September 23, 2009 marked the end of an era in Florida…sort of. Considered Florida’s first theme park, Cypress Gardens closed on this day (although the property later became part of the LEGOLAND resort.) Long before Walt Disney World, entrepreneur Dick Pope opened Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven in 1936. The Florida Historical Society calls it Florida’s first theme park. Famous for its water-ski shows and Southern Belles, Cypress Gardens became so heavily promoted that it appeared on hundreds of magazine covers and served as a location for movies, television programs and commercials.
Explore the history of Cypress Gardens