If you've ever seen an aerial of a swimming pool shaped like the state of Florida, you've glimpsed one of the Sunshine State's most cinematic landmarks. Built on the edge of Lake Eloise at Winter Haven's famed Cypress Gardens, the so-called "Esther Williams Swimming Pool" wasn't just a novelty, it was a purpose-built film set for MGM's Technicolor musical Easy to Love (1953), starring America's "mermaid," Esther Williams. Today, that same pool, now known simply as the "Florida Pool", survives inside the preserved botanical gardens at LEGOLAND Florida, connecting modern visitors to a glamorous, mid-century moment when Hollywood and Florida tourism flowed together.
How Hollywood Came to Winter Haven
Cypress Gardens, opened in 1936 by Dick and Julie Pope, was already Florida's first big tourist attraction by the time MGM arrived. The Popes had turned lakeside cypress groves into manicured fantasy, azaleas, camellias, banyans, and then layered in a spectacle that Florida would claim for decades: waterskiing. When MGM needed a show-stopping set piece for Esther Williams and choreographer Busby Berkeley, the Popes delivered a pool shaped like Florida itself, projecting into Lake Eloise for maximum visual impact on film. Portions of Easy to Love were shot on location, showcasing both the gardens and the pool in glowing Technicolor.
A Stage for Waterskiing and a Statewide Calling Card
The Florida Pool wasn't just clever design; it was branding you could see from the sky. In an era when postcards sold the dream, that outline of Florida doubled as a logo for the entire attraction. The pool helped cement Cypress Gardens' reputation as the "Water Ski Capital of the World," where world records fell and celebrities visited. Those images, mermaids, belles in crinolines, skiers carving rooster tails traveled nationwide, inviting Americans to discover Florida's warm water, lush gardens, and year-round sunshine.
From Cypress Gardens to LEGOLAND: What Remains
Although Cypress Gardens ultimately closed in 2009, its botanical core and historic identity were preserved when LEGOLAND Florida opened on the site in 2011. The original gardens were restored and reopened as a tranquil counterpoint to the park's rides; the celebrated banyan remains, ski shows live on in updated form, and the Florida Pool endures within the botanical grounds, an artifact of the state's showbiz past that still sparks double-takes from first-time visitors.
Why This Story Matters Now
For Floridians and film fans alike, the Florida Pool is more than a curiosity. It's a reminder of how entertainment shaped Florida's identity as a destination, decades before theme parks dominated headlines. It's also a case study in preservation: a cinematic set that outlasted the movie it was built for, continuing to tell the story of mid-century tourism, Hollywood glamour, and the imaginative entrepreneurship that lured millions to the state. If you wander the gardens today and listen closely, you can almost hear the orchestra swell, see the kaleidoscopic choreography, and watch Esther Williams glide past the curve of the Panhandle into the Gulf.
My name is Ava Cook and I am a Freshman at Florida Southern College in Lakeland FL. I am currently a B.F.A musical theatre major with a minor in Business Administration. I love reading, singing, acting, dancing, and writing. My favorite part about Vero Beach and Indian River County as a whole is how close the community is. Vero Vine is important to me as it allows me to do my part it bringing the community together also, sharing events, small businesses, and other local happenings. If you have any questions or any recommendations for me, my email is always open [email protected].
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