Diving into the past: A nostalgic look back at five Florida springs

There was a time in the not too distant past when Florida attractions didn’t have characters in mouse costumes or wizards performing magic in Hogsmeade.

A new book, “Remembering Florida Springs” by Tim Hollis, harkens back to that time and is a fun, quick read for fans of Old Florida tourist attractions. It gives a brief history of five Florida springs, all now state parks, whose glass-bottom boats and mermaid shows were big crowd pleasers in Florida’s pre-theme park era. The book is light on text but has a generous amount of visuals: old kitschy postcards, photos and brochures providing a nostalgic remembrance of Florida’s tourism industry.

Here's a look inside.