Deep Eddy Pool facts for kids
Quick facts for kids |
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Deep Eddy Bathing Beach
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Deep Eddy Pool
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| Location | 401 Deep Eddy Ave. Austin, Texas, USA |
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| Area | 9 acres (3.6 ha) |
| Built | July 1936 |
| Architect | Dan Driscoll, Delmar Groos |
| Architectural style | NPS Rustic |
| NRHP reference No. | 03000560 |
| Added to NRHP | 23 June 2003 |
Deep Eddy Pool is a famous swimming spot in Austin, Texas. It's the oldest swimming pool in Texas! This cool pool started as a natural swimming hole in the Colorado River. Later, it became a fun resort in the 1920s. Today, the City of Austin runs it as a popular public pool. It even has a special building called a bathhouse, built a long time ago during the Great Depression.
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Deep Eddy Pool: Austin's Oldest Swimming Spot
Deep Eddy Pool has a long and interesting past. It began as a simple swimming hole. Over the years, it grew into a popular resort. Now, it's a beloved public pool for everyone to enjoy.
A Look Back: How Deep Eddy Started
Deep Eddy Pool got its start as a natural swimming area. It was located right on the banks of the Colorado River in Austin. The name "Deep Eddy" comes from a deep spot in the river. This spot was created by a large limestone rock that stuck out into the water.
Private Fun: The Early Days
In 1902, a brother and sister, Mary and Henry Johnson, opened Deep Eddy Bathing Beach. Their father owned the land. Back then, it was outside of Austin. But it was an easy walk from the city's electric trolley line.
This private park offered lots of fun things to do. You could go boating, camping, and fishing. There was even a zip line and a dancing area. Kids could ride a merry-go-round pulled by a horse! Before many public parks existed, Deep Eddy was a special place. It was a private area open for everyone to have fun.
A Carnival by the Pool
In 1915, A.J. Eilers and his partners bought the land. They built a concrete pool, which opened in 1916. George Rowley, one of Eilers' partners, managed the new business. He and his family lived on the property.
They added a wooden bathhouse and small rental cottages. Under Rowley, Deep Eddy became like a carnival! It had a Ferris wheel and a huge 70-foot slide into the pool. There were also diving boards, a trapeze, and a tall diving tower.
Free silent movies played on a screen next to the pool. Many entertainers performed there. These included "World Champion Diving Baby" Marcia Burke. The most popular act was Lorena and Her Diving Horse. Lorena and her horse would dive off a platform into a tank of water every evening!
Deep Eddy Becomes a Public Park
In May 1935, the City of Austin bought Deep Eddy for $10,000. Just a month later, a big flood on the Colorado River caused damage. It destroyed the bathhouse and filled the pool with mud.
Building the New Bathhouse
The Works Progress Administration (WPA) and the City of Austin worked together. They funded a new bathhouse. Austin architects Dan Driscoll and Delmar Groos designed it. The new building mixed Moderne and Rustic styles. It was made from rough, local limestone.
The roof over the main entrance looked like a pagoda. It had three metal levels and a tall spire. Inside, there was an octagonal ticket counter. A wagon wheel with lights hung above it. The men's and women's dressing rooms were on each side of the entrance. They were open to the outside. The new bathhouse opened as a public park in July 1936. It could hold more swimmers than before. This helped keep entry fees low for everyone.
Changes Over the Years
Over time, the city used the Deep Eddy property for different things. The pool kept running, but part of the land became a park and playground. It was named after A.J. Eilers.
In 1962, the Austin Natural Science Center moved into the bathhouse. They made big changes to the building. They covered a patio and added animal pens outside. They hosted educational programs and showed exhibits about Texas wildlife. The other side of the bathhouse still served pool visitors.
The Science Center moved out in the 1980s. The building was then used as offices. But structural problems with the roof made it unsafe. For a while, that part of the bathhouse was forgotten. Then, in 2002, a group called Friends of Deep Eddy started working to restore it.
In 2003, the city removed some old, tall cottonwood trees around the pool. This was done for safety. In 2012, the City of Austin rebuilt the pool itself. It had stubborn leaks that needed fixing. Workers poured a new bottom for the pool. They also repaired cracks and leaks. The pool's west end was made smoother and longer. A new "beach-type" entry was added, where the water gradually gets deeper. The project also made the pool deck wider. New lifeguard stands and a wrought iron fence were also installed.
Deep Eddy Pool is a historic landmark. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. It has also inspired art. Its design influenced the Barton Springs Pool Bathhouse. Texas musician Jimmie Dale Gilmore even wrote a song called "Deep Eddy Blues" about the pool.
Deep Eddy Pool Today
Deep Eddy Pool is very popular with swimmers of all ages. Adults enjoy swimming laps. Kids love the large wading pool. The pool holds 600,000 gallons of fresh water. The water is cleaned and replaced every other day.
The pool gets its clear, cold water from two wells. It is not chlorinated. The water temperature usually stays between 68 and 75 °F (20 and 24 °C). The lap pool is open almost all year during daylight hours. The lap and wading pools are open from March 14 through October 31, from 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM.
In the summer, the pool hosts "Splash Party Movie Nights." Families can watch movies on a big inflatable screen while swimming. Deep Eddy also holds sporting events, like the Deep Eddy Mile swimming competition.
Bringing the Bathhouse Back to Life
Since the 1960s, most of the original bathhouse was closed to swimmers. It was used for other city purposes. Swimmers entered through a side door and paid at an outside counter. They used dressing rooms made from part of the original men's room. The original entrance and women's dressing room fell apart and were boarded up.
In 2002, the Friends of Deep Eddy group started a project. They wanted to raise money to fix the bathhouse. An inspection in 2003 found the roof was almost falling apart. The building was also full of pests.
Construction began in 2005 when the Friends group replaced the roof. They had raised $315,000 of the $1 million needed. Most of this money came from people, events, and T-shirt sales. As work continued, bigger groups started to help. Funds came from the Houston Foundation, the Austin Community Foundation, and the Michael & Susan Dell Foundation. The Austin City Council also gave $500,000 to the project.
Architects Laurie Limbacher and Al Godfrey led the restoration. They brought the building back to its original look. But they also made some improvements for swimmers and staff. A decorative metal gable was added around the women's dressing room for privacy. A lounge for lifeguards and a manager's office were also included. A special cooling system was installed under the lobby floor. It uses cold pool water to keep the room cool without air conditioning.
The bathhouse officially reopened in June 2007. Over 700 people and businesses helped with the project. The Austin Chronicle newspaper said the Friends of Deep Eddy created a great example for future public projects in Austin.
