains beautiful enough for a European palace.



Here we see some of the gardens outside in 1977.

The name Kapok Tree Inn came from the huge Kapok tree that grew right next to the original restaurant that was founded by a New York couple in the late 1950's by the name of Baumgardner. The Restaurant grew into the opulent Inn you see here.


This photo of the Kapok tree was taken in 1965, before the building expanded and before a fence was erected to protect the tree. Kapok trees produce a fiber similar to cotton that was used- because of it's buoyancy- for flotation devices such as life vests for boaters.

The tree still stands today (923 N McMullen Booth Rd) and can be seen from a mile or more, but the Kapok Tree Inn is no more. Mrs. Baumgardner sold her interests in the company in the 1980's and the Inn became a large music store with one of the old gardens still open to the public, but not kept up the way it once was. The pianos and other instruments are arranged in the former banquet rooms and the hallways are lined with the dry fountains of yesteryear. It was truly a disappointment when I last visited in 2000. Last I heard it the name changed to Sam Ash Music.

Does anyone still have any glassware from the Kapok Tree Inn?

Tarpon Springs Sponge Operations

Tarpon Springs, Florida was once called the "Sponge capital of the World" for good reason. Natural sponge harvesting and processing was a major operation along the waterfront of the Anclote river. Today, you can still walk along the river bank and watch fishing and sponge boats come and go, but in the 1980's the sponge operation practically disappeared.

As a child in the early 1970's, I recall walking by the spongedocks watching sponge divers preparing for a dive. They would wear large diving suits with lead shoes to keep the divers from floating to the surface. Here's an old diver from the early 1970's taking a rest.


After the sponges were gathered and brought back to shore, the crew of each boat had to trim and clean the sponges. This was done either on the boat while it was moored, or on the dock itself.


After cleaning, the sponges were taken to the Sponge Exchange where they were sold or auctioned. I can remember the pungent odor of the drying sponges that were stored in the cells of the sponge exchange.



In the 1980's The Sponge Exchange was converted into a small, outdoor mall with only one or two of the original "cells" still in existence.

The Original Louis Pappas Restaurant

The original Louis Pappas Restaurant in Tarpon Springs was a far cry from the one you see today. This rather modest restaurant was a frequent stop for many northerners visiting the Tampa Bay area. Located across the street from the Anclote river sponge docks, the restaurant was right in the middle of "mom and pop" gift shops famous for selling sponges, shells, canned Flordia sunshine and anything else you could print the word "Florida" on.
This photo was taken in 1972, a few years before Pappas built a brand new restaurant right on the sponge docks on the corner of Dodeconese and Alternate 19. The new restaurant was ultra modern for 1975, and would seat over 1000 people.

With the shell of the building complete, you can see how the new Louis Pappas looked in 1975, just a few months before opening up.

It looks the same today.

Time for a Snowman!

Chicago didn't get too much snow this year, so when it snowed today, the kids were out to build a quick snowman or two.

More of Six Gun Territory 1965

Somewhere between Silver Springs and Ocala Florida, there once was an old western town called Six Gun Territory.

Here we see the Hitching Post at Six Gun Territory in Florida. Like most things in this theme park, the horse was not real, but the gunfights were certainly a realistic event.

Men walking through town moments before a well rehersed gunfight.

Cypress Gardens 1965

I loved Cypress Gardens in the 1970's. Lush gardens, beautiful Southern Belles, and remarkable water ski shows in Winterhaven, Florida. With the introduction of Disney World in the early 70's, Florida garden parks began to dwindle. People were ready for a new kind of entertainment - my guess is they figured tropical plants were common, why pay to see them?

Here's a shot of the water ski show in 1965. Note that the spectators sat on the grass. This was before the grandstand (if that's what they call it) was built.

A close up of the skiers in one of their famous formations.

I know Cypress Gardens closed a couple of years ago, and rumor had it that they might sell to a developer. Well, it's still a theme park, and the Southern Belles and water ski shows have survived!

Thanks for the photos dad!

Find out here:
http://cypressgardens.com/welcome.asp

http://goflorida.about.com/cs/attractionsalpha/a/aa062303a.htm

coming soon:
Silver Springs
Sunken Gardens
Weeki Wachee

My New Mr. Toast Photo Blog!

Mr. Toast is a lovable little charactor whom I will be photographing from time to time. Creator Dan Goodsell had a photo contest and I was one of the winners, so I won a Mr. Toast doll to photograph doing all sorts of things.

Check out my Mr. Toast Photo Blog
every so often to find out where Mr. Toast has been!

Happy Birthday Danny!

Saturday, February 25th was Danny's second birthday, and (because they are so close) it was the combined birthday party for Dan and Mike.

Mike will be 4 in a few weeks.

They are both pictured above with their brother Chris singing "Happy Birthday"

More photos soon on my web page -check it out over the next few days.

Today Is John's Birthday!

It's John's birthday today, Friday, February 24th!

Happy Birthday!

Six Gun Territory

As the sign says, between Silver Springs and Ocala Florida, there once was a place called "Six Gun Territory." This park had an old west theme and from the looks of the photos, was pretty much a ghost town. Perhaps it was the time of year (April) and there weren't many tourists around.

