ABC Paramount purchased Silver Springs from Davidson and Ray in 1962, and Silver Springs prospered as an attraction. But beginning in the 1970s, new entrants in the Florida attractions marketplace just south in Orlando, behemoths such as Disney, SeaWorld and later, Universal Studios, led to a steady decline in Silver Springs’ attendance. And with that, the resources to properly care for the attraction and its precious natural resources.
Exacerbating the dilemma, the Springs began to exhibit problems associated with modern development affecting many springs in Florida – fertilizer runoff and septic outflow. These contain nitrates, which resulted in an overgrowth of brown algae.
In 2013, the Florida Park Service took control of the property, merging it with the adjacent Silver River State Park, forming our present Silver Springs State Park.
The Florida Park Service has worked tirelessly to restore and preserve both the cultural and environmental resources of the 4,000 acres encompassing the Springs and the Silver River.