Vintage Postcards showing Underwater Mermaids in Weeki Wachee, Florida
91Vintage Postcard of Mermaid from Weeki Wachee, Florida
This hub will show some of the vintage postcards of underwater mermaids and a couple of other sites in Florida that my grandparents would have acquired many years ago on their vacations, prior to the postcards qualifying for vintage status.
My guess would place these postcards as being anywhere from 50 to 60 years of age.
The first four postcards will showcase Weeki Wachee Springs which is located in the central part of the State of Florida near the west coast. This aquatic attraction is located at the intersection of State Road 50 and Highway 19 ( just north of Spring Hill and south of Homosassa Springs) to put things in perspective.
By-the-way, none of these postcards show a copyright.
Like so many other springs in Florida, Weeki Wachee provides crystal clear water giving unlimited visibility for this attraction which began its life in 1947.
An ex-Navy frogman by the name of Newton Perry decided to teach interested young females to learn breathing techniques getting their oxygen from an air-hose as he had learned enabling them to perform underwater activities for an audience. Thus, the idea of the Weeki Wachee Mermaids was born and evolved into what tourists can still see today.
An underwater theatre that currently seats 400 people was built and tourists could look through the clear glass and watch the orchestrated performances of these bathing beauties who performed.
Obviously this took a great amount of training to be able to take sufficient air from the hose and then do their tricks like drinking soda from a bottle for minutes at a time before taking in more air. The "mermaids" would swim and do acrobatic tricks all while holding their breath underwater.
Back in the late nineteen forties and early fifties, this became quite an unusual attraction to say the least. As a matter of fact, from what I have read, fewer than 20 people know how to do this underwater acrobatic performance today!
Now Weeki Wachee Springs in Florida has become a State Park.
weeki wachee springs florida
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Written on the back of the postcard at the top of this page is the following:
One of the thrilling scenes to be witnessed at amazing Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida. Color Photo by Ted Lagerberg
Weeki Wachee spring fed pool measures 165 feet by 210 feet in circumference. At its center the depth is 45 feet.
Algae and grasses grow on the bottom which can be seen in this vintage postcard.
Vintage Postcard of Beautiful Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida
Weeki Wachee Mermaids Video Submission for Music Video
On the back of this postcard reads the following:
Beautiful Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida, famous attraction, where thrilling performances underwater of the lovely swimmers constantly amaze the onlookers. Color Photo by Ted Lagerberg
Weeki Wachee Springs is part of a 538 acre Florida State Park.
Part of the land is leased to a private firm to operate these mermaid shows.
Vintage Postcard of Mermaids from Weeki Wachee, Florida
Weeki Wachee Mermaid 2011 Calendar signing...
This card has the following on the back:
The underwater ballet troupe of shapely maidens who perform feats of grace and endurance in the crystal clear waters of Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida. Color Photo by Ted Lagerberg
The Weeki Wachee River flows west and meets the Gulf of Mexico a mere five miles away.
Fish and turtles can be viewed in the water and even an occasional manatee might be sighted.
Vintage Postcard of Beautiful Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida
Meet Weeki Wachee Mermaid Maggie Univ. of Tampa interview
On the flip side of this vintage postcard reads the following:
WEEKI WACHEE "SPRING OF THE MERMAIDS"
World's original and only all underwater theatre. Florida's most exciting and amazing attraction. The Mermaids perform under water for thirty long minutes! "You must see it to believe it." Located on U.S. 19 at Florida 50; sixty miles north of St. Petersburg. Photo by Ted Lagerberg
Today, in addition to viewing the underwater performers in the submerged theatre, there are river boat cruises that can be taken as well as other boating activities on the Weeki Wachee River.
In addition there are animal shows and a water park by the name of Buccaneer Bay operates during the season.
