Revisiting Sanlando Springs

My original post about Sanlando Springs, made almost exactly four years ago, has proven to be one of my most popular. Since I originally wrote about the beloved Central Florida swimmin' hole, I have spent a good deal of time doing research about Florida springs for my book, "Finding the Fountain of Youth", and I have come across more great vintage ephemera for the spring, so I thought the subject worthy of a second post.

According to an article written by historian Jim Robison in the Summer 2012 edition of Reflections from Central Florida, the spring, originally called Hoosier Springs was first used as a recreational location as far back as the 1880s. According to Robison, former Altamonte Springs Mayor James Franklin Haithcox changed the name to Sanlando when he developed it as an amusement park in the 1920s.

Robison fills the rest of the spring's history:

"At least three generations enjoyed Sanlando Springs and its giant slide into cool, clear water. Landscaped with tropical plants, the park had the area’s first in-ground pool. Moses Overstreet, who owned timber and turpentine companies that controlled thousands of acres along the Wekiva, repossessed Sanlando Springs Tropical Park after the 1920s boom busted. The parkland reopened in 1935. The Marchand family put on professional log-rolling contests and demonstrations in 1941. After dark, the pavilion opened for dances that drew many young people in the 1940s. J.E. Robinson owned and ran the park from about 1950 until 1970, when it was one of the most popular spots in Central Florida during the summer."

The marketing of Florida's spring has always been of interest to me. The old advertising axiom "sex sells" seems to be the approach taken in early promotional brochures. With the headline "Maidens Fair and Nature's Glory" the natural wonders of the spring play second fiddle to the lovely ladies.

State Archives of Florida

One way to keep an ample supply of beautiful women on hand is to host a beauty contest, which Sanlando Springs did in 1951 according to these images from the state archives.

Beauty contestants of the Mrs. Sanlando Springs contest, 1951 
State Archives of Florida

Peggy Creel being crowned Mrs. Sanlando Springs, 1951
State Archives of Florida

This lovely brochure with a map has come up on Ebay several times
and I have yet to be able to add it to my collection

Here's a letter home, already written for you, simply add an addressee and a signature!

USF Digital Archives

While researching my book, I came across a small ad for Sanlando Spring in a vintage publication with a cute little faerie I thought would make a great t-shirt.  I contacted my friends at Vintage Roadside in Portland, OR and we collaborated on the design. VR's mission is to keep the memories of mom and pop roadside businesses alive. From the amount of comments on my last post about Sanlando, it is apparent that many people have fond memories of the spring.

This small ad in a vintage Orlando magazine was the inspiration
for the Sanlando T-shirt I created with Vintage Roadside

The T-shirts can be purchased online or at the Orange County Regional History Center.

Today only the residents of the gated subdivision known simply as "The Springs" can use Sanlando Springs. One of the the few times the public is allowed entry is for the Orlando Philharmonic's annual outdoor concert. Nature photographer John Moran from Gainesville recently attended and added these photos from the concert to his collection of other contemporary images of Sanlando.

Celebrate Our Springs Earth Day Event

Celebrate our Springs April 20th 

at the Florida Museum of Natural History

Join us for an 11 a.m. panel discussion

featuring springs artists and writers

Learn more about the beauty, the whimsy and the frailty of Florida’s ice-blue springs as part of the Florida Museum of Natural History’s Earth Day observance on Saturday, April 20^th.

Two current exhibits – Springs Eternal and Finding the Fountain of Youth – celebrate Florida’s natural springs as they also explore past history, document current threats and lay out Floridians’ role in their preservation.

Join the artists behind the exhibits – John Moran, Lesley Gamble and Rick Kilby – for a panel discussion at 11 a.m. Saturday April 20^th moderated by journalist and author Cynthia Barnett. The panel and the exhibits are free and open to the public. Families are welcome – kids and adults alike will have the opportunity to question the artists and find out what they can do to help protect our springs.

The Springs Eternal: Florida's Fragile Fountains of Youth exhibit is a 30-year retrospective of Florida nature photographer John Moran's love affair with the springs of Florida. The exhibit mixes stirring text with then-and-now pairings of photos that document dramatic changes to our springs. The project channels joy and beauty and grief and anger and is a sobering wake-up call for every Floridian who uses water. The exhibit also features an enormous, 60-foot-wide backlit translucent clerestory window photo of a pair of manatees at Crystal River.

Based on the forthcoming book by Rick Kilby, the Finding the Fountain of Youth exhibit examines how the legend of Ponce de Leon’s quest for restorative waters shaped the Sunshine State’s image as a land of fantasy, rejuvenation and magical spring-fed waters. Rich in images, this exhibition shows how the myths surrounding the discovery of “La Florida” influenced perceptions of the state that still echo today.

Reaching beyond the museum walls, Lesley Gamble’s Urban Aquifer bus project and Springs Eternal website lend additional public engagement including a fleet of Regional Transit System buses soon to bring stunning visions of Florida’s springs to the streets of Gainesville.

During the panel discussion, the three artists will show some of their favorite images, talk about the role of art in saving natural places, and engage the audience in a lively discussion about the springs.

The exhibits run through Dec. 15th. The Florida Museum of Natural History is located in the University of Florida Cultural Plaza off SW 34th St. and is open six days a week from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Sunday 1-5 p.m.

Note: my book "Finding the Fountain of Youth: Ponce de León and Florida's Magical Waters" will be on sale in the museum gift shop. Also on sale will be the Sanlando Springs T-shirts I worked on with Vintage Roadside.

Mock-up of Urban Aquifer bus

2009 in Review

I made 186 Visual Ephemera posts in 2009 and I thought I'd review some of the highlights and update their status.

