Editing Weeki Wachee, Florida

{{short description|Unincorporated community in Florida, United States}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=May 2021}}
{{Infobox settlement
<!-- Basic info  ---------------->
|official_name            = Weeki Wachee, Florida
|nickname                 = 
|settlement_type          = [[Unincorporated community]]
|motto                    = <!-- images and maps  ----------->
|image_skyline            = Weeki Wachee sign - US 19-FL 50-Henando CR 550.jpg
|imagesize                = 
|image_caption            = [[U.S. Route 19 in Florida|US 19]], [[Florida State Road 50|SR 50]] and CR 550 intersect at [[Weeki Wachee Springs|Weeki Wachee Springs and Buccaneer Bay]]
|image_map                = Hernando_County_Florida_Incorporated_and_Unincorporated_areas_Weeki_Wachee_Highlighted.svg
|mapsize                  = 250x200px
|map_caption              = Location in [[Hernando County, Florida|Hernando County]] and the state of [[Florida]]
| pushpin_map = USA
| pushpin_map_caption = Location in the United States
<!-- Location ------------------>
|subdivision_type         = [[List of sovereign states|Country]]
|subdivision_name         = United States
|subdivision_type1        = [[U.S. state|State]]
|subdivision_name1        = [[Florida]]
|subdivision_type2        = [[List of counties in Florida|County]]
|subdivision_name2        = [[Hernando County, Florida|Hernando]]
|established_title        = Founded
|established_date         = 1966
|established_title2       = Dissolved
|established_date2        = June 2020
|area_magnitude           = 
|unit_pref                = Imperial
|area_footnotes           = <ref name="CenPopGazetteer2019">{{cite web|title=2019 U.S. Gazetteer Files|url=https://www2.census.gov/geo/docs/maps-data/data/gazetteer/2019_Gazetteer/2019_gaz_place_12.txt|publisher=United States Census Bureau|access-date=July 2, 2020}}</ref>
|area_total_km2           = 2.73
|area_land_km2            = 2.60
|area_water_km2           = 0.13
|area_total_sq_mi         = 1.05
|area_land_sq_mi          = 1.00
|area_water_sq_mi         = 0.05
|area_water_percent       = 
|population_as_of         = [[2020 United States census|2020]]
|population_footnotes     = 
|population_note          = 
|population_total         = 16
|population_density_km2   = 5.00
|population_density_sq_mi = 12.94
|timezone                 = [[Eastern Time Zone|EST]]
|utc_offset               = −05:00
|timezone_DST             = EDT
|utc_offset_DST           = −04:00
|coordinates              = {{coord|28|30|56|N|82|34|43|W|region:US_type:city|display=inline,title}}
|elevation_footnotes      = <!--for references: use <ref> tags-->
|elevation_m              = 10
|elevation_ft             = 33
<!-- Area/postal codes & others -------->
|postal_code_type         = 
|postal_code              = 
|area_code                = [[Area code 352|352]]
|blank_name               = [[Federal Information Processing Standard|FIPS code]]
|blank_info               = 12-75625<ref name="GR2">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=U.S. Census website}}</ref>
|blank1_name              = [[Geographic Names Information System|GNIS]] feature ID
|blank1_info              = 0295700<ref name="GR3">{{cite web|url=http://geonames.usgs.gov|access-date=January 31, 2008|title=US Board on Geographic Names|publisher=[[United States Geological Survey]]|date=October 25, 2007}}</ref>
|website                  = {{URL|http://www.weekiwachee.com/}}
|footnotes                = 
|pop_est_as_of = 
|pop_est_footnotes = 
|population_est = 
}}

'''Weeki Wachee''' is an unincorporated community and former city located in [[Hernando County, Florida|Hernando County]], [[Florida]], United States. As of the [[2020 United States census|2020 census]], the community has a total population of 16. The {{convert|12,000|acre|adj=on}} [[Weeki Wachee Preserve]] and the [[Weeki Wachee Springs]] park are located in the area. The park includes water rides, animal shows, [[mermaid]] costume shows, and [[manatee]] watching. The communities of [[Weeki Wachee Gardens, Florida|Weeki Wachee Gardens]] and [[Spring Hill, Florida|Spring Hill]] are nearby.

==History==
Weeki Wachee was founded as a city in 1966 to promote the local mermaid attraction. With fewer than 15 residents, and increased concerns over the city's finances, services, and state park operations, state representative [[Blaise Ingoglia]] sponsored a bill to dissolve the city, and Governor [[Ron DeSantis]] signed it into law in June 2020. [[Hernando County, Florida|Hernando County]], the county the former city resides in, was responsible for resolving its financial issues. Park operations were not affected.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.tampabay.com/florida-politics/2020/06/09/weeki-wachee-the-city-of-live-mermaids-is-no-more/ |title=Weeki Wachee, the city of live mermaids, is no more |date=June 9, 2020 |newspaper=Tampa Bay Times |first=Barbara |last=Behrendt |access-date=June 9, 2020 }}</ref>

==Geography==
The former city boundaries of Weeki Wachee was located in western Hernando County at {{coord|28|30|56|N|82|34|43|W}}.<ref name="GR1">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/geographies/reference-files/time-series/geo/gazetteer-files.html|publisher=[[United States Census Bureau]]|access-date=April 23, 2011|date=February 12, 2011|title=US Gazetteer files: 2010, 2000, and 1990}}</ref> Via [[U.S. Route 19]], it was {{convert|19|mi}} north of [[Port Richey, Florida|Port Richey]] and {{convert|20|mi}} south of [[Homosassa Springs, Florida|Homosassa Springs]]. Via [[Florida State Road 50]], Weeki Wachee was {{convert|12|mi}} west of [[Brooksville, Florida|Brooksville]], the Hernando County seat.