Vintage Postcard of Mermaids from Weeki Wachee, Florida
On the back of this vintage postcard (above) reads the following:
Poetry in Motion. The beautiful underwater ballet troupe of shapely mermaids who perform amazing feats of grace and endurance at The Spring of the Mermaids, world famous Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida. Color Photo by Ted Lagerberg
mermaids
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The Little Mermaid (DVD, 2006, 2-Disc Set, Platinum Edition)
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The Little Mermaid (DVD, 2006, 2-Disc Set, Platinum Edition)
Current Bid: $13.95
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mermaids
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Vintage Postcard of Underwater Theater at Weeki Wachee Spring, Florida
Mermaid of Weeki Wachee: Carli Dofka
Flipside of the postcard above reads...
The famous Underwater Theater at Weeki Wachee Spring, Florida.
Colorphoto by Ted Lagerberg
This oversized "GIANT POST CARD" measuring 6 1/2 inches by 9 inches would have called for a 3 cent stamp. My...how times have changed!
Weeki Wachee Mermaids
Two more old non-copyrighted Florida postcards exist in the stack gathered by my grandparents while traveling through this state. Considering how close to Weeki Wachee Springs these other locations are...they might have all been collected on the same vacation trip.
Vintage Postcard of Skyland Restaurant
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On the back of this "Spectra-Color" postcard...
SKYLAND RESTAURANT AND LOUNGE
On U.S. 19 - 98 - 27A, South City Limits, Perry, Fla. Telephone 567 Serving from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily G.R. Gandy, Owner Color photography by Red Kerce, Tallahassee, Florida
Emblazoned on the back in two places was the Triple A ( AAA ) logo.
Obviously my grandparents stopped to eat in this restaurant. My grandmother kept a daily log while on vacation and she would have told what they chose to eat; the price, and if they enjoyed it or not.
vintage postcards
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Vintage Postcard of Florida's beautiful Suwannee River
Orchestrated jazz version of Suwannee River
On the back reads the following:
Florida's beautiful Suwannee River, made world famous by Stephen Foster's song---"Way Down Upon the Suwannee River." Ektachrome by Holloway
I can remember hearing about the Suwannee River from my grandparents when I was still a child. It sounded so exotic to me at the time and I was an adult prior to my getting to see it first-hand.
Now I have that Suwannee River tune whirling around in my head. LOL
From fellow hubber Ann Davis...
Have you been to Weeki Wachee Springs or seen the Suwannee River?
See results without votingMap showing location of Weeki Wachee Springs
Weeki Wachee Springs - Other Florida hubs by this author...
- Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in Sarasota - Epiphytes set the stage
Orchids and more...
- Photos of the Edison and Ford Winter Homes, Gardens and Lab in Fort Myers, Florida
See sausage trees to cycads on impressive estate grounds & vintage Model T's to a stocked lab while learning more about these amazing men. Photos & videos. - Pictures ~ Alfred B. Maclay State Gardens beautify Tallahassee, Florida
Maggie's Mermaid Test at Weeki Wachee Springs State Park ( Obviously a lot of training goes into becoming a mermaid!)
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CommentsLoading...
Unbelievable finally somewhere I've been before. It was awhile ago but the place was great as you can tell by your wonderful postcards and videos. It's amazing the shows they do especially underwater. Thanks for reminding about what a great state I live in with tons of entertainment old and mew. All the ups except funny.
Hi SanneL,
You saw more of the U.S. east coast than I have since you have driven all the way from New York to Florida. Nice! I agree that the old swimsuits were much sexier than the ones today which leave not much to the imagination. Glad to know that you enjoyed seeing these vintage postcards and learning about the mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs. Thanks for your comment.
Hi Ben,
Those Little Mermaid videos are beautiful if you have the time to view them in this hub. Glad that you liked this. Thanks for your comment.
I have visited Florida. I have been driving all the way from New York to the southern tip of Key West and I loved it. However, I never got to see any mermaids.
I think the swimsuits from the 50th are so sexy. Like the red one in the first picture.
I loved this vintage hub. Voted up and shared!
WOW Peggy what can I say? I am in love! You offer a lot here I'll have to come back to finish reading, great images and writing.
