Weeki Wachee Springs is one of Florida’s oldest tourist attractions. It first opened its doors in 1947 and was an immediate hit with tourists. The mermaid shows attracted thousands.
The park fell on hard times after Walt Disney World opened in 1971. It was finally taken over by the State of Florida and is now a state park that has preserved the show.
I have several friends who were mermaids and still go to mermaid reunions. They tell me “once a mermaid, always a mermaid.” That’s the tale they tell and I believe it.