Promotional film likely from the late 1950s featuring Ross and his son Tom Allen. In the 1970’s, the success of Walt Disney World in Orlando hurt attendance at smaller tourist destinations throughout Florida, including the Ross Allen Reptile Instite. Ross planned to locate his last tourist attraction, Ross Allen's Alligator Town, close to I-75 and Disney traffic, but died the month prior to the park's opening in June 1981. In his honor, the largest island in Silver Springs was renamed Ross Allen Island in January 2000. E. Ross Allen (1908--1981) was an American herpetologist and writer. Originally born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Ross relocated to Florida with his family when he was a teenager. As a young man, Allen made a hobby of capturing turtles, snakes and other reptiles near his home in central Florida. (Cont.) en.wikipedia.org www.ocala.com (Excerpts) SILVER SPRINGS — History will repeat itself when two members of a Seminole family that made its home at Silver Springs attraction more than 50 years ago return to Silver River State Park for Ocali Country Days. Mary Billie and her daughter, Mary Jene Koenes, are slated to make presentations about Seminole culture during the event on Saturday and Sunday, Nov. 14 and 15, 2009. According to a 1941 flier, admission to the northernmost Seminole village was .25 cents for adults and .10 cents for children. --- Silver River Museum www.marion.k12.fl.us Tom Allen (1942? - ) www.youtube.com