Floridiana Magazine

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Silver Springs

Florida and theme parks. If you’ve lived in the state for more than 50 years, you no doubt remember Florida without Walt Disney World. You probably also remember Silver Springs Nature Theme Park – considered to be Florida’s first tourist attraction.

History of Silver Springs

Although Silver Springs didn’t officially open to the public until 1878, it was a popular spot for visitors years earlier when they arrived by steamboat.  Silver Springs became known for its glass bottom boat rides – thanks to the ingenuity of Hullam Jones and Phillip Monell who affixed a piece of glass to the bottom of a row boat in the late 1870s.  They were only 14-years old at the time.

Silver Springs hit its heyday in the 1960s, when as many as 5,000 people were there daily during the week, and 6,000 – 7,000 on Saturdays and Sundays.  Back then, there were amusement park rides, exotic wildlife, a reptile institute, and a bear exhibit which was billed as the largest of its kind in the world.

As was the case for other early attractions, attendance dropped for a variety of reasons, and in 2013 the State of Florida took over operations and combined it with the nearby Silver River State Park, transforming it into Silver Springs State Park.

Movies and Television Shows

The theme park served the backdrop for television shows and movies from the 1930s through the 1960s, hosting movies like “Tarzan the Ape Man” starring Johnny Weissmuller, along with five more Tarzan movies and the James Bond movie “Moonraker.”  Also filmed at Silver Springs were the “Creature from the Black Lagoon,” as well as the television series “Sea Hunt” starring Lloyd Bridges. The Sea Hunt dock, named after the show, offers a photo opportunity for today’s visitors.

Glass-Bottom Boat Tours

The highlight of our visit was the half-hour ride on one of the famous glass-bottom boats.  About 25 of us sat along the edge of the boat with an amazing view of the crystal-clear water, long-nosed gar, and aquatic plant life below, not to mention a glimpse of a gator swimming nearby and turtles sitting atop tree stumps along the water’s edge.

As the boat floated along, our captain provided an historic, and at times, humorous overview of the Silver Springs area.  Whether it was to provide a narrative of the Native Americans who lived around the Springs in the 1500s, the story of the bridal chamber, or the dugout canoe sitting on the bottom of the spring bed, the tour was interesting and informative.

An old glass-bottom boat rests at the bottom of the springs, along with three statues used in the making of the James Bond movie “Moonraker.”

No matter what was pointed out as part of the tour boat ride, the captain circled the boat around for everyone to get a good view.

Dugout Canoe

Glass-bottom Boat

Statues from Moonraker

Other Things to Do

As a state park, Silver Springs offers plenty of opportunities for those who enjoy spending time in nature. Canoes and kayaks can be seen gliding along the springs.  Take your own or rent them at the outpost.

If that isn’t on your favorites list, take a leisurely stroll along some of the walkways or boardwalks that weave through the park.  Keep an eye on the ground and up in the trees.  You never know what you might see – beautiful flowers, snakes, woodpeckers, and if you are fortunate, monkeys (although we didn’t get to see any of the monkeys on our visit).

A statue of Seminole Chief Osceola also holds a prominent place in the park. The plaque at the base of the statue relates the importance of Osceola’s presence at the Springs and the relationship to the Great Seminole War of 1835 – 1842. As the plaque states, Osceola led a small band of warriors in the Seminole resistance, when the United States tried to remove the tribe from their lands in Florida.

 

Another must-see is the “lucky” or “honeymoon” tree.  Legend has it that if you have your picture taken with it, you will have good luck for five years.  It’s definitely worth a snap of the camera if good luck is on the line!

The Lucky Tree

Hours of Operation and Admission

Silver Springs State Park is open 365 days a year from 8:00 a.m. until sunset.  As a state park, the price of admission is $2.00.  However, if you’re planning to take one of the famous glass bottom boat rides, those will cost extra.

Boat Tours

The 30-minute tour runs every 30 – 45 minutes until 6:00 p.m.  The cost starts at $11.00 per person and you do not need a reservation.

The extended tour lasts about an hour and a half and starts at $25 per person.  These tours only run Friday through Sunday and reservations are recommended.

Whether you plan on a boat tour or just to spend the day enjoying nature, a trip to Silver Springs is worth the time – and the money. It may not be the theme park it was during its heyday, but it does provide a peaceful place to get out and enjoy Florida’s outdoors. Unlike other roadside attractions, Silver Spring was able to change and survive the times.

