"[citation needed] He played a key role in the development of tourism in the state of Florida, and in the growth of theme parks as tourist destinations.

Dick Pope Sr. was born in Des Moines, Iowa, according to legend during the middle of a tornado, from where he was said to have derived his whirlwind personality and energy for life.

[5] Pope was known for his lively personality and his flamboyant clothing, including a turquoise suit, trimmed in pink, worn with bright white shoes.

[2] In the early 1930s, his wife Julie showed him an article in Good Housekeeping about a man charging visitors money to see the manicured gardens around his mansion home.

On January 2, 1936, Dick and Julie Pope officially opened their famed theme park, charging visitors 25 cents each to visit.

[2] The theme park provided visitors with an escape from the everyday world, and originally featured idyllic botanical gardens and southern belles working as hostesses.

Pope referred to himself as the "Grand Poobah of Publicity",[6] and through his efforts, the image of Florida as playground for sun and fun spread around the world.

He is credited with single-handedly re-vitalizing Florida tourism after the difficult times of the Great Depression and World War II.

The Florida Public Relations Association (FPRA) annually gives out the Dick Pope All-Florida Grand Golden Image Award for best PR program in the state.

[7] In 2013 the Dick Pope Legacy Hall of Fame Awards were established in his name recognizing Leadership in Hospitality Tourism for the State of Florida.

A plaque honoring Dick Pope and memorializing his early development of Florida's tourism was revealed on June 11, 2014, in the lobby of the Orange County Convention Center.

All Dick Pope Legacy Hall of Fame Honorees join the wall and are celebrated at an annual hospitality scholarship fundraiser in Orlando, The Grand Tour Gala.

[citation needed] At the 1964 New York World's Fair, he staged a series of highly successful water skiing exhibitions.