History. Rainbow Springs was known as Wekiwa Creek by the Seminole Indians. It was known as Blue Spring until the 1930s, when the site was developed as a tourist attraction and the promoter sought a more distinctive name (there are several other springs in Florida named Wekiwa and Blue).

The history of Rainbow Springs (specifically the famous site in Florida) is a mix of natural wonder and mid-century Americana. For thousands of years, the springs were a vital resource for Native Americans and later a site for phosphate mining in the late 1800s. In the 1930s, it was developed into a privately owned theme park to compete with attractions like Silver Springs. It featured "sub-surface" boats with stairs that went below the waterline, allowing visitors to see the springs at eye-level. It also boasted a monorail, a zoo, and man-made waterfalls built on old mining piles. However, the development of the Interstate highway system in the 1970s bypassed the small towns hosting these "roadside attractions," leading to its closure in 1974. Following a community-led effort to save the land, it was acquired by the state and reopened as Rainbow Springs State Park in the 1990s. Today, it is a protected National Natural Landmark, famous for its crystal-clear waters and as one of the best locations for tubing in the United States.