Nude County USA
A new book chronicles the rich naturist history of Pasco County, Florida
For over 85 years, Pasco County, Florida, has been a hub for naturism in North America, home to some of the largest and most well-known nudist resorts in the country. But how did this stretch of central Florida become a naturist stronghold? That’s the question at the heart of Nude County USA: The History of Naturism in Pasco County, Florida, a new book by authors Olaf Danielson and Lee St. Mary.
Through meticulous research and over 200 photos, Nude County USA documents the full history of all 14 naturist venues that have existed in Pasco County, from their origins in the 1920s to today. The book explores key milestones, including the migration of nudists from Hillsborough County in 1939 after a restrictive law pushed them northward—a law later declared unconstitutional. From nude 5K runs to naturist tennis tournaments, the book reveals how Pasco became not just a home for nudists but a community shaped by body freedom and resilience.
The official book launch will take place on February 22 at Eden RV Resort in Hudson, FL, alongside a special presentation on Pasco County’s naturist history. The event will also mark the transfer of historical archives to the American Nudist Research Library, a significant step in preserving the legacy of Florida’s naturist past.
Unlike some of Danielson’s previous books, Nude County USA won’t be available on Amazon due to the costs associated with publishing a photo-heavy volume. Instead, it can be ordered directly from the author via email at storolaf@yahoo.com.
Following this project, the authors are now working on documenting the naturist history of New Jersey in collaboration with Dorothy Coleman, historian of Rock Lodge. They are seeking historical materials from New Jersey clubs and nude beaches like Higbee and Gunnison. If you have stories or photos to contribute, reach out and help preserve this next chapter of naturist history. 🚀
Q&A with author Olaf Danielson
What inspired you to take on this project?
In essence, at the beginning, it was simply not in Hillsborough County as a law was passed making it illegal to have nude facilities in counties of 175,000 population, which covered Duval and Hillsborough. Seeing writing on the wall, the A.G.A. pulled the lone nudist venue called Mossy Oaks out and then went looking north of the county line in Pasco for a new location. The case was tried after a solarium owner was arrested in June 1939 and declared unconstitutional. A.G.A. Lake Como Estates opened that winter as the off-season home of Rock Lodge.
What were some of the biggest surprises or challenges in uncovering Pasco County’s naturist history?
Lake Como existed for 15 years in the sleepy backwater of the Bay Area, and then Garden of Eden came out, which caused many to be aspirational nudists. Como's membership took off, and others sought to create venues in the county. It wasn’t like the county was that receptive to it—there have been various efforts to make it illegal, but nudism survived and continued to grow.
The biggest issue in 2025 is that Pasco County has been absorbed into the Tampa Bay metroplex, and it is not the sleepy county of cow pastures it was just two decades ago.
What’s next for you in terms of naturist history projects?
That there is a lot of history to these places and venues, and they mattered. Hundreds of thousands of people from at least five generations have made significant risks by coming here to enjoy naturism and helped build the county up to what it is today. 🪐
Interested in getting a copy? Order directly from the author via email at storolaf@yahoo.com.
Olaf, Congratulations on this endeavor. What an important piece of our history to document. As you work on the next book about NJ, I would be happy to share my information having worked and lived with Earl and Lucille Hansen at Circle H Ranch in the late 1970s. See my article in "N" 21.3 pp. 82-87 "Nudism with a Social Conscious." I have also been digging into Bernarr Macfadden's 1905 Physical Culture City in NJ and some of the residents and visitors included William Calhoun Walker who set up the first national nudist group The Common Sense Club in 1919 and his wife on their honeymoon, poet Harry Kemp and newly estranged Mrs. Upton Sinclair. There is also the ASA decisions to move its offices and what to do with the Donald Johnson Archives.
This book is a MUST for anyone interested in Naturism, but especially for those of us in Florida. Some interesting stories about places that no longer exist, such as the Solarium in St. Petersburg.
My wife and I were members of Lake Como years ago, spending almost every weekend there for about five years. It was interesting to read the stories of Bru and Dorothy and of Ron.
I can't stress the importance of this book; clearly a labor of love and a book that will proudly sit on our coffee table.