Glass Bottom Boats & Mermaid Tails: Florida's Tourist Springs [Paperback]

Tim Hollis (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: February 10, 2006

Glass bottom boats, mermaids, underwater performances, petting zoos--Florida's tourist industry began with the attractions that developed around the state's natural springs. This quintessential roadside book tells the story of how Florida's natural wonders were first developed as tourist attractions, leading to the booming theme-park era of today.

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Tim Hollis lives in Birmingham, Alabama, and is the recognized authority on the South's roadside history. He is the author of Dixie Before Disney: 100 Years of Roadside Fun (1-57806-118-0) and Florida's Miracle Strip: From Redneck Riviera to Emerald Coast (1-57806-626-3).

Product Details

• Paperback: 160 pages
• Publisher: Stackpole Books (February 10, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0811732665
• ISBN-13: 978-0811732666
• Product Dimensions: 8.9 x 6.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,244,206 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars In-depth (no pun intended) looks into the Florida Springs..., July 3, 2009

By 

Thomas Duff "Duffbert" (Portland, OR United States) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Glass Bottom Boats & Mermaid Tails: Florida's Tourist Springs (Paperback)

Continuing in the Florida tourist vein, I got the other book by Tim Hollis that deals directly with the topic... Glass Bottom Boats & Mermaid Tails: Florida's Tourist Springs. And like Selling the Sunshine State, this is a great read for those interested in that trip down memory lane... specifically to all the "Springs" that drove Florida's tourist industry for so long.

The springs covered here include (with their own chapters) Silver Springs, Silver Springs' Neighbors, Wakulla Springs, Rainbow Springs, Weeki Wachee Spring, Homosassa Springs, and then a grouping of smaller attractions that were ok and not-so-ok. Instead of being a coffee table book like Selling the Sunshine State, Glass Bottom is much more detailed with history and commentary on each attraction. This format gives Hollis plenty of space to talk about how places like Silver Springs came into existence, how it turned from a natural scenic site into an attraction that drew local visitors, and how they morphed into vacation destination spots instead of just places to stop for a couple of hours. I found it amazing how something as simple as a glass bottomed boat could be the key tool for changing a location's fortune. And you can't ignore how so many sites built on each other's successes to stay even and surpass the competition. It was very hard to find something *new* that wasn't soon duplicated in a dozen other locales.

I think my favorite chapter was the one talking about Weeki Wachee Spring. They were the ones who created and perfected the underwater mermaid shows, featuring graceful and beautiful routines performed in a nearly weightless environment. I also now understand the significance of the adagio position, the signature move that ended nearly all shows and became the signature of Weeki Wachee Spring. I think of any of the sites covered in the book, this is the one place I would have liked to see in its heyday.

If you're only into looking at interesting pictures, you'll probably find this volume a bit lacking compared to other Hollis titles. But if you want to go into the history of the Florida Springs, you'd be hard-pressed to find anything better than this book. And you get good pictures to go along with it. :)

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Well-Researched and Lighthearted Walk Down Memory Lane, August 14, 2006

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Todd and In Charge (Miami, FL) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Glass Bottom Boats & Mermaid Tails: Florida's Tourist Springs (Paperback)

This book documents the primary tourist attractions in Florida before Disney -- central and north Florida's incredible spring systems, and the roadside attractions and tourist parks that sprang up to capitalize on their beauty.

For those of you who remember coming down to Florida before the highways all led to Orlando, you will be thoroughly entranced by the trivia, the photos, the postcards, the brochures, and other memorabilia lovingly catalogued by Mr. Hollis. Silver Springs, Rainbow Springs, Weeki Wachi, and all the other associated tourist spots are recalled and discussed, with copious and often-hilarious photos and other promotional material. Also discussed are related wild-west attractions, roadside motels, inns and other odd-ball curios that arose to meet the burgeoning Florida tourist market.

For me this book was a treasure. Anyone who has visited Weeki Watchee and swam in its beautiful crystal-clear springs, or took a ride on the glass-bottom boats at Silver Springs, will want this book. Buy it before it goes away.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Florida before the "mouse", May 13, 2007

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dinah deal grant "dinah" (dade city, florida) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Glass Bottom Boats & Mermaid Tails: Florida's Tourist Springs (Paperback)

Beautiful account of the natural wonders of Florida and early tourism. As a native Floridian, I remember fondly as a child going to see the mermaids and being totally amazed. Too bad I75 and Disney spoiled the true treasures of Florida.