Finding the Fountain of Youth
A Journey of Discovery
My personal quest to discover the fountain of youth began over a decade ago. I had a life-changing revelation at the Fountain of Youth Archeological Park in St. Augustine that perhaps there is more than meets the eye at the “tourist traps” that jaded Floridians tend to dismiss as a waste of money. The result of that visit was a blog based on my efforts to rediscover these places with an open mind, and soon I fell in love with the many roadside attractions, state parks, and historical sites of the Sunshine State.
Of particular interest was anything connected to the fountain of youth myth and Ponce de León, and I began a quest to collect anything that connected these two interests. My obsession led me to the conclusion that early promoters of Florida used the myth and the Spanish explorer to convince visitors that they could re-invent themselves here, simply by crossing over the state line. I found this idea of physical and emotional renewal ingrained in the culture of the state, and at one point Ponce, (the original Florida Man), was our unpaid celebrity endorser and his likeness was used everywhere – from atop neon motel signs to ads run created by the State Department of Agriculture. But the place the myth was used the most was in the commercial promotion of springs, our real fountains of youth.
The result of my conclusions was “Finding the Fountain of Youth” published by the University Press of Florida in 2013. I wrote and designed the book and it earned a bronze medal in the Florida Book Awards in the Visual Arts category. Since my book launched I’ve given presentations from Miami to Tallahassee, talking about how the myth has been used in promotion of Florida and bringing more awareness of how the very success of that campaign has contributed to the decline of the state’s freshwater springs.
This spread shows my interest in Victorian graphics using advertisements for Florida Water, a brand created in the nineteenth century that still exists today, testament to the strength of the image of exotic romance associated with Florida.
One of my favorite illustrations in the book shows a representation of the state’s hydrogeology as a network of pipes beneath the land. I found this image in ephemera saved by my grandmother, who was instrumental in my love of “old stuff.”
Most of the images in this book came from my personal collection, a byproduct of my obsession with the Fountain of Youth myth and all things connected to it. This is underwater photograph is a postcard from Silver Springs, photographed by the legendary Bruce Mozert.
Images of Ponce de León were ubiquitous in the mid-twentieth century in Florida, in 1950’s tourism collateral you would find his likeness everywhere. Today, however, many of these Ponces have been removed, making finding any vestiges of Ponceabilia still extent today akin to a treasure hunt.
Upcoming events.
Rick Kilby discusses the allure of Florida's old springs and the history of health tourism in the state, including the Victorian era's fascination with water as a source of healing, at events like the Orlando Remembered meeting and the Gulfport Historical Society.
These talks often explore the rich history of Florida's springs and their role in the state's development, reflecting Kilby's dedication to preserving and sharing the unique stories of Florida.
Listen to the Florida Spectacular podcast.
Take a weekly trip across Florida with authors Cathy Salustri and Rick Kilby and discover a side of Florida you never knew existed. From the scallops in Panhandle bays to the Hemingway cats in Key West, every week is a Florida adventure.