Ben
Hi Rachel,
Florida is literally filled to the brim with great attractions. This one of the mermaids at Weeki Wachee is one of the older ones that has recently been made into a state park. Glad you enjoyed this. Thanks for your comment.
What a great hub! I love learning about new places -- Woo hoo!
Hello Lucas,
Sorry for the late response. Somehow this got labeled as spam and I just now saw it. I'm not a scuba diver and haven't been to Bonaire. The crystal clear water in Weeki Wachee, Florida would be great for diving and snorkeling as well as seeing shows like those showing the underwater mermaids. Thanks for your comment.
Looking at all these postcards makes me want to go there again! I haven't been since I was probably four and I really don't remember very much. Oh, and I totally love scuba diving bonaire! have you ever been to Bonaire and is it as good as there?
Hello countrygirl84,
Glad that you liked these vintage postcards and thanks for adding that useful information for people wanting to visit Weeki Wachee in Florida. Appreciate it!
This place is really amazing, they have recently ( being in the past few decades) added a new water park what is fabulous for kids and families. And the mermaid shows still happen every day! Thanks for sharing these great cards!
Hi Mrs. J.B.,
These vintage postcards from the past are fun, aren't they! Glad that you enjoyed these showing the underwater mermaids in Florida. If you ever travel to Florida, there is one great attraction after another...just around almost every bend in the road. Thanks for the comment.
I just love the postcards. I loved reading this hub too. Florida is one place I have not been.
Hi Tony,
I agree...old postcards / vintage postcards are fun to see. Glad you liked these showing the underwater mermaids in Florida. That would have been quite something when they first started! Thanks!
Great Hub, Peggy. I really enjoyed the read and the postcards. As you might have noticed I am a big fan of old postcards myself!
Love and peace
Tony
Hello Steph,
Glad you liked seeing these vintage postcards of the mermaids who perform underwater at Weeki Wachee Springs in Florida as well as some others. Thanks for the up vote and tweet.
Really amazing photographs/postcards and I love all the history. What a unique, interesting hub! I'd love to visit Florida someday (outside of the theme parks). Thumbs up and off to share on Twitter now!
Thanks cheap postcard printing for your interest in these vintage postcards showing the underwater mermaids in Florida from many years ago.
Excellent Creative work I have never seen it before. Thanks for sharing Lovely Postcard Design Portfolio. waiting for future Designs.
Hi billyaustindillon,
This was certainly a very early and unique Florida attraction...that of lovely "mermaids" performing their underwater ballet type movements. I'm glad that my grandparents initially purchased and later my parents kept these vintage postcards for me now to peruse and share with others.
These postcard are precious - now I know where synchronized swimming came from.
Greetings oscillationatend,
Glad you found and liked this vintage postcards hub showing the underwater mermaids in Florida. I also enjoy looking at vintage postcards and photos. Thanks for the visit.
Thanks for sharing, I'm a sucker for vintage. Also, love the way the colors come out on older cameras...even if they aren't exactly true-to-life, they have a warm appearance.
Hi Peter,
Sounds as though you have had some wonderful snorkeling experiences in beautiful places around the globe. Thanks for sharing this information.
Hi Peggy,
Places we have been snorkeling are Jamaica, St. Thomas, FL-Keys. From Europe, we mostly travel east, like going to the Red Sea, Maldives or Thailand. Some famous snorkeling spots in your area are said to be Bonaire, Belize and Cuba, but all depends on the actual location and your personal preference.
Hi Peter,
I'm neither a mermaid nor diver. Will stick to admiring the mermaids at that underwater show in Florida as shown on those vintage postcards and also the videos. Snorkeling would be a fun way to see beautiful underwater sites. Where do you like to go snorkeling?
Hi Peggy
Are you a mermaid or a diver? I love to go snorkeling!
Hi Peter,
I looked at your link and there are some nice videos of the underwater performing mermaids in Florida as well as some other old time videos. Thanks for pointing me and others in that direction.
