ABOUT DELEON SPRINGS MERCHANT ASSOCIATION:
The DeLeon Springs Merchant & Friends Association was formed by Don Malmborg in 2008 to help business owners and community members get to know each other and work together for the betterment of DeLeon Springs.
MEETINGS
We meet the first Tuesday of the month from 10am-11am at 5084 Hwy 17 North, DeLeon Springs, FL 32130 in the building directly across Hwy 17 from the Wachovia (soon to be Wells Fargo) Bank. Call Len Litwineic 386 747-8076 for more information or directions.
You need not be a member to attend, in fact we encourage all interested parties to drop by and meet us at any meeting. We are all about getting to know each other and network for the common good of DeLeon Springs. We would love to hear everyone's ideas about how to make our town a better place!
ABOUT DELEON SPRINGS, FLORIDA
Native Americans visited and used these springs as long as 6,000 years ago. In the early 1800s, settlers built sugar and cotton plantations that were sacked by Seminole Indians during the Second Seminole War. By the 1880s the springs had become a winter resort, and tourists were promised "a fountain of youth impregnated with a deliciously healthy combination of soda and sulphur."
The swimming area is adjacent to a beautiful, shady picnic ground. Canoe, kayak and paddleboat rentals are available for a paddling tour of the spring and spring run. De Leon Springs flows into the Lake Woodruff National Wildlife Refuge where canoeists and kayakers can explore 18,000 acres of lakes, creeks and marshes. At The Old Spanish Sugar Mill Restaurant, guests can make their own pancakes at the table.
This beautiful spring is named for Juan Ponce de León, who led the first Spanish expedition to Florida in 1513-as legend has it-in search of the "fountain of youth." Visitors might well regain their youth by taking a dip in the cool, clear waters of Ponce de Leon Springs where the water temperature remains a constant 68 degrees Fahrenheit year-round.
The main spring is a convergence of two underground water flows, and produces 14 million gallons of water daily. Visitors can take a leisurely walk along two self-guided nature trails through a lush, hardwood forest and learn about the local ecology and wildlife. Rangers also conduct seasonal guided walks. Picnicking is a popular activity at the park; grills and pavilions are available. Anglers will enjoy fishing for catfish, largemouth bass, chain pickerel, and panfish.
