It was a simpler time in Florida. An alligator was all it took to transform a gas station or roadside fruit stand into a must-see tourist attraction. Admission was generally free, but few families could escape without buying something. At one time, these attractions dotted the Florida landscape, offering everything from ostrich races to health-restoring springs. Now, most are gone, replaced by speeding roller coasters and high-tech animatronics. Cypress Gardens, Six Gun Territory and even Mr. Toad’s Wild Ride gave way to new attractions, shopping centers and housing developments. Florida historian James C. Clark takes readers back to the days before interstate highways and airplanes bypassed mom-and-pop roadside charms and corporate mega-attractions took over.
James C. Clark is a senior lecturer at the University of Central Florida. He is the author of twelve books on Florida history, including Florida: A Concise History, and the editor of a three-volume anthology of Florida literature. He earned his doctorate in Florida history at the University of Florida. His work has been honored by the Florida Historical Society, the Florida Magazine Association and the Florida Society of Newspaper Editors. He lives in Orlando.