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11-535: Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park is located near Homosassa Springs, Florida , in the United States . The park is one of the notable locations in the state to view manatees . Visitors can get close to the animals on a floating observatory. Black bears , bobcats , white-tailed deer , American alligators , and river otters have also been seen in the park. The park is also home to the hippopotamus Lu, famously known for his performances in many movies for

22-526: A public swimming area was located at the spring. The 1940s led to more expansion, along with the construction of the first underwater observatory, which consisted of an iron tank with small windows on each side. The original 50-acre (20 ha) property was purchased in 1964 by the Norris Development Company, with an additional 100-acre (40 ha) surrounding property, and entertainment facilities and animal exhibits were added. Many of

33-562: Is bordered to the northwest by the city of Crystal River , to the east by Lecanto , and to the south by Sugarmill Woods . According to the United States Census Bureau , the CDP has a total area of 25.1 square miles (65.1 km ), of which 0.02 square mile (0.04 km ), or 0.06%, is covered by water. As of the 2020 census, Homosassa Springs had a population of 14,283 with 5,946 households. Of that population 5.7%

44-496: Is served by Citrus County School District . Residents are divided between Homosassa Elementary, Lecanto Elementary, and Rock Crusher Elementary; Crystal River Middle School and Lecanto Middle School; and Crystal River High School and Lecanto High School . The Homosassa Public Library of Citrus Libraries is located in Homosassa Springs. Citrus County School District The Citrus County School District

55-642: The animals kept here were trained for TV and film from Ivan Tors Animal Actors , including Buck, a bear that was a stand-in on the 1960s television show Gentle Ben , and Lu, the oldest hippopotamus in North America. Lu is the only animal in the park not native to Florida, he was born at the San Diego Zoo on January 26, 1960, and appeared in the TV shows Daktari and Cowboy in Africa . He has lived in

66-507: The area was resettled by several groups of Native Americans displaced from other areas, including the Seminoles and Miccosukee . The springs are a historical attraction with documented accounts of tourism since the early 1900s. At that time, a railroad running along what is now Fishbowl Drive would let passengers off to walk a short trail to the spring. In the 1920s, the attraction was expanded to several structures that no longer exist, and

77-409: The area. Homosassa Springs is located in southern Citrus County at 28°48′26″N 82°33′0″W  /  28.80722°N 82.55000°W  / 28.80722; -82.55000 (28.807216, -82.550012). The CDP is to the east of U.S. Routes 19 and 98 (Suncoast Boulevard); the CDP of Homosassa is located to the west of the highway, as is Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park. Homosassa Springs

88-655: The park since 1964, and was declared an honorary citizen of Florida by Governor Lawton Chiles in the 1990s. From 1978 until 1984, the land had several owners, until the Citrus County Commission purchased it as an environmentally sensitive area until the state of Florida could purchase the property as a Florida State Park. Homosassa Springs, Florida The name derives from the warm spring located in Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park that attracts manatees to

99-523: The past 40 years. The park is officially named Ellie Schiller Homosassa Springs Wildlife State Park in honor of Elmyra Felburn Schiller (1943 – 2009), a benefactor of the Florida state park system. Native Americans lived in the area of Homosassa Springs, Florida, long before the first non indigenous people entered the area. Within 200 years of encounter, the original inhabitants of the area were decimated by disease and colonial warfare. Soon after that,

110-413: Was Hispanic or Latino. The median value of owner-occupied housing units was $ 86,500 and the median gross rent was $ 750. 86.6% of the population 25 years and older had a high school diploma or higher, and 7.7% of the population 25 years and older had a bachelor's degree or higher. 90.2% of the households had a computer and 81.2% of the households had a broadband internet subscription. Homosassa Springs

121-406: Was under 5 years old, 17.6% was under 18 years old, roughly 50.4% was between 18 and 65, and 26.3% was 65 years and older. 51.1% of the population was female persons, 2.8% were foreign born persons, and there were 1,594 veterans living in Homosassa Springs. 95.1% of the population was white, 1.2% was black, 0.4% was American Indian and Alaska Native, 0.1% was Asian, 3.3% was two or more races, 3.5%

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