Category Archives: Roadside Attractions

Abandoned Bongoland

13 Friday Aug 2021

Posted by in Abandoned America, Florida, Road Trip, Roadside Attractions, Roadtrip

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Bongoland was a roadside attraction that operated between 1948-1952. It was the brainchild of Dr. Perry Arthur Sperber (1907-1996), who leased the land in Port Orange, Florida from Daytona car dealer J. Saxon Lloyd. It was doomed from the beginning.

Florida has a long and rich cultural history, and Port Orange is no exception. Situated south of Daytona Beach, the area saw Franciscan monks founding the Lost Mission from 1602-1625. The coquina shell walls of the mission are in ruins yet explorable today. (They failed at persuading the Native American Indians to convert to Christianity.) In 1763, the English Crown deeded 101,400 acres to Dr. Andrew Turnbull, who exploited the land and the slave labor.

Bahamian native Patrick Dean purchased 995 acres in 1804, establishing a plantation. He was killed by the Seminole Indians in 1818 during the First Seminole War. The land passed via will to his aunt, Cicely Green Bunch, whose husband was Patrick’s uncle and owned adjacent property. According to records, it appears that Cicely predeceased Patrick and her share went to her grandson upon her husband’s death. The grandson by then was Admiral John Bonnemaison Bunch McHardy, who favored the military over farming. He sold the plantation to Joseph and Charles Lawton on May 3, 1832. Later that year, the brothers sold it to Sarah Petty Dunn Anderson for $4,500. Sarah’s sons, James and George, ran it for three years. It was during this time that the land became known as Dunlawton.

Dunlawton burned during the Second Seminole War, 1835-1842. By 1838, it was rebuilt, only to burn down again in 1856 during the Third Seminole War, 1855-1858.This time the plantation was under new ownership. John F. Marshall paid $8,000 for the land on September 18, 1846. Marshall attempted to bring the plantation back to life, only to fail. He decided to lease the property with a right to purchase to Charles P. Vaux, who also failed, in 1853, and the property reverted back to Marshall in 1855. Upon the third and final burning, the plantation ceased to be agriculturally viable.

The Civil War interrupted the timeline, as Confederate troops used the property for camping. After the Confederates lost and surrendered, Marshall was able to locate a buyer, attorney William Dougherty, who sought to subdivide the land and sell it piece by piece. The last person to own the property was Joseph Saxon Lloyd (1907-1991). Somehow Dr. Sperber was able to pitch the idea of building huge dinosaurs amongst the fauna, set up a Seminole Indian village, and small zoo in an attempt to lure vacationers traveling by car to stop in. A baboon named “Bongo” gave the attraction its name: Bongoland.

Manuel David “Manny” Lawrence was a sculptor and cement worker. He created the dinosaur statues, of which 4 survived (spoiler coming). Manny build a 42-foot Tyrannosaurus Rex; 30-foot Stegosaurus; 25-foot Triceratops; and an 8-foot Dimetrodon. His work was known throughout the area as he worked at the Museum of Natural History in Holly Hill, Florida. Manny died in 2003 at the age of 79.

Advertising the park was expensive and ultimately led to its closure. Although the live animals were removed, the dinosaurs remained. In 1963, Lloyd donated the entire property to Volusia County. In 1972, it was added to the Florida Historical Registry. The Botanical Gardens of Volusia, Inc. began maintaining the property in 1988. The Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens are a unique place. Even though the plantation and mission and odd mini zoo are gone, the county realizes the interest it generates. It is one of a few abandoned locales that encourages people to explore. Call ahead to check on seasonal hours.

Dr. Perry A. Sperber wasn’t finished with dinosaurs. In 1970, he published Sex and the Dinosaur, where he theorized that animals are direct ancestors to the dinosaurs. Before his death on October 4, 1996, Dr. Sperber made the rounds discussing Bongoland and his book.

And now for the spoiler: In 2019, the T-Rex crumbled and fell. Apparently, it is unable to be salvaged and restored; however, several groups have offered assistance. Decades of extreme Florida weather claimed the mighty dinosaur.

Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens are located at 950 Old Sugar Road, Port Orange, Fl, https://www.dunlawtonsugarmillgardens.org/index.html. Let me know if you visit!