Silver Springs Fun Facts
  • There are 30 springs with 61 vents (openings for water flow).
  • The largest Mammoth or main spring you see at the park has vent measuring 5 feet by 135 feet with a depth of 30 feet.
  • Silver Springs forms the Silver River, flowing 4 ½ miles to the Ocklawaha River.
  • The water temperature is 72° year-round.

FM Note: If you have pictures of Silver Springs during its heyday, please share them on our Facebook page:  Floridiana Magazine.

View more of our photos from the day in the slideshow below.

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Britton Hill, Florida’s Highest Point

When you think of a highest point in the United States, what comes to mind? Mt. McKinley in Alaska?  Mt. Mitchell in North Carolina?  What about Britton Hill?  If you’ve never heard of Britton Hill, make sure you put it on your list of places to visit in Florida.  Why?  It just so happens to be the highest point in the Sunshine State.

Britton Hill is located at Lakewood Park just inside the state line that divides Walton County in Florida from Alabama.  It got its name from a former lumber mill baron, William Henry Britton who developed the area in the early 1900s.  The highest point is actually more of a plateau, about 900 feet by 400 feet.  At a staggering 345 feet, this peak offers a beautiful view of the surrounding countryside and also carries the honor of being the lowest high point in the U.S.

A monument marking this dubious distinction sits steps from the parking lot.  To get a glimpse of the monument or take a selfie next to it, you won’t even have to break a sweat.  However, if you do find yourself short-winded, there is a bench by the monument so you can rest a little.

A few Florida comparisons

Just how high is 345 feet?  If you are familiar with Florida “landmarks,” here are a few comparisons to consider:

  • The Majesty Building (aka the I-4 Eye Sore) is 307 feet tall.
  • The Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) at Kennedy Space Center is 525 feet.
  • Chinsegut Hill in Hernando County, just north of Brooksville, is 269 feet.

A few U.S. comparisons

Mt. McKinley in Denali, Alaska is the highest point in the United States at 20,237 feet.  Other “low” high points include:

  • Delaware – Ebright Azimuth at 448 feet
  • Louisiana – Driskell Mountain at 535 feet
  • Mississippi – Woodall Mountain at 806 feet
  • Rhode Island – Jerimoth Hill at 812 feet

While Britton Hill may not seem like a hiker’s dream, it is actually an internationally-known must-do peak.  A group of mountain climbers known as the Highpointers Club, attempt to climb the highest point in each of the lower 48 states.  So far, about 500 of them have achieved that feat – which includes “climbing” Britton Hill.

Other things to do

If the climb to the top doesn’t wear you out, there are hiking trails at the park which offer an easy walk through the small hardwood forest and are all less than a mile in length. Lakewood Park also offers a picnic area and a restroom.

How to get there

Britton Hill is located in the Florida panhandle.  If you’re out driving, take Interstate 10 to Exit 85 – US 331/SR 83 toward DeFuniak Springs.  Follow 331 to County Road 285.  Turn north onto CR 285 and go about three miles.  Britton Hill will be on the left.

Make sure to take your camera and document your climb!

Manatee Viewing Center at Tampa Electric’s Big Bend Power Station

When I think of seasons in Florida, I think of only two:  summer and winter – or beach season and manatee season.  While beach season may extend through more than just the summer, manatee season runs from November to March.  If you’re adventurous enough to brave the colder temperatures, you can experience some amazing sights of these gentle giants.

Big Bend Power Station

In the shadows of the TECO Power Plant in Apollo Beach, manatees can be seen swimming lazily in the discharge canal, a state-designated manatee sanctuary.  When the water in the bay drops to below 68 degrees Fahrenheit, manatees find their way into these warmer waters.  On a recent visit on a cold January day, hundreds of manatees could be seen from the observation deck.  Since the water was very low, their backs could be seen above the surface and looked like stepping stones across the canal.  Occasionally, they would roll or flip their tails or come up for air, but don’t expect a lot of activity from the manatees.  They rest anywhere from two to 12 hours a day.  During that time, they will rise to the surface every seven to 20 minutes to breathe.  When they are awake, those breaths are taken every three to five minutes.

It is estimated that there are more than 6,000 manatees currently in Florida waters, up dramatically from the hundreds recorded when they were considered endangered in 1973. These mammals weigh about 1,200 pounds and average about 10 feet long as adults. As plant-eaters, they consume about 15 percent of their body weight in aquatic vegetation every day.

Signs along the boardwalk provide illustrations of fish and birds you might also see.  While we were there, we were treated to views of tarpon swimming just below the surface of the water, a shark jumping, and an osprey carrying seaweed to its nest nearby.

