Tom Plessers
In Motion Staff Writer
Old Dixie Highway, Route 27, spans the 500-mile length of the state of Florida. From Tallahassee down the center of the state to Miami, it slices the state in half.
With the automobile industry came the need for roads, which brought the golden age of tourism and transformed sleepy railroad towns into booming tourist centers. To attract, fulfill and cater to the need of the tourists, many attractions and sites were built along this national road. Long replaced by the interstates I-95 and I-75, the Old Dixie Highway has gone from the place to be, to a place in memory and history.
On display from through Oct. 26 in the News-Journal Center on Beach Street, Floridians and visitors alike can visit the traveling exhibit “Little Slices of Heaven on U.S. 27.” The exhibit presents a trip down memory lane through pictures, stories and artifacts, bringing back to life the old-time glory that once was Route 27. Little used, but not forgotten, U.S. Highway 27 is now one of the country’s oldest, historic highways.
Starting with a display of the route and its history, every major city along the road is featured, highlighting their greatest attractions through pictures and stories of the sights to be seen. Presenting the past, artifacts of the era are displayed alongside pieces by various artists, among them Shannon Cummings, Cindy Rose Eaton, Curtis Nelson. Johanna O’Donnell and Richard Reep.
Not all sites of the past have been lost to mere pictures and memories, as will be discovered in the relics and sites of the past that stand the test of time and can still be seen today, such as the botanical gardens of the former Cypress gardens, which is now part of Legoland in Orlando. The old garden’s showcase is a giant banyan tree that’s been standing since 1939.
Race fans of all ages can also visit Sebring Raceway in the city of the same name, the oldest active race course in the United States. Once a sight to be seen along Route 27, it is a true living relic of the past.
From a trip down memory lane, to finding inspiration for a modern road trip, “Little Slices of Heaven on U.S. 27” is an educational and potentially inspiring experience for all.