Ichetucknee Springs – A History and Culture of a Florida Spring

“You could hear the water boiling out of the spring from the present parking area.” “Many of the Old Timers recalled that the boil could be seen bubbling at least three inches above the surface of the water. Some said it was so strong it was impossible to swim across it.”

This is an excerpt from P.C. Zick’s book ‘Ichetucknee Springs – A History and Culture of a Florida Spring‘ formerly known as ‘Old Timers Remember -Ichetucknee Springs.’

Hired by DEP Chief Biologist Jim Stevenson, to draft, write and publish memoirs of the Ichetucknee River. These memories are important to get a fuller understanding of changes to the hydrology and biology of the area over time.

I contacted the author P.C.Zick , aka Patricia Behnke, to inquire about a digital copy. Pat Behnke was editor of of The High Springs Herald and owner/contributor of The Observer, both were newspapers that covered our area. She dug out her files, updated and shared the link to her updated book Ichetucknee Springs – A History and Culture of a Florida Spring‘:  https://pczick.com/ichetucknee-springs-book/.

More excerpts from this book:

‘D.L. Means served on the first “Save the River Committee” in 1956 and wrote lovingly in 1965  of what he called the “Garden of Eden.” “The Ichetucknee River Valley is very narrow and the hills come real close to the river in most  areas and are covered with a dense swamp and various types of trees covered with moss,” he wrote. “And a few times, I have seen fish so thick that you probably could have dipped some up in a  dip net.” p. 24

“We moved to Clay Hole Creek in 1924,” he said. “The creek flowed over sinks and county
roads in the flood of 1948.” He remembered that Clay Hole Creek flowed continuously back then. p.35

“The Ichetucknee grows on you,” Means wrote. “When you drive up to the Head Spring, you simply gasp from its beauty. The crystal-clear water with its water plants of various colors that wave up and down in the water makes you think of a beautiful maiden with long flaxen hair blown by strong winds.”

“The Old Timers remembered the days when Blue Hole was infamous for something other than snorkeling and diving pursuits. Because of its location off the main river, Blue Hole was the spot to go skinny dipping, along with Cedar Head Spring. Both springs lie off the main flow of the river, which provided some privacy for the nude bathers.”

“The Mill Pond has a magic beauty all its own,” Means wrote in 1965. “This spring was  dammed up and the spillways were cut out of the stone banks. The vista down from the high bluffs  is out of this world. You have to see it to believe that this great beauty is at our own door.” 

“My father’s train used to leave Lake City every morning about nine o’clock,” Black remembered. “It would go to Fort(h) White to High Springs, then to Lake City, then return to Fort White.”

P.C. Zick lists how you can help protect our river and springs:

1. Don’t buy bottled water. Yes, we need it after natural disasters when power goes out; we
   don’t need it all the time and every drop that’s pumped from the aquifer is one less drop
   from our springs and rivers.
2. Create a springs-friendly yard at your home and/or business. Plant only native plants, trees,
   and shrubs. Avoid using fertilizers and don’t water yards during times of drought. Native
   plants not only help the ecosystem survive, but they also survive fluctuations in weather
   patterns since they have adapted over time. [Wes Skiles often said that yard should become
   a four-letter word.] Bahia grass is a good alternative to other kinds of turf grass that need
   irrigation.
3. Don’t put or pour anything on the ground that you wouldn’t want in your drinking water or
   in the springs along the Ichetucknee.
4. Find out how to safely dispose of hazardous materials (paint, motor oil, old tires, etc.). Each
   county should offer ways to safely dispose of these materials.
5. Don’t flush unused medications. Contact your closes pharmacy or search for a safe disposal
   site instead:
6. Realize that reducing outdoor irrigation is the most important way you can save water.
   Reducing irrigation has more water-saving benefits than using rain barrels; however, rain
   barrels or cisterns can help to provide water for both indoor and outdoor plants.
7. Reduce the amount of fertilizer you are using or find ways to stop fertilizing. Urban
   fertilizers contribute to nitrate pollution in our groundwater and in the springs.
8. Be aware of and find ways to reduce the poisons you are using that could find their way into
   our groundwater. These poisons include herbicides, pesticides, and the chemicals in your
   indoor cleaning products. Don’t flush antiviral or antibacterial cleaning wipes.
9. Make your landscape a sponge. Reduce stormwater runoff from your property by creating
   rain gardens, swales, dry wells or other water features.
10. When you need to replace appliances, choose low-flow, energy-efficient showerheads,
    toilets, dishwashers, and washing machines. Look for the WaterSense or Energy Star logos
    when purchasing appliances.
11. Reduce your meat consumption. Livestock operations use a lot of water and create nitrate
    pollution.

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