Sulphur Springs Summer 2009 Part 1

The Tourist Club, Sulphur Springs

The Tourist Club. Photo courtesy USF Special Collections

My first introduction to Sulphur Springs and Spring Hill was when I signed up to volunteer for the USF Heritage Research Lab in the Summer of 2009.   I began working with other student volunteers in Sulphur Springs and was introduced to the Sulphur Springs Museum and Heritage Center and two of its founders Norma and Joseph Robinson.  Norma took us on a walking tour of some of the points of interest in Sulphur Springs, including the Harbor Club.

Tourist Club Parking Plaque

Tourist Club Parking Plaque. Photo by Margaret Allsopp.

The Harbor Club, formerly the Tourist Club, was founded in 1937 by a group of Michigan and Ohio tourists. It was once an all white club. Finally in 1984 membership to the Tourist Club fell down to 100 and the club was closed. It was renamed the Historical Harbor club which at the time of my visit, was a restaurant. It also housed different events such as the Poetry Slam and parades. What remains from the old Harbor club is a parking plaque entangled in the tree on which it was fixed.  Note the text on the plaque:  “Parking for Tourist Club Only.”

The Harbor Club

The Harbor Club. Photo by Margaret Allsopp

Comments are closed.