Bugg Spring facts for kids
Bugg Spring is a cool natural spring located near Okahumpka in Lake County, Florida. It's known as a "second magnitude spring," which means it's a pretty big one, pushing out a lot of water every day!
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What is Bugg Spring?
This amazing spring has a large, clear pool about 400 feet wide. It's quite deep too, going down to 170 to 175 feet! There isn't much plant life growing inside the pool itself. The water from Bugg Spring flows north into a stream called Bugg Spring Run. This stream then joins Helena Run, which comes from Lake Denham, and eventually flows into the much larger Lake Harris.
A Look Back in Time: History of the Land
The land around Bugg Spring has a long and interesting history.
Native American Village
Long ago, even before the American Civil War, this area was home to a village of the Seminole people. They lived off the land and likely used the spring for fresh water.
After the Civil War
After the American Civil War ended, a man named Colonel J. J. Dickison, who was a leader in the Confederate States Army, lived on the property.
Later, in 1923, the Branham family bought the 69-acre property. They owned it for many years. Then, in 1956, they started leasing (or renting) a part of the land to the United States Navy. The Navy eventually bought the entire property on December 30, 2011.
Why Can't We Visit Bugg Spring?
Today, Bugg Spring is located on land that belongs to a special facility of the Naval Undersea Warfare Center. This facility has a division called the Underwater Sound Reference Division. Because of the important work they do there, the spring is not open to the public. It's mostly surrounded by swampy land, with some sandhills to the south.
