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{{Notice underconstruction}}
{{Infobox attraction
{{Infobox attraction
| name          = Swimming Pool
| name          = Swimming Pool
Line 10: Line 9:
| closed        = 1937 (park closure)
| closed        = 1937 (park closure)
| frame          =  
| frame          =  
| length        = 325 ft. (99 m)
| length        = 325 feet (99 meters)
| width          = 95 ft. (29 m)
| width          = 95 feet (29 meters)
| replaced      = [[Fair Japan]]<br />[[Ferris Wheel (1)]]<br />[[Ocean Wave]]
| designer      =
| cost          = {{Tooltip |text = $15,000|tooltip = $374,764 in 2025 dollars}}
}}
}}


The Olentangy Park [[Swimming Pool]] opened in [[1917 Season|1917]]<ref name="candb">Hyatt, Shirley. ''Clintonville and Beechwold.'' Arcadia Publishing, 2009.</ref> and was the second-largest swimming pool in the country.<ref name="new">"New Park Pool Second Largest of Its Kind in United States." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. 15 July 1917. Pg. 42.</ref> It replaced the [[Fair Japan]] exhibit<ref name="candb" /> north of the [[Figure Eight Toboggan]] and south of the [[Whirlwind]]. It was open for visitors from 9 a.m. to close. In 1919, over 15,000 swimmers used the pool per day.<ref name="fast">"Fast Check System." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' 8 June 1919. Pg. 69.</ref> There were lifeguards on duty at all times.<ref>"Guarding the Pool." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' 27 July 1919. Pg. 61.</ref><ref>"Olentangy Park Filled Early with Families Invited for the Day as Guests of Newspaper." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' 16 June 1937. Pg. 1.</ref> Starting in the 1920s, the park started hosting diving and swimming contests and exhibitions. The pool remained in use even after the park's last season in 1937,<ref name="candb" /> becoming the swimming pool for the Olentangy Village Apartments until 2005.
The Olentangy Park [[Swimming Pool]] opened in [[1917 Season|1917]]<ref name="candb">Hyatt, Shirley. 2009. ''Clintonville and Beechwold.'' Arcadia Publishing.</ref> and was the second-largest swimming pool in the country<ref name="new">"New Park Pool Second Largest of Its Kind in United States." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' July 15, 1917. Page 42.</ref> and largest in the Central States.<ref name="newsgazette">"Olentangy Park." ''The News Gazette (Reynoldsburg, Ohio).'' Vol. 10. Issue 21. May 24, 1917. Page 2. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://archive.org/details/newsgazette1917000news/page/n71/</ref> It was located between the [[Figure Eight Toboggan|Figure Eight]] and the [[Whirlwind]] coasters.<ref name="candb" /><ref name="historian">Barret, Richard E. "Olentangy Park: Four Decades of Fun." ''Columbus and Central Ohio Historian No. 1.'' April 1984. Page 11.</ref>  