Hi Peggy W
I found some vintage movies here:
http://www.youtube.com/user/TomWills#p/u/24/-Sp4WhKfe80
Maybe you want to publish one.
Best regards
Peter
Hi Pachuca213,
Since these are vintage postcards, and that movie is certainly vintage, it fits. Will have to look for that movie and watch it sometime. Thanks for commenting on this Florida, Underwater Mermaid hub.
thats really cool and made me think of the movie " Mr Peabody and the Mermaid" (1948) for some reason! lol
Hi Dolores,
Yes...the mermaid show in Florida is certainly "campy and unique" and also a throwback to earlier times when it was first originated. Hope you get to see it someday. Thanks for the comment.
Peggy, I am listening to the song now. I love it and am very fond of Judy Garland's version as well. Those mermaids are just so lovely and campy and unique. I'd love to see that show.
Hello travel_man1971,
Welcoming another new face here! So happy that you enjoyed these vintage postcards from days past in Florida. Of course the mermaids are still current although the outfits are undoubtedly quite different. LOL
So...you are a seaman. One of my brothers was in the Navy years ago and had interesting tales to tell of his travels.
Thanks for reading and commenting on this hub.
Your vintage hub reconnected me to the past of Florida. As a seaman, I was lucky to be in Miami and Tampa, but I never enjoyed the cities's attraction like this because our time are limited. Discovering your hubpage is a great find. Thank you, Peggy W.
Hello Dink96,
Great to see a new face here! Actually the postcards were from my grandmother...but you are correct. If my mother had not saved them, I would not have them today.
Thanks for the tip about checking out the other hub regarding Weeki Wachee Springs in Florida.
Yes, both Florida AND Arizona are beautiful. Have visited and done a number of hubs originating from both states. Thanks for the comment.
Such a special window into the past and even moreso that your mom saved these postcards. You might also want to check out St. James' hub on Weeki Wachee Springs. Florida certainly has its share of beautiful spots...not unlike my own state of Arizona.
Hi Duchess OBlunt,
Silver Springs used that mermaid idea to great advantage. In a completely different way...so did Walt Disney. Guess every little girl of a certain "vintage" grew up thinking what it would have been like to be a mermaid. LOL Thanks for reading and leaving a comment.
Nice vintage hub.
I remember when mermaids were popular too. In fact as a young girl, I read about them a lot. The stuff dreams are made of . . .
Hi Ethel,
My grandparents did quite a bit of traveling to the south to escape the cold Wisconsin winters. Florida was one of the states that they explored quite a bit evaluating it for retirement possibilities. They also took in many sites such as this one with the Mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs of which I ended up with these now vintage postcards. They eventually retired in Texas.
Thanks for your comment. I agree with you as to the stylishness of the girl in the red swimsuit.
The girl in the red swimsuit is so stylish. Thanks for this glimpse into the past.
Hello loveroflife,
Guess we can guess at your age from your remark about remembering vintage postcards as being current ones. My memory goes back a loooooonnng waaaay tooooo! LOL
Hi Pete,
Guess they will operate the underwater mermaid show in Florida as long as they still have people who can manage learning how to breathe with the air hose...and as long as tourists still are attracted to this unusual show. It is one of Florida's oldest attractions.
Hi Mardi,
Yes...things "sure have changed." The bathing suits worn by the mermaids on those vintage postcards tell the tale if nothing else. Hope this Florida attraction is able to keep operating long into the future. So different from the norm! Thanks for stopping by and leaving a comment.
I remember when Vintage Postcards were just the current postcards. Great memories.
That's definitely some old stuff. I remember when the mermaid thing was big.
Peggy, another great hub. Things sure have changed, haven't they? I had never heard of the underwater performances but would be a great thing to see.
Peggy W Hub Author 7 weeks ago
Hi Charlu,
You certainly DO live in an amazing state. Florida has so many attractions including this one of the underwater mermaids at Weeki Wachee Springs. Thanks for your comment and votes.