Florida Family Learns Selling a Nudist Colony Isn’t Easy
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Florida real estate rarely gets as unusual as this. A declining nudist colony tucked into swamp and scrubland is up for sale, but so far, there are no takers.
In a report by the New York Times, Ronda Kaysen visited Florida Naturist Park, once a thriving 220-acre “anything-goes” nudist community located about an hour northwest of Tampa. The park was established in 1959 by Thomas Ward Gulvin, who described himself as a naturist bishop. Gulvin, who was later convicted of bigamy and promoted openly racist policies, included whites-only restrictions in property deeds until the late 1980s. He died in 1994, and today his six surviving children are seeking a buyer for what remains of the property.
The Gulvin family is asking $2.5 million for the 58 acres they still own. The land includes small lakes, a clubhouse, residential lots, and RV sites. It is zoned specifically for nudist use and is partially occupied by older residents who are hesitant to relocate.
That zoning designation presents a significant hurdle. According to listing broker Dayton Johnson, the property does not easily fit typical development models. “Real developers, they usually have one thing they develop—that’s either subdivisions or they build houses or apartments,” Johnson said. “None of those uses fit on this property.”
The full story details additional challenges, including a failed 2007 attempt to sell the land to a Quaker nudist who hoped to transform it into a Christian nudist resort.
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