Rays Touch Tank

In addition to the manatees, visitors also get a close up view of cownose rays and southern Atlantic stingrays. Reach in and touch them or just watch as they glide past, thanks to a partnership with the Florida Aquarium.  A fun fact about these rays is they are actually the mascots for the Tampa Bay Rays baseball team and are here during the team’s off-season.

Other Things to Do

While at the Viewing Center, make sure to stop in the education building for additional information about the manatee and its habitat or stop in at the butterfly gardens. There is also a self-guided nature trail where you can see native plants and coastal water birds.  If you plan to walk the trails, make sure to wear comfortable walking shoes.

Hours of Operation

The Manatee Viewing Center is open every day from 10:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. from November 1 through April 15.  It is closed Easter, Thanksgiving and Christmas, and closes early on Christmas Eve. There is no admission fee.

How to Get There

If you are on Interstate 75, take exit 246 west on Big Bend Road and travel about two and a half miles.  When the road makes a sharp curve to the left, the Viewing Center will immediately be on your right.  There is a parking lot next to the center, but if it is full you will be directed to an overflow lot about a mile away.  From there you can walk along a trail or catch a shuttle bus back to the center.

 

 

 

Hops – A New Florida Crop

Move over oranges, there’s a new crop in town!  Chalk it up to the popularity of craft beer and the number of craft breweries popping up around the state, interest is now brewing over a viable new crop in Florida – hops.

What are Hops?

Hops are one of the four main staples of beer, along with water, yeast, and barley. For craft beer drinkers, you might know that hops are responsible for the bitterness, flavor and aroma of the beer.

Wop’s Hops in Sanford is just one of the Florida breweries using hops from Central Florida Hops in its brewing process.

If you happen to pass a hops field, you may just do a double-take.  At first glance, the plants create the illusion of a lush green wall.  Growing 16 to 20 feet long, these green vines reach upward, guided by wires strung along poles. The flowers on the plants are the hops that are used in the brewing process.

But do you know how those hops get into that brew?  After they are picked off the vines, they can be used in three ways.  First, as wet hops by local brewers. If used this way, they have to be brewed within a day or two of being picked.  Another use is as a dried whole-cone hop.  These hops are harvested and dried out.  The final involves crushing the flowers and pressing them into pellets where they can be stored for a long time.  This method is the most user-friendly and widely used because of commercial availability.  Each method causes subtle differences in the brewing process and the end result.  The opportunity to use fresh hops is creating excitement among the craft brewers who are always looking to brew something just a little bit different.

Hops in Florida

Up until the last few years in the United States, hops fields were mostly found in the Pacific Northwest.  Now, they are sprouting up here in our state.  Estimates are there are as many as 10 to 15 hops farms in Florida, with the largest currently covering two and a half acres.

Central Florida Hops

Recently, we visited Central Florida Hops in Zellwood. Co-owner Matt Roberts showed us the field located next to Central Florida Ferns where he and his partners Kyle Barrett and Logan Vandermaas are all employed.  He said an interest in local craft beer and a desire to do something different led to the new venture.

“The more we researched hops,” he said, “the more we thought this might be doable. It was a challenge for us.  A challenge to be able to provide places we enjoy going to with hops.  That kind of sealed the deal for us.  And the local breweries love the idea of using a local ingredient.”

Our visit happened in January which coincided with the second harvest of the year for Central Florida Hops. Plenty of flowers remained on the vines, although the field had thinned out some due to local breweries and home brewers visiting the field the past week and picking hops for their use.  Because it’s never occurred before, a second harvest of hops within a calendar year might just be the innovation that makes hops growing commercially viable in Florida.

Matt agrees and expects that once the market expands, more growers will join in.

“The craft beer scene is what we have to lean on right now and it’s as popular as it’s ever been.  You really don’t realize how many hops these brewers use.  We can’t touch what they need and probably will never be able to.”

The popularity of craft breweries has led to brew tours.

Hops Research in Florida

Because hops growing is relatively new in Florida, it is still a learning process.  Data is limited, expectations are unknown.  A lot of what is done is simply trial and error.  However, there is some help on the horizon.  The Apopka branch of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) was awarded a two-year, $194,000 grant to see which hops varieties will grow in the state. Researchers have already determined Florida days are too short and a hops variety that doesn’t need as much sunlight may be the answer.  (In the Pacific Northwest, plants get 15 to 16 hours of daylight during the spring.)

