WAKULLA COUNTY, FL — Wakulla Springs is known as the “Gem of Northwest Florida” and stands as one of the deepest and largest freshwater springs in the world.
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With a depth exceeding 190 feet, the spring can discharge about 300 million gallons of water from the Upper Floridan Aquifer. Over the years, the site has become a place for neighbors and visitors to swim, hike, enjoy boat rides, and even get married.
Edward Ball purchased Wakulla Springs and the 4,000 acres surrounding it in the 1930s. According to the Lodge at Wakulla Springs website, Ball recognized the area's special qualities early on.
"I knew then that the area had to be preserved, but I didn’t know exactly how at the time," Ball said.
Ball constructed the lodge as a guest house, importing marble and tile and handling all facets of its design and construction.
After donating land to Florida State University in the mid-1960s for a marine laboratory, he sold the remaining land to the state of Florida to create the Edward Ball Wakulla Springs State Park.
When not exploring the hiking trails, taking a boat ride, or swimming, visitors can relax in the lobby and watch the movies that were filmed at the springs, including "Creature from the Black Lagoon," "Tarzan’s Secret Treasure," and "Airport '77."
"I love it. It's really pretty, and everything just stands out really good," visitor Jo Vail said.
"It was very informative. The tour guide was very funny and made it engaging. Lots of great sites, the great views of the animals we saw, so like the manatees, the gar, the catfish...so it was beautiful," visitor Adrian Thompson said.
"You see a lot of things, and they also explain to you why, you know, there are places you can't go to keep it wild. They explain to you the different, like, the reasons why birds look certain ways. Because of the nesting season, you could tell that they care a lot about the species that live here. And it was really informative and really gorgeous. It was fun to see," visitor Kendall Nevison said.
"[The best parts], besides seeing the birds, were seeing the some of the indigenous spots that they have. They showed us where, where indigenous people used a spot to kind of trade, essentially. So it's kind of cool seeing historical as well," Thompson said.
ABC27's Serena Davanzo's favorite memory at the park was her first time visiting with her mom. They saw "Old Joe" inside the lodge and spotted a manatee for the first time. She highly recommends visitors try out the boat ride and see everything the park has to offer.
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