==Description==
When the pool was completed in 1917, it was {{Tooltip |text = 325 by 95 feet|tooltip = 99 by 29 meters}} and held 3 million gallons of water.<ref name="new" /> The east side of the pool was {{Tooltip |text = 18 inches|tooltip = 45.72 cm}} deep and gradually sloped to {{Tooltip |text = 9 feet|tooltip = 2.7 meters}} deep at the west end. Seats were installed on both sides at first<ref name="prospects">"Pool Prospects." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' June 3, 1917. Page 52.</ref>. The water was first supplied by two 6-inch water mains using city water.<ref name="prospects" /><ref name="sanborn1922">''Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio.'' Sanborn Map Company, - 1922 Vol. 3, 1922, 1922. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn06656_008/.</ref><ref>''General Map, The Olentangy Amusement Co., Columbus, Ohio,'' 1924.</ref> Later, the park had its own filtration plant.<ref name="cherrington">Cherrington, H. E. "Ohio In Pageantry And Some Other Play Topics." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' June 22, 1930. Page 52.</ref> The pool was designed to drain and fill within a few hours for better sanitation<ref name="prospects" /> and later was tested daily by a chemist.<ref name="cherrington" /> It cost {{Tooltip |text = $15,000|tooltip = $374,764 in 2025 dollars}} to complete.<ref>{{Cite news |articletitle = Items From Olentangy|pub = Columbus Evening Dispatch|date = July 21, 1917|page = 12 }}</ref> In 1918, the pool was painted with white enamel inside and out,<ref>"Real Opening of Park Season." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' May 26, 1918. Page 41.</ref> springboards were added, and 2,000 new bathing suits were received.<ref>{{Cite news |articletitle = Bathing Pool Open This Week|pub = The Columbus Sunday Dispatch|date = May 19, 1918|page = 5 }}</ref>
The completed pool was 325 by 95 feet (99 by 29 meters) and held 3 million gallons of water.<ref name="new" /> The east side of the pool was 18 inches (45.72 cm) deep and gradually sloped to 9 feet (2.7 meters) deep at the west end. Seats were installed on both sides at first<ref name="prospects">"Pool Prospects." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' 3 June 1917. Pg. 52.</ref> and later, sand was brought in to create a "beach" for swimmers. The water was first supplied by two 6-inch water mains using city water<ref name="prospects" /> and later, the park had its own filtration plant.<ref name="cherrington">Cherrington, H.E. "Ohio In Pageantry And Some Other Play Topics." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' 22 June 1930. Pg. 52.</ref> The pool was designed to drain and fill within a few hours for better sanitation<ref name="prospects" /> and later was tested daily by a chemist.<ref name="cherrington" /> It could accommodate 5,000 swimmers at a time. In 1918, the pool was painted with white enamel inside and out.<ref>"Real Opening of Park Season." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' 26 May 1918. Pg. 41.</ref> Foodlights were added in the 1930 season to make night swimming possible.<ref name="cherrington" /><ref>Cherrington, H.E. "Looking Backward at Park and Forward to Film Season." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' 9 November 1930. Pg. 54.</ref> for a short time around 1920, there were slides in the pool, but they caused wear on the swimsuits and created a liability due to a number of accidents and were removed.<ref>Letter from Olentangy Park to Kennywood. ''Historic Pittsburgh.'' 11 April 1934. Accessed 14 May 2022. https://historicpittsburgh.org/islandora/object/pitt%3A20210510-hswp-2029</ref>
 
It could accommodate 5,000 swimmers at a time. In [[1919 Season|1919]], over 15,000 swimmers used the pool per day.<ref name="fast">"Fast Check System." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' June 8, 1919. Page 69.</ref> There were lifeguards on duty at all times.<ref>"Guarding the Pool." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' July 27, 1919. Page 61.</ref><ref>"Olentangy Park Filled Early with Families Invited for the Day as Guests of Newspaper." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' June 16, 1937. Page 1.</ref> It was open for visitors from 9 a.m. to close. Members of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) swam for free.<ref>"Many of the G. A. R. Swim." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' Sept. 11, 1919. Page 28.</ref>
 
A north entrance was added in July 1920 for swimming parties arriving via autos, along with an additional parking space. This was to make it easier to access swimming and swimming lessons without having to walk through the entire park.<ref>"North Entrance Popular." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' July 27, 1920. Page 24.</ref>
 
Sand was eventually brought in to create a "beach of white ocean sand and seashells"<ref name="historian" /> for swimmers.
 
