St. Augustines Ripleys Believe It or Not. History of St. Augustine Ripley Believe It or Not in St. Augustine, Florida
Name
Lecturer
Course
Date
Ripley’s Believe It or Not
History of Ripley’s Believe It or Not in St. Augustine, Florida
Ripley’s Believe It or Not is located at the Castle Warden. It is the oldest of the Ripley’s Believe It or Not. Although it is closely associated with Robert Ripley, who was a frequent visitor here, he is not the one who created it. According to historians, Ripley, a renowned reporter, cartoonist, adventurer, collector, seeker and explorer, used to spend much time here. During the first half of the 20th century, he became one of the most famous people in the world. This was attributed to the tremendous contributions he made. In fact, he led an extraordinary life, which can be summarized in his own words ‘Believe it or not.’
The facility was acquired shortly after his death in 1948. Therefore, in 1950, it was bought and managed by another person. Later, it became a very famous place, which was frequently visited by great people such as Marjorie Rawlings. Although it was originally built by Warden William, it would later undergo much refurbishment under the management of different people (Patricia, 2007). Such developments would change the originally Moorist Revival style, which was closely associated with it.
The facility used to change ownership since it was acquired by people who would later sell it. In this regard, it eventually went under the management of the author and Pulitzer Prize winner Rawlings Marjorie together with her husband Rowling Norton. From this explanation, it is evident that this facility was never established by Ripley. The naming was like an honor to him, because he spent much time as a tourist in this place. Finally, it was developed to the extent that it would be used to store the artifacts which would enable it what it is today.
Uses of Ripley’s Believe It or Not in St. Augustine, Florida
Ever since it was established, Ripley’s Believe It or Not in St. Augustine, Florida, has acted as a very important place not only for the owners, but to everyone who might have known anything about it. This is because it acts as a historical centre. It performs a very significant role since it helps in the study of history. According to historians, evidence is the only proof for the existence of history. Without proof, there is no history, which means it is only artifacts that can be used in the process of history reconstruction.
The castle acts as a historical centre, because it is used for storing a variety of artifacts. These are performing a variety of roles for the benefit of the management and the general public. While to the management it is a chief source of income, it offers an attractive site for anyone who is willing to explore the world and acquaint oneself with its uniqueness. Such people as tourists can visit the facility so as to learn more about the historical past.
Among the most significant artifacts here are bizarre creations and collections of 30,000 artifacts, 20,000 photographs and 10,000 cartoon panels. These are very unique and unusual items, which are used for attracting many people to this facility. Hence, many people organize to at least visit it, so as to have a view of such a peculiar collection. They help in understanding the kind of work done by the artists in the past. The cartoons were created in a very special way, which can really entertain a guest (Bennett, 2005).
At the same time, Ripley’s Believe It or Not acts as a home for other collections like real shrunken human heads, drum kit and rosaries. They are also made in a special way which creates peculiarity. For instance, the cited drum is made up of two distinct human skulls, which are covered by one human skin and fused together. These are unbelievable artifacts, which are of great interest to many people visiting this place. Therefore, it is evident that Ripley’s Believe It or Not is a museum which stores numerous artifacts, which can be used by people to understand and about the historical past.
Rather than the large pool of collections in this museum, it has very different kinds of beautiful sceneries which include Castillo de San Marcos, Memorial Presbyterian Church, St. Augustine Alligator Farm, and Fountain of Youth Archaeological Park and San Sebastian Winery. These are exclusively tourist attraction sites, which are used as commercial centers in this facility. People do visit the museum so as to have a view of such sceneries, because they offer a unique site which everyone is willing to see (Zdeněk, 2003).
In conclusion, it is evident that Ripley’s Believe It or Not has rich history. Although it is closely linked to Richard Ripley, it should be known that he never created it. It was a work of other creative men who came up with an idea of establishing a dynamic museum which would be used to store a variety of unique artifacts and bizarre events, which cannot be found anywhere else. It provides enthusiastic scenery, which attracts tourists from all corners of the world. This is beneficial, because it acts as a chief source of income to the owners. At the same time, it enriches history, because it makes it possible for anyone to have accurate information about the past events. This is very important, because it helps to fill any gap which may be present. Everyone should know the past before understanding the present. Present is a product of the past.
Works Cited
Acton, Patricia. Invasion of Privacy: The Cross Creek Trial of Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings Gainesville: University of Florida Press, 2007.
Bennett, Tony. The Birth of the Museum: History, Theory, Politics. London: Rutledge, 2005.
Salzmann, Zdeněk. Language, culture, and society: an introduction to linguistic anthropology Boulder, CO: Westview Press, 2003.
.