At Central Florida Hops, light interruption from strategically placed light poles worked around that challenge.  The lights were turned on at midnight and ran for about an hour and a half.  Matt says the idea was to trick the plants into thinking it was a shorter night rather than a longer day.  It was an experiment, and some of the plants, like Cascade, reacted very well.

The Florida Difference

Whether it is Cascade or Triple Pearl or Tahoma, hops take on the characteristic of the soil, also known as terroir.  These same environmental conditions affect the taste of wine.  What is grown in Florida will taste, smell, and act much differently than that grown in other states.  Central Florida Hops planted its field on what was once an orange grove.  Brewers who’ve used the Cascade from here say there is a more citrus note to the hops.

The Spring Harvest and Beyond

With the initial success in growing their first crop (and second), coupled with the enthusiastic reception by Florida brewers, Central Florida Hops is currently preparing for the spring harvest.  The hops plants are the same from crop to crop, but after harvest they are cut off at the base, forcing all new growth.  Once the vines grow long enough, they are restrung on the wire supports – which should happen in March for the June harvest.  In addition, there are thoughts of expanding from the current quarter of an acre to half an acre. Central Florida Hops looks forward to the increasing excitement of local Florida brewers and coaching them on the use of fresh hops.  So be on the look out for Florida hops in the field and in Florida craft brews.

Matt admits year two will be interesting, but says with hops the sky is the limits.

 

Harry P. Leu Gardens, Orlando

No matter where you live in the state, chances are there are a few places nearby where you can disappear for a few hours and experience natural Florida.  Even in cities like Orlando, parks and gardens provide respite from the hectic pace.  You’ll find one of those locations just a short drive from downtown – Harry P. Leu Gardens.

I’ve driven by the entrance off Virginia Drive and Corrine many times in my 25-plus years in Orlando.  It wasn’t until I stopped for the first time years ago that I discovered this serene sanctuary in the city.

Who Was Harry P. Leu?

Harry P. Leu was born in Orlando in 1884 and went on to build one of the largest supply businesses in Florida.  He purchased the property on Lake Rowena in 1936 and filled it with plants he gathered in his travels around the world, with the camelia being one of his specialties.

The centerpiece of the Gardens is Harry and Mary Jane Leu’s house.  The house was restored to its grandeur and provided a look at turn-of-the-century Florida living.  It was added to the National Register of Historic Places December 29, 1994.  At the time of this post, the Leu House Museum is closed due to damage from Hurricane Irma in 2017.

In 1961, Leu deeded the property to the City of Orlando and the gardens were opened to the public.

Gardens and Exhibits

The Garden House serves as the welcome center to the gardens and is home to the gift shop, exhibit halls and classrooms, and a botanical library.  Once you walk out the doors, you are surrounded by the beauty of individual gardens.  Take a leisurely stroll around the pond in the Tropical Stream Garden or get ideas for your own yard in the Idea Garden. Winding walkways provide an easy trek through 50 acres of camellias, magnolias, ferns, and other botanical beauties.  Stop and smell the roses.  Or take a walk among the towering camphor trees.

Floral Clock

Another feature of the Gardens is the Floral Clock which sits behind the rose garden.  The 50-foot clock was imported from Scotland in 1966 and was donated by the Kiwanis Club of Orlando.

In addition to the gardens, fun exhibits provide guests with interactive experiences.  During our visit, The Ribbit Exhibit II (November 1, 2018 – January 31, 2019) sent us on a hunt for 26 whimsical frogs.  Sculpted out of copper, these frogs could be found meditating in a pond, watering plants, trimming hedges, riding bikes and jamming out on a washboard with the Ribbitsville Band.

Other exhibits have included dinosaurs, fairy doors and Lego sculptures.  Keep an eye on the website for future exhibits.  You don’t want to miss them.

Classes and Workshops

If you want more ideas for your own gardens, try one of the classes or workshops that are offered for folks of all ages.  Whether you want to learn the basics of growing orchids, or how to use lemons in your cooking, there is something for everyone.  Make sure to check out the calendar of events to find the right class for you.

Admission and Location

To get a complete picture of what Leu Gardens has to offer, make plans to see for yourself.  The Gardens are open every day (except Christmas Day) from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. The price of admission is $10 for adults, $5 for children 4 – 17, and Leu Gardens members and children three and under get in free.  To get there from downtown Orlando, take I-4 east to Princeton Street and follow the signs to Leu Gardens located at 1920 North Forest Avenue, Orlando.

Enjoy more of our photographs from the Gardens, but be sure to visit and see the beauty for yourself.

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