Finding
the Fountain of Youth: Florida's Waters, from Kitsch to Catastrophe
Ponce
de Leon’s fabled quest for the mythic Fountain of Youth has helped shape the
popular image of Florida. The evidence is shown in a plethora of interesting
and amusing pop-culture images, documenting 500 years of our state’s
fascinating history. From beloved aquatic attractions and kitschy relics that
celebrate Florida’s “discoverer," see how the concept of the state as a
place of restorative health and perpetual fantasy continues to affect life in
Florida today. You will also discover that many of these beloved
"fountains," Florida's springs, so vital to ours past and future, are
now at risk.
Click here to watch a 2014 presentation at Pinellas County's Heritage Village.
Click here to watch a 2015 presentation from PechaKucha Orlando.
Note: This presentation closely parallels the book, and covers a huge swath of Florida history and pop culture.
As I traveled the state while working on my book, I observed that many Florida springs shared a similar history.
First, the Native Americans who inhabited the state considered the pristine waters of springs to be sacred. As European settlers arrived they found the limitless supply of pure water provided by the springs to be an invaluable resource. Near the end of the 19th century, affluent travelers began visiting Florida and many springs become health spas where wealthy patrons could take the waters.
In the twentieth century, tourists started to arrive by car and some springs became roadside attractions with fanciful features like water-skiing elephants and underwater mermaids. Eventually, interstate highways bypassed many of these roadside attractions and they often found new lives as state and county parks. Today many of our state’s “fountains of youths” are at risk, as development threatens our springs and their source, the Floridan aquifer, the origin of most of the state’s drinking water.
With many colorful images throughout the presentation, I will explore the history of our springs and how these Fountains of Youth became an important part of the state’s early development. I will also examine some the challenges facing these spectacular natural resources as the population of Florida continues to expand rapidly.
Click here to watch a 2014 presentation at Pinellas County's Heritage Village.
Click here to watch a 2015 presentation from PechaKucha Orlando.
Note: This presentation closely parallels the book, and covers a huge swath of Florida history and pop culture.
The Magical Springs
of Old Florida
As I traveled the state while working on my book, I observed that many Florida springs shared a similar history.
First, the Native Americans who inhabited the state considered the pristine waters of springs to be sacred. As European settlers arrived they found the limitless supply of pure water provided by the springs to be an invaluable resource. Near the end of the 19th century, affluent travelers began visiting Florida and many springs become health spas where wealthy patrons could take the waters.
In the twentieth century, tourists started to arrive by car and some springs became roadside attractions with fanciful features like water-skiing elephants and underwater mermaids. Eventually, interstate highways bypassed many of these roadside attractions and they often found new lives as state and county parks. Today many of our state’s “fountains of youths” are at risk, as development threatens our springs and their source, the Floridan aquifer, the origin of most of the state’s drinking water.
With many colorful images throughout the presentation, I will explore the history of our springs and how these Fountains of Youth became an important part of the state’s early development. I will also examine some the challenges facing these spectacular natural resources as the population of Florida continues to expand rapidly.
Note: This presentation focuses on the history of Florida's Fountains of Youth, the artesian springs that are our state's greatest natural resource.
Contact Rick Kilby to schedule speaking event.
No comments:
Post a Comment