These photos were taken around 1965. The weather looked great, and the park looked well maintained. I don't have any idea when the park opened or what year it closed, but if you're interested, you can look here at this web site: http://www.lostparks.com/sixgtown.html

More tomorrow!

Tiki Gardens 1965

Let's travel back in time to the 1960's when Florida still had some of it's little theme parks. On Florida's west coast, in Indian Shores (near Clearwater) there was a place called Tiki Gardens.

This small park included some gift shops and a restaurant calledTrader Franks. I remember walking through Tiki Gardens as a child in the early 70's. There were lots of little things to see and plenty of photo spots such as tiki statues, gardens and a rickshaw which my brother and I had to jump in.

I also remember palm trees that were trained to grow into strange shapes, almost lying on the ground for several feet then growing upright again.

What Florida park would be without one of these - a sign you could put your face into and take a photograph! -Gotta love it!

Sometime in the late 80's Pinellas county acquired the old park and razed the buildings to produce a parking lot for the Indian Shores Beach Access. Every time I drive by I sigh and think of what once was.

Grocery Of the Past

Whatever happened to family owned neighborhood grocery stores? You know, the kind that sold a little bit of everything - from bread to screwdrivers. Here's a photo of a store that probably didn't change much from 1930 until the time this photo was taken in 1973. Adair's Grocery was a small store located in Palm Harbor, Florida, on Florida street, a couple of blocks east of Alt. 19. The building is still there, but it's been renovated.

This store had old worn, hardwood floors, wooden shelves and the old fashioned red coke cooler with the door on top that slid open and a bottle opener on the side. My family would stop in here every year after picking grapefruit at our friend Mike's house. I don't think I've ever been as hot as I remember the inside of this store was. And I can still remember wandering the back aisles and seeing products for sale that were probably on the shelf for 10 or 20 years, judging by the packaging and the amount of dust and spiderwebs on them! But if I think about it, every Walmart I've been in has the same amount of dust and dirt between the entry doors - what's their excuse?

Calhoun Georgia Great Sign

Here's a photo taken in 1975 of the Holiday Inn sign in Calhoun, Georgia at the Redbud Road exit. Don't ask me who Kim and Kathy are, but the boy in the front gives you an idea of how large these signs were.

My brother and I used to play catch next to this exact sign, if we arrived at the motel before the sunset. As we got older, we would throw the ball over the sign trying not to hit it. We never did break anything, but I imagine the Innkeeper would have been on pins and needles if he saw us throwing a ball over his sign.

I wish I had a photo of the sign at night. If you watch the movie "The Blues Brothers" or some episodes of "Starsky and Hutch" you'll see the sign at night, all lit up.

Ice on Fish Lake

After a record setting 60 degree Valentines Day, super cold air dropped temperatures below zero. In just 2 days the lake is beginng to freeze. Here's the vacation house today all iced up.

Stevenson and California Exit

Hey! Remember this? No, not the Beatles or the radio station, but the billboard itself. This old building was on California Ave. in Chicago, right next to I-55. All Northbound traffic was confronted by this 4 storey brick billboard that was newly painted every few months. The building probably fell down because of the weight of the paint alone!

I guess the old fashioned painting of billboards gave way to printed tarps stretched onto the steel frames we see all over the country. No special talents necessary, only the ability to work 50 feet off the ground.

This building was razed about 8 years ago, but thanks to Ed K, we've got a photo of it. Hey Ed, do you remember the name of this building?

Chris Meets One of the Wolves!

Today at our local library, a special guest came to the weekly children's story time. Jared Ross, a professional hockey player with the Chicago Wolves stopped by to talk to the kids and sign autographs.

Chris isn't a hockey fan yet, but he really enjoyed Jared's talk and especially his humor. I think it's great that professional athletes take the time out of their schedules to meet little kids and answer their questions about pro sports. The kids seem to discover that the athletes not only worked hard at their sport, but also at their studies in school.

Jared's 23 and he's had a rough year with the Wolves - he lost two teeth! His dentist (also his mother) wasn't too thrilled with that.

Here's a copy of the 8 x 10 photo Jared autographed for Chris.

Survivorman!

Just thought I'd share with you a television show I've been watching for the past couple of months on the Science Channel. It's called Survivorman and it teaches you how to survive in various wilderness situations. Survivorman is a one man show, Les Stroud is the host, narrator, cameraman and he even writes the music. The interesting part of this show is the fact that Les is alone for 7 days in the wilderness, he is the camera crew- having to lug 60 pounds of camera equipment with him, and film himself from several different angles. It would be hard enough trying to survive for 7 days in these areas, but he also has to film it.

Les has no food, water or supplies other than what a typical hiker would have. In one show after falling into freezing water, all he had to survive was a handful of cashews and a multi-tool. Other times he re-enacts a plane crash, tipped over canoe, broken down motorcycle, so he shows you how to use the parts from these items to survive. It's very interesting how he finds food and water, builds shelters, makes a fire, etc..

From the frozen arctic to the arid desert, Survivorman is one of the few true reality survivor shows. Watch it this week either on the Science Channel at 8pm ET Friday, or on the Discovery Channel Tuesday night.