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!

Written on the back of this postcard:

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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

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Let me know if you enjoyed looking at these vintage postcards showing the underwater mermaids and more in Florida. This is just a small sampling of the postcards that my grandparents picked up on their travels so many years ago. Please leave a comment if you would like to see more. Thanks!