Skunk Ape: Florida’s Bigfoot

25 Saturday Jul 2020

Posted by in Cryptids, Cryptozoologist, Mysterious Creatures, Road Trip, Roadside Attractions, Roadtrip, Skunk Ape

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The Skunk Ape Headquarters in Ochopee, FL.

As far back as the 1920s, wildlife trappers and fishermen whispered stories of sighting a 7-foot-tall, ape-like bipedal creature lurking in the swamps of Florida. One such sighting was reported at Quednau Ranch, Charlotte County, when a Boy Scout Troop was camping in the area on August 15, 1962 (The incident wasn’t reported until years later, though.) The number of sightings picked up through the 70s and 80s and now total 328, according to The Bigfoot Field Researchers Organization, bfro.net. By then, the creature had a name: Skunk Ape.

The Pensacola News (August 9, 1971) issue carried the story of H.C. Osbon. H.C. and 4 friends were in the Big Cypress Swamp, officially known as the Big Cypress National Preserve, digging for Native Indian artifacts. At 3 AM, the men were inside their tents when they heard a noise. They decided to investigate and saw a 7’ 700-pound creature. The next morning, they found tracks measuring 17 ½ inches. They made plaster molds. From the tracks, Osbon theorized there were at least three apes. The article concluded with Osbon vowing to return for more evidence.

By 1974, Skunk Ape fever was spreading, and people were venturing into the swamp to catch a glimpse. One such person was then 10-year-old Dave Shealy. He and his brother, Jack, were able to spot one standing 100’ away. Dave had found his passion; he would build a career around the Skunk Ape.

Ochopee (pronounced “O-Chopp-ee”) sits at the intersection of US 41 and State Road 29 within the Big Cypress Swamp, a 720,000 acre federally protected preserve established on October 4, 1974. Ochopee is in unincorporated Collier County. Big Cypress sits within 3 counties: Collier, Monroe, and Miami-Dade. Ochopee is also home to Shealy’s Skunk Ape Research Headquarters, located at 40904 Tamiami Trail E., Ochopee, Florida.

The Seminole and Miccosukee Indian tribes traveled and resided within this area. They also tell tales of the Skunk Ape, although he is known by several names: Skunk Ape, Swamp Ape, Bigfoot, Sasquatch, and the Florida Yeti. Skunk Ape is the one that stuck. It is said that the name refers to the strong odor, presumably sweat and animal carcass, exuding from the creatures.

Stories continue, as do the descriptions. In 1997, Jan Brock, local realtor, and Vince Doerr, Chief Ochopee Fire Control District, individually spotted a bipedal creature. Doerr was able to capture the creature on film. Both described a 7-foot, red-haired creature possibly weighing around 400 pounds. It is also reported that the creatures only have 4 toes per foot.

Vince Doerr image from 1997.

According to Dave Shealy, the apes eat conch, little lobsters, and lima beans.

The non-stop building in Florida may be encroaching on the natural habitat; therefore, the cryptids may be heading into the larger swamps, where they can hide—possibly inside alligator holes—and avoid humans. Air boats have made it easier for humans to go out in search of the apes. To date there have been 325 sightings in Florida. Although there isn’t definitive evidence, such as a carcass, this does not necessarily make the Skunk Ape a figment of people’s imaginations. It certainly hasn’t curbed the interest in sighting such creatures.

Winchester Mystery House Offers Free Virtual Tours

22 Sunday Mar 2020

Posted by in Antiques, Architecture, Famous Locations, Famous People, History, Residences, Road Trip, Roadside Attractions, Roadtrip, Winchester Mystery House

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The Winchester Mystery House (WMH) is presently closed for tours while we isolate for COVID-19; however, you can watch a 41-minute tour of the property. The video is entertaining with lots of historical perspective and facts woven into the story.

Sarah Lockwood Pardee Winchester (1840-1922) was a wealthy woman known for continually renovating her home in San Jose, California. Back East, Sarah was known as the “Belle of New Haven” and was a desirable—and wealthy—woman in New Haven, Connecticut. On 1862, she married William Wirt Winchester (1837-1881), the only son of Oliver Winchester, owner of the Winchester Repeating Arms Company. Tragedy befell the young couple. Four years into marriage, the couple welcomed Annie Pardee Winchester into the world on June 15, 1866. Forty days later, on July 25, Annie succumbed from marasmus. The couple would not have any more children.

