Crystal Springs is a small community just south of Zephyrhills, tucked between the
Hillsborough River and the Pasco-Hillsborough County line. It is a rural suburban
mix of residential homes and agricultural areas.
In the early 1910s, the Toledo, Ohio–based Cooperative Homestead Company purchased
roughly 10,000 acres around what was then called "Jarve Springs." The
area was renamed Crystal Springs, and in 1911, it was founded as a cooperative,
semi-socialist utopian colony. In 1914, after more than 100 families settled in
the area, the land titles and municipal affairs were turned over to the locally
managed Commongood Society. Property and harvest revenues were shared among residents
for the community's collective benefit.
Colonists farmed sweet potatoes, strawberries, and dasheen (a root vegetable similar
to taro). In 1915, they formed the Dasheen Products Company to process the root
into powder for cereals and baking. The colony built a community hall for town meetings
and social dances. In 1913, retired pastor Rev. John Nutting led the construction
of the "Little Brown Church," a local replica of the famous church of
the same name in Iowa. Rev. Nutting was later buried in Crystal Springs Cemetery.
Heavy flooding in the 1920s destroyed several early structures and prompted some
families to move to neighboring Zephyrhills. In 1937, the Commongood Society was
replaced by the Crystal Springs Community Association.
For much of the mid-to-late 20th century, the spring operated as a popular public
swimming park and gathering place for local families. In the late 1990s, expanding
commercial water extraction contracts for Zephyrhills Natural Spring Water led to
the closure of public swimming at the spring, sparking significant debate over water
rights.
To protect the fragile springhead and surrounding ecosystem, the property transitioned
into a private nature preserve, opening in 2002 as the Crystal Springs Environmental
Education Center operated by the Crystal Springs Foundation. It is not open to the
public for walk-in visits. Reservations by school and business groups must be made
in advance for a minimum of 15 people or students.
Activities & Facilities
Dogs allowed
Short hiking trails
Paved bike trails