Everybody knows about Disney World, Universal, EPCOT, Sea World and a
slew of other Florida attractions. But how about bygone Sunshine State
attractions such as Texas Jim's Sarasota Reptile Farm and Zoo, the Skull
Kingdom, the House of Mystery or Dixieland Amusement Park. Many were
roadside stops started by families as an extension of a fruit stand or
market. Oranges and sodas in the front, alligators in the back. Many of
the attractions were free, designed to lure customers for the fruit
stand or store. Others changed a small fee. Some became nationally
known, such as Cypress Gardens, where Johnny Carson not only broadcast,
but water-skied. The roadside attractions had their heyday from the
1920s to the coming of Disney in 1971. It was a much simpler time, and a
large tree known as The Senator could become a top attraction, along
with a St. Petersburg drug store. Revisit these lost attractions with
author Jim Clark.