Florida

This 1950s-era slide shows some of the famous green benches of St. Petersburg, Florida, which was known at one time as the " City of Green Benches ."

This red-border Kodachrome slide (undated, but probably from the late 1950s) shows an underwater performer at Weeki Wachee Springs. She's holding food to attract fish in one hand, while she hangs on to the air hose that she uses for breathing in the other hand. As Wikipedia explains, " Weeki Wachee Springs is a natural tourist attraction located in Weeki Wachee, Florida, where underwater performances by 'mermaids,' women wearing fish tails as well as other fancy outfits, can be viewed in an aquarium-like setting in the spring of the Weeki Wachee River."

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of your most popular vintage photo (post one of your most viewed or liked vintage photos that you haven't previously added to the Vintage Photos Theme Park) . With 2,884 visits, this is currently my most viewed vintage photo on Ipernity, I'm not sure why a photo of snakes turned out to be so popular. For other photos with lots of views, see my album of Most Viewed Vintage Photos, Dec. 22, 2019 . I was surprised to hear from "MJFTampa" about this photo a couple of years ago (see comments section below). He said, "This is an incredible find for me: This is my father, he worked for Ross Allen from 1962-1965; he was also on a billboard in Panama City Beach promoting Ross' reptile show during the summer season. Amazing what we can find on the internet!" ________ Signs on the wall: "Kinds of poisonous snakes milked at Ross Allen's: 47. Date: 12-31-59. Number of snake-bites, institute personnel: 47. Number of fatalities, institute personnel: 0. Snake-proof boots manufactured by Gokey Co., St. Paul, Minn. Coral. Scarlet king. Gokey snake-proof boots." This is a Kodachrome slide dated January 1964 that shows a man "milking" a rattlesnake at Ross Allen's Reptile Institute in Silver Springs, Florida, in order to obtain venom, which would then be used to produce antivenom . Several other snakes are lying on the floor near the man, who's evidently wearing a pair of the "Gokey snake-proof boots" that are advertised on the wall behind him. According to Wikipedia, Ross Allen (1908-1981) was "an American herpetologist and writer who was based in Silver Springs, Florida for 46 years, where he established the Reptile Institute. He used it for research and education about alligators, crocodiles and snakes, also sponsoring and conducting collection expeditions." See also a linen postcard that shows a scary close-up of the rattlesnake milking :

A linen postcard with a close-up of a rattlesnake being "milked," which supplies venom for use in making antivenom . For another view of the procedure, take a look at a slide of a rattlesnake milking demonstration that also took place at Ross Allen's Reptile Institute in Silver Springs, Florida:

A Vintage Photos Theme Park photo for the theme of tattered & torn (or otherwise damaged) . "For[idian] Ho[tel]. Floridian fishing dock, Miami Beach. Caught on yacht Skip Jack, Capt. E. P. Le May." A tattered, torn, creased, and taped photo of two fishermen posing with a sailfish on the dock of the Floridian Hotel in Miami Beach, Florida.

"St. Petersburg, Florida, the Sunshine City, season 1952-1953." The sign in the background of this souvenir "walking photo" (it looks like the poor fellow was glancing away and probably wasn't immediately aware that his picture was being taken) may refer to a "Suwanee" hotel or motel, which evidently had "air conditioned rooms available."

Handwritten on the back of the photo: "1345 14th Street No., St. Petersburg, Florida, Wed. morning, Aug. 19th, 1936. All ready to pull out for home." I'm not sure why the photographer decided to hide in the weeds across the street in order to take the picture.

I hope they escaped in time! A Florida souvenir real photo postcard. Postmarked: Miami, Florida, Nov. 13, 1923. Addressed to: Mr. Adam Petcher, Box 515, Somerset, Pa.

