Page 4 - July Hernando 2020

4 • JULY 2020 - Senior Voice of Hernando County
WEEKI WACHEE founded in 1947 by Newton supplying oxygen from an air park was being administered.

continued from page 3 Perry, a U.S. Navy veteran compressor, rather than from Buccaneer Bay (water park)
who had trained SEALS to a tank strapped onto the back. was letting sand filter into the
affectionately be the ‘City of swim underwater in World With the air hose, humans river, and a private company
Live Mermaids’ to everyone,” War II. He thought Weeki could give the appearance was launching too many rental

he said. Wachee springs would be a of thriving twenty feet kayaks from the headwaters,
good site for a new business. underwater with no breathing creating overuse,” said Mason.
The City of Weeki Wachee apparatus. “But since the city can’t
was incorporated in 1966, At the time, U.S. 19 was a regulate the state, the city
mainly to put the name of the small two-lane road. All the He built an 18-seat theater into had no legal authority to do

famous attraction on signs and other roads in the area were the limestone, submerged six anything.”
maps. Only one square mile in dirt; there were no gas stations, feet below the surface of the
size, the city included 13 land no groceries, and no movie spring, so viewers could look Complaints from county

parcels, including the park, theaters. More alligators and right into its natural beauty. residents came to Ingoglia’s
a hotel, several stores, and a black bears lived in the area He recruited young women attention. He and the two other
shopping center at the corner than humans. Those humans and trained them to swim with members of the “Hernando
of highways 19 and 50. At its tended to use the spring as a air hoses, do aquatic ballet, County Commission,” Rep.
dissolution, Weeki Wachee dumping ground rather than a and smile at the same time. Ralph Massullo (R-Lecanto),

had a population of 12, mostly beautiful natural resource. Mermaids were born. He put and Sen. Wilton Simpson
people who work at the park Perry cleared the spring a sign out on U.S. 19: WEEKI (R-Trilby), put forth a bill to
and have cabins nearby. Its of rusted refrigerators WACHEE. dissolve the city.

three-member city council, and abandoned cars and “For a long while it was “Remember, this city has only
including the mayor, earned invented a method of literally the only tourist about 10 people in it,” he said.
$10 per month. breathing underwater from attraction in the county,” said “It was effectively bankrupt,

Weeki Wachee park was a free-flowing air hose Mason. had not held proper elections,
and there were possible
V
The park flourished in the
conflicts of interest because
S SENIOR ENIOR VOICEOICE ‘50s and ‘60s and, when the the elected officials were also
city was incorporated, more
employees of the state park.”
signage and maps pointed
For the residents and
the way to the City of Live

www.seniorvoicehernando.com Mermaids. Movies, and TV businesses in and around the
shows and ads were filmed
former city, confusion reigned.
The Senior Voice in Hernando County is a monthly Here are just a few of the many many
community newspaper targeted toward adults 55 & older. locations to pick up a Senior Voice. there. Elvis shot a movie there. Would the park close? What
about the mermaids? Could
Walmart on Spring Hill Dr. When Interstate 75 opened they still use Weeki Wachee as

Locally owned & operated. in Florida in 1968, the park’s
Publishers – Jim and DonnaVavala Walmart on US 19 in Spring Hill fortunes started to wane. In their address?
Editor – Megan Carella The YMCA on Mariner later years, the city fought to The dissolution will not affect

Graphic Design – Jake VanHook stop the spring from being them negatively, said Ingoglia.
spoiled by runoff from the
Advertising Coordinators - Jim Dean, Betty Dean Doc’s Diner on Cortez & Mariner fertilization and irrigation of “It removes a layer of

Sales- Shelley Ketchum, Lisa Nash Walgreens at Glen Lakes the growing county’s lawns. government and taxation for
which the businesses where
Distribution - Jennifer Jernigan In 2008, city leaders worked not getting any benefit.
Publix in Brooksville on Cortez with then state Attorney Otherwise it will have

To advertise or get information: call Main Street Eatery downtown General Bill McCollum, of no effect,” he said. “The

352-277-6309 Brooksville Brooksville, to have Weeki surrounding areas, specifically

in zip codes 34613 and 34614
Wachee Springs Park brought
To submit photos or articles send to – P.O. Box 15622 Brooksville, FL. 34604 Or email to – seniorvoice99@gmail.com into the state park system. will still have the Weeki
Reproduction of any part of the Senior Voice in Hernando County without written permission “That ended up with some Wachee postal address.”

from Publisher is prohibited. Copyright @ 2020 by Lynn Haven Ledger LLC. folks unhappy with how the Continued on page 5