Ponce de Leon, Florida
Ponce de Leon Springs State Park is located in the southern part of town, north of I-10. For over 100 years, locals and visitors alike flock to the state park for its beautiful springs.
History
For over 100 years, locals and visitors alike flock to the state park in Ponce de Leon for its beautiful springs. In the late 1800s, children would begin their mornings by placing watermelons in the springs, then leave to work on the farm during the day and return to the springs to fetch their cold watermelons to eat and cool off.
Vortex Spring is one of the largest diving facilities in the state of Florida and is home to the red and white “Diver Down” flag. The flag was invented in the 1950s by Vortex founder Denzel “Doc” Dockery from Michigan, who wanted a flag to keep boats at a safe distance from dive boats. He used a combination of the Navy’s red ‘Bravo’ flag that was used to indicate danger and sewed a horizontal white stripe across it. The “diver down” flag is widely used for scuba diving and has saved countless lives since its creation.