A mothers photo for the Vintage Photos Theme Park. Nelson P. Smith displayed a playful sense of humor with a mischievous message on this real photo postcard dated April 10, 1910. I'm guessing that the photo is a portrait of his wife and son. Mrs. Matilda Maria Thomas Exhibit No. 16390 Ladies and Gent: You have here before you two relics of the Antediluvian period just discovered in a small town, situated in a swamp in Florida, supposed to be the descendants of mound builders or some extinct race. Look like mother and son. Ages supposed to be son, 4 mos., April 10/10. Nelson P. Smith

As Wikipedia explains, " Spook Hill is a gravity hill (an optical illusion where cars appear to roll up the spooky hill) in Lake Wales, Florida." "Spook Hill, Lake Wales, Fla. It's weird! Fantastic! Stop on line. Release brakes. Watch for cars when you roll back. Prather's Laundry & Dry Cleaners. Watch for Prather's White Trucks." Description printed on the back of this postcard: "A few blocks from the heart of Lake Wales is that mystifying and fascinating phenomenon, Spook Hill. Here playful ghosts apparently seize your car and in defiance of the laws of gravity and your previous experience in such matters, roll your vehicle gently backward uphill, while they chortle in unholy glee at your mystification. Handwritten message: "Stayed here last night and went to Bok tower but it was so foggy. It is sunny now about 75 degrees. By the time this card is written we'll be in Miami. Torrey. Erna." No address, stamp, or postmark. Todd Franklin (Neato Coolville) also has a copy of this over on Flickr: Spook Hill Postcard .

"Perfecto Garcia & Bros., Tampa, Fla. Clear Havana Cigars. Made in 65 sizes."

The Ponce de Leon Hotel in St. Augustine, Florida, was built by Henry Morrison Flagler , "a Gilded Age industrialist, railroad pioneer, and partner with John D. Rockefeller in Standard Oil" (as described on Flagler College's Legacy of Innovation page). The luxury hotel opened on January 10, 1888, and this menu dates to February 26 of that year. Today, the hotel building is part of Flagler College . Gil Wilson 's History of the City of St. Augustine Web site contains additional information regarding the Ponce de Leon Hotel and Osborn Dunlap Seavey , the hotel's manager in 1888. Not to be confused with the Ponce de Leon Hotel in Roanoke, Virginia : Hotel Ponce de Leon, St. Augustine, Florida O. D. Seavey, manager Lunch, Saturday, February 25, 1888. Consommé. Julienne with rice, Pickled oysters. Fried shad roe, á la tartare. Radishes. Bermuda potatoes. Roast leg of mutton. Smoked beef tongue with spinach. Currie of chicken, á l' Indienne. Kidneys, sautés, with mushrooms. Baked sweet potatoes. New beets. Boston baked beans. Pressed corned beef. Game pie. Ribs of beef. Ham. Tongue. Mutton. Pickled tripe. Pickled lamb tongue. Asparagus salad. Chicken salad. Sliced tomatoes. Lettuce. Stewed prunes. Apple pie. Pumpkin pie. Ginger snaps. Lady cake. Croquettes Parisiennes. Assorted cake. Pistache ice cream. Fruit. American and foreign cheese. Tea. Coffee.

Civic Lunch, Inc., 40 N.W. First St., Phone 23042, Miami, Fla. Where low prices keep company with high quality. "Excellent food, speedy service, and immaculate surroundings are the three essentials to success in the restuarant business, according to Charles Gorgas, proprietor of the Civic Lunch, 40 N.W. First St., who has been feeding Miami officaldom for the past several years" (see " Civic Lunch Head Outlines Growth ," Miami News , Sept. 30, 1934, society section, p. 7).

"H. & H. Restaurant. Food that's deliciously different. Something superior for your interior. Beers and wines. 1364 N.E. Second Ave., Miami, Florida. Phone 3-9469. The right place to eat."

"My Glass Bottom Boat Ride at Silver Springs. Walter Ray." A cleverly constructed souvenir folder and photo, positioned together so that it seems like we're peering into the front of the boat to see the passengers inside. Silver Springs is a long-standing Florida tourist attraction (and more recently a state park ) known for its artesian springs and glass-bottom boat rides. Walter Ray, for whom the boat is named, was one of the co-owners of Silver Springs. For a similar image, see PopCulture's glass-bottom boat photo .