For a short time around 1920, there were slides in the pool, but they caused wear on the swimsuits and created a liability due to a number of accidents, and were removed.<ref>Heinlaen, Leo. 1934. "Letter from Olentangy Park to Kennywood." ''Historic Pittsburgh.'' April 11, 1934. Accessed on May 14. 2022. https://historicpittsburgh.org/islandora/object/pitt%3A20210510-hswp-2029</ref> Starting in the 1920s, the park started hosting diving and swimming contests and exhibitions. Leo and Elmer G. Haenlein remodeled the pool for the 1927 season, and The Ohio State University intramural swim team held a meet later that year.<ref>"Intramural Swim Meet to Be Held at Olentangy." ''Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio).'' May 25, 1927. Page 1.</ref> In 1929, the tickets to swim included admission to the park.<ref>"Haenleins Plan Opening in May." ''The Billboard.'' Vol. 41. Issue 15. April 13, 1929. Page 60.</ref>
 
In 1924, a "sand beach" was installed on the east side of the Swimming Pool.<ref>{{Cite news |articletitle = Olentangy Park|pub = The Billboard|date = Aug. 15, 1925|page = 134|accessedthrough = Internet Archive|url = https://archive.org/details/sim_billboard_1925-08-15_37_33/page/134/mode/2up}}</ref>
 
Floodlights were added in the 1930 season to make night swimming possible.<ref name="cherrington" /><ref>Cherrington, H. E. "Looking Backward at Park and Forward to Film Season." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' Nov. 9, 1930. Page 6-F.</ref>
 
By 1938, the pool was in "desperate disrepair." Dimitri Gerou was hired by L. L. LeVeque to repair the pool and build the Olentangy Village Swim and Tennis Club. Gerou said the concrete of the decks was uneven and so broken that the metal was visible. "The filtration system was archaic and posed serious safety hazards for swimmers," he said in a 1999 ''Columbus Monthly'' article. It took him two years to repair it. The pool and bathhouse remained in use and was open to Olentangy Village tenants<ref>Foster, Emily. "Bob and Carol Pattin, 1930s and 1940s north side residents, on Olentangy Park." ''The Ohio State University District: A Neighborhood History.'' United States: History Press, 2014.</ref> for free and nonresidents for a fee.<ref name="ovpool">{{Cite news |lastname = Read|firstname = Dennis|articletitle = Olentangy Village pool: Closing a Clintonville landmark|pub = Columbus Monthly|date = October 1999|page = 12|accessedthrough = Columbus Metropolitan Library|url = https://digital-collections.columbuslibrary.org/digital/collection/cbusmonthly/id/44030}}</ref><ref name="candb" /><ref>"Olentangy Pool to Remain." ''The Billboard.'' May 21, 1938. Page 42. Accessed through the Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/sim_billboard_1938-05-21_50_21/page/42</ref><ref>Franklin Survey Co. 1937. Map. ''City of Columbus, Franklin Co., Ohio.'' Vol. 1. Accessed through Ebay.com https://www.ebay.com/itm/235251834706</ref><ref name="historian" /><ref>Liebold, Chris. "Olentangy Amusement Park and Clinton-Como Park." ''Columbus Foundation Fellowship Programs.'' July 10, 2014. Blog. https://tcfsummerfellows.blog/2014/07/10/olentangy-amusement-park-and-clinton-como-park/</ref><ref>''Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio.'' Sanborn Map Company, Vol. 3, - Mar 1951, 1951. 1939 Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn06656_014/.</ref> The pool was made smaller and smaller over time and was removed in 2005 to build more apartments.


==Bathhouse==
==Bathhouse==
A large L-shaped bathhouse was also added at the northwest end of the pool. It was staffed by attendants, separated by gender, and had lockers and showers. A new check-in system was installed in 1919 after the checking room was enlarged. There was a larger staff to help visitors change and valuables were checked in a separate room with sealed and signed envelopes for better security. An outdoor shower was added to the bathhouse to force swimmers to help keep the pool clean and the swimmers acclimated to the chilled water.<ref name="fast" />
A large L-shaped bathhouse was also added at the northwest end of the pool. It was staffed by attendants, separated by gender, and had lockers and showers. A new check-in system was installed in 1919 after the checking room was enlarged. There was a larger staff to help visitors change, and valuables were checked in a separate room with sealed and signed envelopes for better security. An outdoor shower was added to the bathhouse to force swimmers to help keep the pool clean, and the swimmers acclimated to the chilled water.<ref name="fast" />


