Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park

History

Native Americans lived in the area of Homosassa Springs, Florida, long before the first non indigenous people entered the area. Within 200 years of encounter, the original inhabitants of the area were decimated by disease and colonial warfare. Soon after that, the area was resettled by several groups of Native Americans displaced from other areas, including the Seminoles and Miccosukee.

The springs are a historical attraction with documented accounts of tourism since the early 1900s. At that time, a railroad running along what is now Fishbowl Drive would let passengers off to walk a short trail to the spring. In the 1920s, the attraction was expanded to several structures that no longer exist, and a public swimming area was located at the spring. The 1940s led to more expansion, along with the construction of the first underwater observatory, which consisted of an iron tank with small windows on each side. The original 50 acre property was purchased in 1964 by the Norris Development Company, with an additional 100 acre surrounding property, and entertainment facilities and animal exhibits were added.

Many of the animals kept here were trained for TV and film from Ivan Tors Animal Actors, including Buck, a bear that was a stand-in on the 1960s television show Gentle Ben, and Lu, the oldest hippopotamus in North America. Lu was the only animal in the park not native to Florida, he was born at the San Diego Zoo on January 26, 1960, and appeared in the TV shows Daktari and Cowboy in Africa. He had lived in the park since February 1966, and was declared an honorary citizen of Florida by Governor Lawton Chiles in the 1990s. Lu died at the park on June 8, 2025 aged 65 years as the oldest known hippo on record.

From 1978 until 1984, the land had several owners, until the Citrus County Commission purchased it as an environmentally sensitive area until the state of Florida could purchase the property as a Florida State Park.

Gallery

File:Homosassa Springs State Park01.jpg|Sign by visitor center File:Homosassa Springs State Park02.jpg|Building File:Homosassa Springs State Park03.jpg|Mural File:Homosassa Springs State Park04.jpg|Waterfront File:Homosassa Springs State Park under obs01.jpg|Observation deck

References

References

1. [https://www.floridastateparks.org/parks-and-trails/ellie-schiller-homosassa-springs-wildlife-state-park/history Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State park : History]. Florida Department of Environmental Protection. 2021. Accessed November 2, 2021.
2. Christiansen, Kathleen. (January 22, 2020). "Happy birthday, Lu! Florida's only resident hippo turns 60".
3. Strawbridge, Susan. (January 20, 2017). "Celebrating Lu the Hippo's 57th Birthday".
4. (June 8, 2025). "Lu, the Hippopotamus of Homosassa Springs, Dies at 65".