Jim Dyksterhouse and Rodger Chambers show off the model of the town in the 1920s, complete with a working train.

HIGH SPRINGS – The sound of a train whistle and wheels running on metal tracks can be heard as visitors enter the main display room of the museum.

The High Springs Historical Society’s (HSHS) Railroad Museum, located in the Historic High Springs Elementary School and Community Center, hosts a small diorama of High Springs, showing visitors what the town looked like in the 1920s, complete with a running train.

The first section of the 6-feet-by-7-feet model was built by Jim Dyksterhouse, vice president of the HSHS. It took him three months to build.

“We wanted the children to see what the town looked like in the past and how it has changed,” said teacher Sara Kirk, who visited the museum with her students. “Many of them had never seen an electric train before.”

“They were enthralled with the trains,” she said.

Representatives from several private and public schools in the area are talking with HSHS members about bringing their kids in to see the historic diorama, displays and trains.

The excitement of the schoolchildren was one of the most fulfilling parts of the visit, said Bob Watson, president of the HSHS.

“The smiles on 93 kindergarten faces was worth everything we had done,” he said. “We enjoyed their visit as much as they did.”

As the children looked at the model of High Springs, they could see glimpses of history, including a hospital, which existed between 1896 and 1902. The hospital was eventually closed because only 18 patients were seen during those six years.

In addition to the diorama of the past, the room also contained items from the city’s old 1924 LaFrance Fire Truck, still housed at the fire station to this day. Hoses from 1913, a ladder, a mask and several tools were on display.

Rodger Chambers, HSHS secretary and retired construction engineer, curated the fire display and elements of George’s General Store, originally located on 9th Street.

“It was where all the activity was back in those days,” Watson said. Visitors and area residents supplied many of the items in the recreated store.

“We’re always looking for more,” Chambers said.

The group has used the remaining walls to display photos of the city’s history.

“It’s interesting to see how the town has changed,” he said.

In the first four days of November, around 60 visitors stopped by to see the displays, Watson said.

“I think the diorama of the train yard and first section of the city has really excited people,” he said.

In another room of the museum, known as the Youth Center Room, there are three running models of trains on two separate boards. One of them is the Polar Express, complete with an engine, a coal car and three passenger cars. It travels just past models of internally-lit homes and buildings.

“It looks really amazing at night,” Watson said.

By Christmas, there should be a lot more trains running in the museum, along with interesting buildings, he said. For example, there might be a model of an old McDonald’s restaurant. Visitors might hear a voice ordering lunch, and see a model car drive around the old-looking, but still familiar building to pick up the order.

“Our people are looking for more of that type of stuff at an upcoming show to bring the scenes in this room to life,” Watson said.

#     #     #

Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com

Photo by ZUBIN KAPADIA/Alachua County Today: Hayley De La Pena and her son, Luke, dressed as Batman and Robin.  ALACHUA – Parents and children dressed in colorful costumes, scarecrows stood guard along the streets and local businesses turned into friendly haunted houses last week. The city of Alachua’s Chamber of Commerce transformed Main Street into a scene resembling Disney’s “Halloween Town” for their annual Trick-or-Treat on Main Street event.

Every year, the chamber of commerce creates a family-friendly atmosphere to allow residents to enjoy a night out on the town and give local eateries business. The event allows for children to enjoy themselves while under the protection of the Alachua Police Department.  

There was a multitude of contests, like best costume and scarecrow design. This year’s scarecrow winners were featured along Main Street to add as scenery for guests to enjoy.

The top scarecrow was ProActive Tax’s “Accounting Dracula,” followed by Dr. Douglas M. Adel’s “Monster Mash” band and Vanessa and Tina Polsen’s “Edward Scissorhands.”

The event was open to the public. Local resident James Mathis said he came to bring his son, Edge, to enjoy all the festivities. Mathis said he remembers coming to Trick-or-Treat on Main since he was 13 years old.

David Blackburn, a Gainesville resident, heard about the trick-or-treating through his coworkers in Alachua. Blackburn brought his girlfriend, Rekha Thayil, and daughter, Aliyah Blackburn, to enjoy her first Halloween and their first Trick-or-Treat on Main Street.

“For me, it is two-fold, seeing all of the creativity in the costumes and seeing all the kids reacting to the different festivities,” Blackburn said. “But seeing my daughter enjoying herself is the best part.”

Blackburn wasn’t the only one new to Alachua’s Halloween event. Hayley De La Pena, local teacher at Alachua Elementary brought her son Luke to trick-or-treat. De La Pena and her son teamed up to become the infamous Batman and Robin, with Luke being Batman. Their main focus was on collecting as much candy as possible, they said.

It wasn’t just families who enjoyed the atmosphere. Local restaurants, like Conestogas Restaurant located on Main Street, also prospered in the light of Trick-or-Treat on Main. Bevin Cason, manager at Conestogas Restaurant for the last seven years, said events like these bring in a lot of people and business. Cason said she is grateful for these sorts of events and joked that the restaurant tries to pump the smell of burgers into the street to attract customers.