According to the [[United States Census Bureau]], the city had a total area of {{convert|2.8|km2|order=flip}}, of which {{convert|0.13|km2|order=flip}}, or 4.68%, was water.<ref name="Census 2010">{{cite web| url=http://factfinder2.census.gov/bkmk/table/1.0/en/DEC/10_DP/G001/1600000US1275625| title=Geographic Identifiers: 2010 Demographic Profile Data (G001): Weeki Wachee city, Florida| publisher=U.S. Census Bureau| work=American Factfinder| access-date=April 26, 2017}}{{dead link|bot=medic|date=April 2020}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

==Demographics==
{{US Census population
|1970= 76
|1980= 8
|1990= 53
|2000= 12
|2010= 12
|2020= 16
|footnote=U.S. Decennial Census<ref name="DecennialCensus">{{cite web|url=https://www.census.gov/programs-surveys/decennial-census.html|title=Census of Population and Housing|publisher=Census.gov|access-date=June 4, 2015}}</ref>
}}
As of the [[2000 United States census|2000 U.S. Census]], there were 12 people, five households, and five families residing in the city.<ref name="GR2" /> The [[population density]] was 11.8 people per square mile (4.5/km{{sup|2}}). There were five housing units at an average density of 4.9 per square mile (1.9/km{{sup|2}}). As identified by the census, no one in Weeki Wachee was [[Race and ethnicity in the United States#Hispanic and Latino Americans|Hispanic or Latino]]. All residents were [[Race and ethnicity in the United States#White and European Americans|White]] except for one [[Native Americans in the United States|Native American]] member of the [[Little River Band of Ottawa Indians]].

==Weeki Wachee Springs==
===Tourist attraction===
[[File:Weeki Wachee Springs State Park 001.jpg|thumb|right|Entrance to Weeki Wachee Springs State Park]]
[[Weeki Wachee Springs]], the spring of the [[Weeki Wachee River]], is a Florida tourist attraction where underwater performances by [[mermaid]]s&nbsp;— women dressed in fancy outfits with fins about their legs&nbsp;— can be viewed in an aquarium-like setting. The attraction includes a Buccaneer Bay water park, animal shows, and boat rides. General Manager Robyn Anderson was the town's mayor. The park is now a [[List of Florida state parks|Florida State Park]] and is owned and managed by the State Parks department.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/springs/orl-travel-weeki-wachee-spring-state-park-story,0,1802068.story |title=Florida Springs Guide: Weeki Wachee Springs State Park |newspaper=Orlando Sentinel |access-date=April 22, 2012}}</ref>

===Deepest naturally formed spring in the United States===
From May 22 until August 30, 2007, the discharge level at Weeki Wachee spring dropped to a level that allowed for [[Cave diving|cave divers]] to gain effective entry into the cave system at the spring. The [[Karst Underwater Research]] team successfully executed exploration dives and the necessary in-water [[Decompression practice#Decompression stops|decompression]] to explore approximately {{convert|6700|ft|m}} in multiple passages at an average depth of {{convert|265|ft|m}} fresh water (ffw) with a maximum depth of {{convert|407|ft}} ffw.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.karstunderwaterresearch.org/projects/weeki_wachee.asp |title=Weeki Wachee Spring |access-date=August 18, 2008 |work=karstunderwaterresearch.org |publisher=Karst Underwater Research }}</ref><ref name=StPete2009>{{cite news |author1=Neill, Logan |author2=Anderson, Joel |title=Cave divers explore deepest parts of Weeki Wachee Springs |newspaper=St. Petersburg Times |date=April 20, 2009 |url=http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article993502.ece |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090421220643/http://www.tampabay.com/news/humaninterest/article993502.ece |url-status=dead |archive-date=April 21, 2009 |access-date=June 1, 2009}}</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
{{commons category}}
* [http://www.weekiwachee.com/ Weeki Wachee Springs], official site
* [http://www.tampadiving.com/sections/diving/cave_systems/system.asp?ID=89&region=FL Weeki Wachee Cave System]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20040402171443/http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2004/03/0322_040322_TVmermaid.html ''National Geographic'': "Mermaids" Fight to Save Florida Roadside Attraction]

{{Hernando County, Florida}}

{{authority control}}

[[Category:Cities in Hernando County, Florida]]
[[Category:Cities in the Tampa Bay area]]
[[Category:Cities in Florida]]
[[Category:Populated places disestablished in 2020]]
[[Category:Former municipalities in Florida]]