White Springs is a town in northern Florida on the Suwannee River. The population was 777 at the 2010 census, down from 819 at the 2000 census. Home of the annual Florida Folk Festival, it is a tourist destination noted for historic charm, antique shops and river recreation. History The Suwannee River was once the boundary between the Timucuan peoples to the east and the Apalachee people to the west. When Spanish explorers visited the area in the 1530s, the spring was visited by natives from both sides of the river, who believed the water possessed healing powers. The Indians considered the spring a sacred healing ground, and used it even in times of war; any tribe member could bathe and drink the mineral waters without fear of being attacked. The spring water has a "rotten egg" sulfur smell that comes from dissolved hydrogen sulfide gas. The settlement was incorporated in 1831 as "Jackson Springs" by businessmen Joseph Bryant, James T. Hooker, his brother William B. Hooker, John Lee, and James D. Prevatt. In addition to the spring, they planned to build a ferry across the Suwannee River. The following year, Bryant Sheffield purchased the ferry operation rights and the spring, then known as "White Sulpher [sic] Springs". Sheffield drank the mineral waters and touted their ability to cure nervousness, kidney troubles, and rheumatism, among other problems. In 1842, he constructed a hotel and spring house from local timber. During the Civil War, some Confederate soldiers found refuge in the town from Union troops. The family of future governor Napoleon Bonaparte Broward, whose Jacksonville farm was burned by Union forces, moved to a nearby farm which they named "Rebel's Refuge". At some point, the springs were renamed "White Sulphur Springs". Following the Civil War, the tourist business slowly returned. In 1882, the Georgia merchants Wight and Powell purchased the property and platted city lots. They sold parcels to other retailers to open businesses catering to plantations and resorts around the spring. Crowds of health seekers arrived, first by stagecoach and then railroad. White Springs was incorporated in 1885. Hotels and boarding houses popped up; a cotton gin attracted buyers and sellers; and fashionable clothing and hats were offered for sale. Leisure activities included ballroom dancing, lawn tennis, and skating. In 1903, the spring was enclosed by concrete and coquina walls that included multiple water gates and galleries to prevent water