On January 3rd I listed some spots in Florida I wanted to visit, and I'm happy to say I hit most of them. I just returned from South Florida, although I wont' have any new blogs about the trip until 2010. While I didn't see Monkey Jungle, Parrot Jungle (Jungle Island now), or the Everglades, I did see the Coral Castle, Viscaya, the Biltmore and South Beach. And I listed a goal to visit the attractions in my backyard like Big Tree Park, The Citrus Tower and Hall of Presidents (yes on all 3.) While I didn't get to Tarpon Springs or Warm Mineral Springs, I did make trips to Weeki Wachee, Homosassa Springs, Sunken Gardens, Sarasota Jungle Gardens and Cypress Gardens.


Cypress Gardens, the granddaddy of all Florida attractions, is still closed and at this point its future is uncertain. My wish for 2010 is that it re-opens in some capacity, so Floridians and visitors can enjoy the beauty of its famed gardens again.



On January 12th, I blogged about the discovery of more Fountains of Youth in Florida, including the sculpture at Tomoka State Park which I just visited on Christmas Eve. I'll continue to explore the theme of Ponce de Leon and the Fountain of Youth in Florida's popular culture, and I have more discoveries on the the subject that I'll share in 2010. One of the highlights for me was visiting Punta Gorda, and finding several monuments to Ponce's adventures around Southwest Florida.


On February 19th, I introduced the late Florida artist Joy Postle. Since that initial post, a wikipedia page has been set up for Joy and an article came out in the Reflections journal of the Orange County Regional History Center. As a result there appears to be more awareness of Joy and her work, and we are hoping to put together an exhibition of work in the future. And the murals that were stored in an attic in Ormond Beach are now safely in the hands of the individual who is the caretaker of Joy's legacy.


In March I examined the plight of two Orlando institutions; one has stayed open, the other has remained closed. Kaley Elementary remained open when the local newspaper discovered the school board was not following the proper procedure in studying school closures, so they kept the schools slated for closures running this year. The Cheyenne Saloon, however, remains closed. My hope is that when the new arena opens next Fall, someone will re-open it because of its then desirable location.



In April I blogged about Casper's Ostrich and Alligator Farm, a long defunct St. Augustine attraction. I am happy to say that I recently received a Vintage Roadside shirt sporting the Caspers logo so I can do my part in keeping the memory of that unique Florida business alive.

May 21st's post on Sanlando Springs generated more comments than any other blog. Apparently there are many Central Floridians with fond memories of swimming there, who wish they could still visit it. The Springs development built around the popular spring was recently in the news when a resident was attacked by a Florida Black Bear. Later the man was charged with feeding the bears around his house after the bear that scratched him had to be put down.

July's post about the Sam Stoltz house in Mt. Plymouth produced many responses as well, and as luck would have it I met the man who would come to own the house. Florida artist Martin Cushman is now the loving steward of this unique architectural masterpiece and after many delays he has finally moved into his new home.


In August I utilized my contacts to help a friend find her ancestor's church. Since then she has made a commitment to speak at the church, and found her grandfather's gravesite at Greenwood Cemetery.


The city of Orlando is working to find ways to finance the repair of the Lake Eola fountain, the city's symbol for years, originally blogged about on September 3rd. However, the city of Winter Park continues to look for a way to expand its Central Park by moving the post office with no mention of the preservation of its unique mid-century murals.


November's post on the water skiing elephants of De Leon Springs led to an email interview with Liz Green Dane, who as a teenager appeared with her elephant Queenie at the spring. I have plans to meet with Liz in person next month to learn even more.


And this month I had the privilege of taking part in an interview with Ginger Stanley Rogers, who appeared in the iconic Creature from the Black Lagoon. She will be appearing at the History Center in March.



2009 has been a wonderful year for me, as my fascination with Florida's history and popular culture has grown as I've explored and learned more about the colorful state I'm in. I'm grateful for anyone who stumbles across my blog and my only hope is that if they are in Florida they take time to appreciate the uniqueness of this state, because it is changing rapidly, and the things that make Florida so wonderful are always at risk.

Sanlando Springs

Sanlando Springs, located north of Orlando in Longwood FL, was one of Central Florida's favorite swimming holes for many years. It also featured a hotel, swimming pool and beautifully landscaped gardens and was major attraction between 1950 and 1970. Today Sanlando Springs is locked inside a gated community known as "The Springs", accessible only to residents who own homes inside the development.

According to a history posted on The Springs' website, a developer named Frank Hoosier dammed the spring to create the swimming areas in 1926. After the Great Depression the springs changed hands and Moses Overstreet developed it into a major "Tropical Park." A new owner, JE Robinson, added the diving platform and slide in 1950.

The brochure reads, " Ever swim in water that was a constant 72 degrees the year 'round? Delightfully cool in summer and deliciously warm in winter? Mother nature generously endowed Sanlando Springs wit this generous characteristic. You'll have to try it yourself to believe it." On the inside it continues; "What is your pleasure, Sir or Madam? (and Junior and Sis too!) Swimming? Picnicking? Boating? Perhaps just loafing? Maybe a quiet jungle cruise? Or maybe just lying on the warm, white sands and watching the pretty girls as they stroll by? We've got 'em all, including a superb restaurant, gift shop, snack bar, and cottages."


The Springs website ends the history with this statement: "To the disappointment of many but to the good fortune of those lucky enough to have lived or will live in The Springs Community, Sanlando Tropical Park was acquired and privatized by Mr. Earl Downs in 1970. Mr. Downs transformed The Park into what has become known as simply “The Springs”."

Photographs from the State Archives of Florida
Brochure from Orlando Remembered