Crystal River is a city in Citrus County, Florida, United States.

The city is situated around Kings Bay, which is spring-fed so it keeps a constant 72 °F (22 °C) temperature year round.

Kings Bay can be home to over 400 manatees during the winter when the water temperature in the Gulf of Mexico cools, and is the only place in the United States where people can legally interact with them in their natural conditions without that interaction being viewed as harassment by law enforcement agencies.

[6] Tourism based on watching and swimming with manatees is the fastest growing contribution to the local economy.

State Road 44 leads east from Crystal River 17 miles (27 km) to Inverness, the Citrus County seat.

In the Pleistocene era, the land on which Crystal River is located was vastly different from today.

The west coast of Florida is thought to have extended an additional 50 to 60 miles (80 to 97 km) into the Gulf of Mexico.

[8] Following the Second Seminole War, settlers were encouraged into the area due to the passing of the Armed Occupation Act of 1842 by the United States federal government.

[9] By the time of the Civil War, Florida was an important source and supplier of food and other goods such as beef, pork, fish, corn, sugar, cotton, naval stores and salt.

People from states to the north began to arrive, attracted by the area's mild climate and the potential of becoming wealthy growing citrus fruits.

Early settlers to the area had found wild citrus trees growing in abundance, thanks in part to the Spanish explorers who had brought oranges with them on their ships and had discarded the seeds in the new world.

[9] Other early industry in the Crystal River area included cedar mills.

In 1882, James Williams moved his cedar mill to Crystal River, and began operating on King's Bay.

The Dixon Cedar Mill was one of the largest industries in Crystal River, providing employment to many in the area, including women and African Americans.

"[9] The phosphate industry would boom in Crystal River and Citrus County until 1914, when it could no longer be shipped due to World War I.

The arrival of the railroad proved to be a boon; it provided an easier way to ship and receive goods.

Crystal River uses a city council with five elected members, including the mayor.

[22] Media related to Crystal River (city), Florida at Wikimedia Commons