De Leon Springs in Volusia County, Florida — The American South (South Atlantic)

The Fountain of Youth

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 15, 2021

1. The Fountain of Youth Marker

Inscription.
To attract tourists in the 1880s, local business owners changed the name of this property from Spring Garden to Ponce De Leon Springs. The area was advertised in northern states as a winter resort with its own Fountain of Youth, pouring out millions of gallons of "deliciously healthy" water.

In the 1950s, this site became one of Florida's many roadside attractions. Again, the Fountain of Youth was featured. It included two structures. This wall is said to have been the location of a small fountain where visitors could drink the water. About 200 feet south (up the hill), you can see the second structure with basins at different levels. This created a waterfall effect then flowed down into the fountain wall here.

Topics. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Industry & Commerce • Parks & Recreational Areas.

Location. 29° 8.038′ N, 81° 21.816′ W. Marker is in De Leon Springs, Florida, in Volusia County. Marker can be reached from the intersection of Ponce Deleon Boulevard and South County Road 3. Marker is located within De León Springs State Park, on the west side of the Old Spanish Sugar Mill. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 601 Ponce Deleon Boulevard, De Leon Springs FL 32130, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within

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5 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Who Built the Sugar Mill? (a few steps from this marker); Sugar Mill Wheel (a few steps from this marker); Sugar Mill Machinery (a few steps from this marker); Ponce De Leon Springs (within shouting distance of this marker); The Hotel Clubhouse (within shouting distance of this marker); DeLeon Springs Colored School (approx. 1.7 miles away); H.L. Wynns’s Commissary (approx. 4.9 miles away); Swedish Pioneer Memorial (approx. 4.9 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in De Leon Springs.

Also see . . . Ponce De Leon Springs State Park History.

Although not literally the fountain of youth that Juan Ponce de Leon hoped to find when he landed in Florida in 1513, the spring bearing his name has been a refreshing detour for many visitors over the years. The Smithgall family helped create the recreational destination Ponce de Leon Springs is today.

(Submitted on April 14, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 15, 2021

2. The Fountain of Youth Marker

(Fountain of Youth wall and fountain in background)

Fountain of Youth Wall and Fountain Ruins image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 15, 2021

3. Fountain of Youth Wall and Fountain Ruins

Fountain of Youth Waterfall and Basin Ruins image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, December 15, 2021

4. Fountain of Youth Waterfall and Basin Ruins

(about 200 yards uphill from marker)

Credits. This page was last revised on April 14, 2022. It was originally submitted on April 13, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 155 times since then and 24 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on April 14, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.