Florida’s Fountain of Youth?

by Adele Woodyard

When Ponce de Leon landed in Florida in 1513, he was reputedly seeking “Bimini”, a tiny Bahamian island that was said to have a “fountain with waters of marvelous curative power”. Considering he was already governor of Puerto Rico, his navigation wasn’t very good. He not only missed an island that’s practically on Miami’s doorstep, but didn’t step foot on the mainland until near what is now St. Augustine. Although that historic city claims they have his *Fountain of Youth, it didn’t work for him. He was 61 when he died, and that was OLD back then.

Ponce de Leon should have sailed to Florida’s West Coast. In particular, Pinellas County. Florida has long been a retirement haven, and for years, St. Petersburg struggled with being called, among other things, “God’s waiting room”. May is “Older American’s Month” and around here, we are living longer When I moved from Tampa. to Pinellas five years ago, I was struck with the number of people celebrating their 100 plus birthdays. It seemed there was a picture and/or announcement of at least one in the paper, every week. No wonder. According to an article in the May 7, 2010 issue of the St. Petersburg Times, Pinellas County has about 300 centenarians. And 18 of them, aged 100 to 111, had made it to a special party held in a Clearwater community center in either a wheelchair, or on their own two feet.

Is there something in the water?
The county doesn’t have a fountain, per se, but it does have mineral springs that the Tocobaga Indians claimed had healing powers. Hernando De Soto, who believed he’d found the Fountain of Youth on Old Tampa Bay, thought its waters cured his sick soldiers. In the mid-1940s, these springs became the basis for the *Safety Harbor Resort and Spa.

Perhaps together with a never-grow-old outlook?
St. Petersburg is home to the Three-Quarter Century Softball Club, better known as the Kids and Kubs. Begun in 1930, men had to be 75 years or older, to join. By 1985 similar clubs had started up around the country . Instead of “just for fun” the “old men” began to play against these other teams in the U.S. and Canada. When I wrote an article about the Kids and Kubs in 1994, the oldest St. Pete member had just turned 102. Though no longer an active catcher, this spry centenarian had married his second wife just short of his 96th birthday. I ended the piece with “Could be Ponce de Leon missed the right place to look.”

Should you want to try your luck with the water:
*Safety Harbor Resort and Spa 104 N. Bayshore Dr. 727-726-1161

*Fountain of Youth National Archaeological Park 11 Magnolia Ave. St. Augustine. Open 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily. $8 adult, $7 senior, $5 ages 6-12. 800-356-8222, 904-829-3168..