Month: March 2019

King Henry’s Feast

reweidman50 Defunct Florida Attractions, Uncategorized , ,

kinghenry

King Henry’s Feast was a popular tourist attraction on International Drive in Orlando that operated from 1986 to 1999. According to a 1987 Orlando Sentinel article, “Down on tawdry International Drive, which enjoys a certain notoriety in these parts, the tourist-trade establishments blend together in one neon blur. But one of them stands apart, at least in terms of architectural novelty: King Henry’s Feast is a gargantuan fortressy affair with pink and white turrets. The self-proclaimed ‘Entertainment Banquet Attraction,’ which went by the name Shakespeare’s Tavern when it was housed in downtown Orlando, moved to International Drive in early 1986.”

The Vedder Museum, St. Augustine

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veddermuseum

The brainchild of “Dr.” John Vedder (1819-1899), the Vedder Museum, which opened in the 1880s at the corner of Treasury and Bay streets in St. Augustine, may very well have been Florida’s first “tourist trap.” In addition to an impressive collection of snakes and alligators, The Vedder Museum drew in customers with an assortment of “natural oddities and curiosities.” Following Vedder’s death in 1899, the St. Augustine Historical Society, purchased his entire collection (however, the Vedder Museum building itself burned to the ground in 1914). By the way, seven-foot-wide Treasury Street itself was billed as “The Narrowest Street in the United States.”

Hike #48: Flat Island Preserve, Leesburg

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Hike #48: 52 Hike Challenge: Flat Island Preserve, Leesburg. I arrived early at the 2,300-acre Flat Island Preserve in the Okahumpka Marsh and was the first one there and (briefly) had the whole island to myself. The trail system here is well maintained (and marked) by the Florida Trail Association. Don’t miss a chance to check out the scenic boardwalk. I will be back! Distance: 3.7 miles.

JungleLand Zoo, Kissimmee

reweidman50 Defunct Florida Attractions, Florida History, Forgotten Florida, Uncategorized , , ,

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Best known for a huge concrete alligator (with a safari jeep clenched in its jaws and guide hanging on a rope for dear life!) at its entrance and the highly publicized escape of a 450-pound lion named “Nala” during the late 1990s, JungleLand Zoo first opened along U.S. 192 in Kissimmee in 1995 (an earlier attraction named Alligatorland Safari Zoo previously occupied the site) and featured more than 300 “exotic animals” on display (including African leopards, Bengal tigers, African caracal, a Siberian tiger and orangutan named “Radcliffe”), as well as a big cat show, “Bushmasters” Gator Show, “Magic of the Rainforest” magic show and other attractions. Nala’s brief adventure was documented in an article, “10 Weirdest Zoo Animal Escapes,” by CNN: “The declawed lion prowled the area, much to the chagrin of residents. Thankfully, no one was hurt. After a few days on the loose, Nala was found by a search team and returned to her pen.” JungleLand Zoo was also the home of “Stinker the Monkey.” Animal rights activists brought the heat on JungleLand Zoo for the alleged mistreatment of animals, but the owners and employees vehemently denied the claims. The Zoo was also reportedly cited by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for several violations. Regardless, JungleLand Zoo, facing a steep drop in attendance due to the 9/11 terrorist attacks, closed its doors for good in 2002.