Sarah and William’s marriage struggled. Sarah’s father-in-law Oliver died, leaving William to handle the entire business. Within a year after Oliver’s death, William died from TB at the age of 44. Sarah inherited $20 million dollars in cash, plus 3,000 shares in the business. Her daily income was $1,000, which would be roughly $26,000 per day. Sarah was a very wealthy woman.

Sarah sought to live near Pardee family members, choosing to move to California. The young widow, presumably age 41, purchased an 8-room farmhouse that sat on 161 acres in California. Sarah worked every day hiring contractors, employees, and gardeners to fashion one of the largest and most mysterious homes in America.

The Winchester Mystery House documentary does a decent job guiding virtual tourists around the property. An interesting fact: Sarah stood 4 feet 10 inches tall. Therefore, some of the strange or odd building features are built for a woman of her size.

Sarah had the financial ability to indulge in extravagances. She loved to garden; therefore, it seems reasonable that she would have 2 conservatories: One to the North and the other to the South.

She had 6 kitchens. However, a couple were used for her large staff. Between 41-43 people worked and lived on the property. It is said that Sarah paid her employees well above minimum wages.

The video exaggerates a few items. The series could have gone into the more plausible theories about Sarah’s fascination on renovating the house. For instance, there isn’t any historical record of Sarah being a member of an occult group or visiting a psychic who supposedly told her to build a house across the country to confuse the spirits of people killed by the Winchester guns. These are merely anecdotes.

The question people want answered is: Why? Why did she keep on building? We will never know. Nor will we know if the “Séance Room” (as it is called in the documentary) was actually used for seances. Only one person—Sarah—had access to the room. She sat alone in the room. Sure, the room is designed a bit odd, that doesn’t mean that she held seances there. In fact, it shows she wouldn’t. Instead, I proffer that the room was more for meditation and prayer.

What we do know is that she liked to build rooms and used the most expensive materials available. Her favorite stained-glass pattern was the Spider’s Web, possibly purchased through Tiffany’s. And, boy, there are a lot of stained-glass windows in the house.

Twenty-two years into the project, and the house was 7 stories high. After the April 18, 1906 San Francisco earthquake, several top floors became unstable and were compromised. Today, the house has 4 stories.

The site offers pre-sale tickets for when the property re-opens on April 7. Take a look, https://winchestermysteryhouse.com/. It was very satisfying.

Lucy the Elephant on Airbnb

27 Thursday Feb 2020

Posted by in Not Haunted, Not Haunted--But Cool, Roadside Attractions

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According to Airbnb, novelty lodgings are up 70%. Seems people want to spend the night in odd locations. Beginning next month, travelers can stay at the iconic Lucy the Elephant.

Lucy’s story is complicated. Lucy was built in 1881 by James V. Lafferty in Margate City, New Jersey. Her designs are even patented. In 1902, a family of 6 rented her for their home. They renovated her interior and added a second floor. Unfortunately, she endured natural disasters and abandonment.

Lucy the Elephant became a roadside American attraction. In 1969, Lucy was slated for demolition but salvaged by a group of local residents. By 1970, the Save Lucy Committee, LLC was formed, and Lucy was saved. She moved to a city-owned property and restored. Over 132,000 tourists visit her annually. Now she has become an Airbnb listing.

Through a partnership with Airbnb, which provided a generous donation as well as furnishing the interior, and the Save Lucy Committee, tourists may book overnight stays within her belly. The cost of $138 per night denotes her age. The price includes a gift certificate to a local restaurant for dinner, breakfast, and a mobile bathroom parked beside her.

Lucy truly is an iconic piece of Americana. In addition, she is designated as a National Historic Landmark. Although Lucy is not haunted, she makes for an interesting destination. Bookings begin March 5th. For more information, visit airbnb.com/lucy.

Spring Break Road Trip: Cassadaga, Florida

30 Friday Mar 2018

Posted by in Camps, Cemeteries, Famous Locations, Florida Mysteries, Hauntings, Historic Places, Road Trip, Roadside Attractions, Uncategorized

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Spring Break Road Trip: Cassadaga, Florida

Spring Break is in full swing, and there are some off-the-beaten-path places worth exploring. One of them is Cassadaga, Florida. Cassadaga is 40 minutes north of Orlando, off I-4 or an hour and ½ southeast of Ocala. Here are 10 things to know before you go:

Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp

  1. Cassadaga is named after Cassadaga Lake outside Lily Dale, New York, sister town to Cassadaga, New York and Florida. Lily Dale is the oldest Spiritualist community in America. It was incorporated in 1879 as Cassadaga Lake Free Association but was ultimately renamed Lily Dale Assembly in 1906.
  2. George P. Colby (January 6, 1848-July 27, 1933), a trance medium, believed his Native American spirit guide “Seneca” led him to Volusia County, Florida in search of land to establish a Spiritualist community. George was homesteaded 145 acres in the area and donated 55 of those acres to create Cassadaga. He died at the age of 86 and is buried in the Lake Helen Cemetery.

Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Early Photo

  1. Cassadaga is a Native American word that means “water beneath the rocks.”
  2. Wintering psychics and mediums from the north sought a warm location to winter. The unincorporated town was established on December 18, 1894 as the Southern Cassadaga Spiritualist Camp Meeting Association.
  3. Cassadaga is known as the “Psychic Center of the South.” Less than 70 people reside in Cassadaga. All are psychics and mediums.
  4. The Cassadaga Hotel, the only hotel in town, was originally owned by the camp but was lost in foreclosure. It is privately owned. The original building burned down on Christmas Day 1926 but was rebuilt within 2 years.
  5. More than 15,000 people visit Cassadaga per year. There are 7 parks and meditation areas in the camp. Visitors can walk the town, book appointments with psychics, tour 2 historical buildings, shop the bookstore, or sip coffee at the hotel.
  6. Singer/songwriter Tom Petty (1950-2017) wrote the song “Casa Dega” about the town.
  7. Fiction writer and essayist Carl Hiaasen based the fictional town Grange in Lucky You on Cassadaga. In the novel, Grange is a strange town where people experience a lot of religious miracles. The main character JoLayne, and African-American woman who wins ½ of a Florida Lottery jackpot, resides in Grange.

CarlHiaasen

  1. If you visit, stop in the Lake Helen Cemetery, situated between Cassadaga and Lake Helen. In the cemetery in a family plot, there is a brick bench, a mourning bench. An urban legend has started that this is a “Devil’s Chair” whereby the Devil arrives when someone sits on the bench. Another tale states that if a can of beer is left, it will be empty in the morning. Let me know what happens.

DevilsChair2

Happy Travels!

Salvation for Fairyland

16 Thursday Mar 2017

Posted by in Abandoned America, Curiosities, Famous Locations, Florida Mysteries, Road Trip, Roadside Attractions, Uncategorized

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Salvation for Fairyland

“You can’t put a price on history.”

Richard Gonzmart

Seemingly simplistic storybook-themed amusement parks popped up in the mid to late 50s. They were travel destinations for families with children. Over the years, decreased attendance and changing interests drove parks to update exhibits. Modernization was costly; therefore, many parks closed facilities and removed the exhibits. Few remain today. Some of these historically significant relics have been destroyed, thrown out, or lost. Fairyland, located in Tampa, Florida, seemed destined to the same fate; however, an auction saved the exhibits for future preservation. Preservation of these old amusement parks is vital to our American history.

Lowry-Park-Brochure-small4

Built in 1957 with private funds, Tampa’s Fairyland Park and Zoo was situated on 15 acres and free. Advertising referred to the attraction as a “storybook park for children”; however, people of all ages enjoyed the various fable-themed life-size figures and props. The City of Tampa shuttered Fairyland in 1996. All of the items were placed in an outdoor storage lot and ultimately forgotten. Twenty years later, the deteriorated figures were discovered and scheduled to thrown out. Tampa Mayor Bob Buckhorn referred to them a “junk pile,” yet refused to donate them to a preservation group. After public outcry, the city decided to auction them off. The heated auction grossed the city $28,300.

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Save Fairyland! was created to solicit donations to purchase the lots and to raise awareness. They kept Facebook group members abreast of the auction. Although two mystery bidders attempted to thwart the bids and pushed winning bids to higher than expected prices, local businessman Gonzmart won 11 out of the 12 lots. The final price shocked members who were thrilled with a figurative Knight in Shining Armor defeating the outside bidders. The group continues to post restoration pictures along with Fairyland-related endeavors. To follow the restoration process, join the Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/savefairyland/.

The auction serves as an important lesson and strategy for other groups hoping to preserve the past. Perseverance pays off.

 

For more information view https://www.tampapix.com/zoo_old.htm. It is an excellent resource providing historical information, as well as loads of pictures.