Trick-or-Treat on Main also allowed for different service organizations to help in the festivities. Groups like the Alachua Lions Club, Alachua Police Explorers and Santa Fe High School’s Beta Club volunteered their time in helping the Alachua Chamber of Commerce and the City of Alachua with the Trick-or-Treat on Main.

#     #     #

Email zkapadia@

alachuatoday.com

Photo/CARL MCKINNEY: Sue Weller, right, campaigns with her supporters last Tuesday prior to the election. 

HIGH SPRINGS – Tension was high Tuesday evening as candidates and supporters waited for election results at the High Springs Civic Center on U.S. Highway 441.

Candidates and poll watchers carefully observed the process as officials checked and double-checked the tallies in the race for a single seat on the High Springs City Commission between incumbent Sue Weller and challenger Bobby Summers.

City Clerk Jenny Parham announced the final election results to the waiting crowd at 7:50 p.m. to a resounding cheer from Weller’s supporters.

Out of around 3,600 registered High Springs’ voters, a total of only 712 ballots were cast during this election, with 373 going to Sue Weller, giving her the lead over Bobby Summers’ 325 votes. Of those ballots cast, 55 were submitted as absentee ballots, about average for a local election, said Parham.

Weller thanked her supporters for carrying her through the election.

“When the ballot numbers were read, my first feeling was relief,” Weller said. “It was a close race, but I think the citizens want our community to move forward and stop bickering.”

As far as her thoughts on the city’s future, Weller said she would like to see the city continue with plans to develop the downtown area and for the commissioners to work together for the benefit of all of the citizens.

“In the past, we have had a negative reputation, which has hurt us financially as well as being an embarrassment for our citizens.”

Challenger Bobby Summers made a few brief comments.

“The people spoke and that’s the way it is,” he said. “It was a hard-fought race and she came out on top.”

The night was not without incidents.

There was an electrical problem at Precinct 60, located at Fellowship Baptist Church of High Springs. An electrical surge caused a short in one of the voting machines when it was plugged in. No votes had been cast on that machine, and a new one was sent out to the site by county election officials and was properly certified in view of both candidates and the poll workers. Tests were run to make sure the new machine had been properly secured and was running efficiently.

Everything was back on track by 9 a.m., said City Manager Ed Booth.

Although the ballots were counted and the numbers were announced Tuesday night, the canvassing board must still meet in a public forum to audit and certify the election results. That meeting will take place Thursday, Nov. 7 at City Hall. Parham said that the time will be announced on the city’s web page, but could be as early as 9 a.m., if the county elections office is able to verify the four provisional ballots early enough.

The city charter lists the canvassing board members as the city manager, city clerk and city attorney.

Weller, a native Floridian and graduate of the University of Florida, has served as commissioner for the past three years and as mayor for the past year.

Weller will be sworn into office at the regular commission meeting on Nov. 14, and the new commission will vote to elect a mayor for the upcoming year.

#     #     #

Email cwalker@

alachuatoday.com

Photo special to Alachua County Today/ Divers and swimmers at Blue Springs near High Springs. Kim Davis' family has owned the location since 1958.

HIGH SPRINGS – Kim Davis has run Blue Springs for nearly 27 years. The spring itself has belonged to her family for 55 years. But all of that may soon change.

Davis and her brother, Matt Bahr, are looking for someone to buy the spring they have held near to their hearts for the majority of their lives.

The family received the spring in 1958, and Davis’ parents have been involved in running it since. When both her mother and father passed away earlier this year, she decided it was time to move on.

“We have a couple of other family businesses as well and have been stretched fairly thin,” Davis said. “This is something we needed to do and decided now was the time.”

She was not alone in making the final decision. Bahr, who was also active in the family operation, agreed it was the right thing to do.

“We have been in this area since I was very young,” Bahr said. “But this was a wish my dad had before he died, he wanted us to sell.”

However, the family knows that it will not be easy to let go of the Blue Springs.

“It is with a very heavy heart that we look for a buyer for our spring,” Davis said. “This is definitely an emotional time.”

Davis said she is looking for someone to take the spring to a better place than she could. She wants to find a new owner that would do everything they could to protect it, she said.

“I have no preference of a public or private buyer,” Davis said. “But people need to realize, what goes into the ground comes out in the water, and I want someone to protect the water.”

The property is 401.6 acres and is located near High Springs at 7450 NE 60th Street.

While the spring has been on the market for just over five months, with a list price of $10 million, it has garnered some interest, Bahr said.

Another goal of the family is to see the new ownership keep the current employees on staff.

“There has been no harder working staff than we have had,” Bahr said. Some of them have been there working there for 10 to 15 years.

“They all know the spring like the back of their hand now,” he said. “It would take new people a couple of years to get fully up to speed on those things.”

“Anyone coming in to the situation would need to know that these people are the best and really enjoy their work,” Davis said. “We would no doubt express to them that we want that to keep going, and I hope they would appreciate the staff.”

The state of Florida has many springs in its state park program, and is a possible option as a buyer for Blue Springs. It is still unclear if a deal would be made between the two parties.

“I would not be opposed to anyone at this point,” Davis said. “Really, my ultimate goal is just to have someone that wants to keep it open and keep it protected.”

#     #     #

Email ahart@

alachuatoday.com