==Swimsuits and Supplies==
==Swimsuits and Supplies==
Manager Will D. Harris supplied the bathhouses with 3,500 bathing suits when it opened.<ref name="prospects" /> He later increased the number to 7,000. They were able to be washed and dried within 10 min. after use.<ref name="new" /> By 1924, the park supplied 3,000 swimsuits - 1,000 for women and 2,000 for men. The park would promote buying personal swimsuits in the summer and it saved the park money. The number of visitors bringing their own suit went from less than 3 percent in 1917 to 35 percent in 1924. The admission cost was the same. Suits were bought from Myer-Hess Co. Suits in Chicago. The women's side of the bathhouse was supplied with caps and stockings and the men's side with caps and jock straps for purchase. Visitors could also buy towels. The first years these were offered, the caps and towels clogged the drains and shut down the pool at times. The Haenlein brothers solved this issue by having wire over the suction pipes.<ref name="letter1">Letter from Olentangy Park to Kennywood. ''Historic Pittsburgh.'' 9 January 1925. Accessed 14 May 2022. https://historicpittsburgh.org/islandora/object/pitt:20210510-hswp-2052 </ref>
Manager Will D. Harris supplied the bathhouses with 3,500 bathing suits when it opened.<ref name="prospects" /> He later increased the number to 7,000. By 1920, they had 10,000 new suits when the pool opened.<ref>"Pool Is Open to Public." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' June 6, 1920. Page 6.</ref> They were able to be washed and dried within 10 minutes after use.<ref name="new" /> The park would promote buying personal swimsuits in the summer, and it saved the park money. The number of visitors bringing their own suits went from less than 3 percent in 1917 to 35 percent in 1924. By 1924, the park supplied only 3,000 swimsuits -- 1,000 for women and 2,000 for men. The admission cost was the same. Suits were bought from Myer-Hess Company Suits in Chicago. The women's side of the bathhouse was supplied with caps and stockings and the men's side with caps and jock straps for purchase. Visitors could also buy towels. In the first years these were offered, the caps and towels clogged the drains and shut down the pool at times. The Haenlein brothers solved this issue by installing wires over the suction pipes.<ref name="letter1">Heinlaen, Leo. 1925. "Letter from Olentangy Park to Kennywood." ''Historic Pittsburgh.'' Jan. 9, 1925. Accessed on May 14, 2022. https://historicpittsburgh.org/islandora/object/pitt:20210510-hswp-2052 </ref>
 
==Exhibitions==
Johnny Weismuller was one of the many artists who performed swimming and diving exhibitions.<ref name="historian" />
 
Lottie Mayer and her female diving team performed twice daily at the park in June 1920.<ref>"Grand Stand at Park Pool." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' June 12, 1920. Page 12.</ref><ref name="Diving">"Diving Beauties at Park." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' June 13, 1920.</ref><ref name="Swimmers">"For Swimmers and Spectators." ''The Columbus Dispatch.'' June 17, 1920.</ref> Diving for 13 years, she was hired by the park to teach diving to women and children at 10 a.m. daily for {{Tooltip | text = $5 | tooltip = $80.76}}.<ref>"Diving Girl at Park Pool." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' June 20, 1920. Page 26.</ref><ref>Advertisement. ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' June 20, 1920. Page 7.</ref>


==Costs==
==Costs==
1918 season tickets for the pool were $3 ($55.86 in 2022) for visitors.<ref>"Bargain Swimming Tickets." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' 31 July 1918. Pg. 18.</ref> Late in the season, pool tickets were often reduced, such as tickets for the rest of the 1919 season for the pool were $2 ($32.80 in 2022).<ref>"Free Circus and Concerts." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' 5 August 1919. Pg. 22.</ref> In 1924, the park hosted "Morning Swims" for children from 10 a.m. to noon where they only paid 10 cents ($1.69 in 2022) with a coupon and supplying their own suit.<ref name="letter1" />
1918 season tickets for the pool were {{Tooltip |text = $3|tooltip = $63.87 in 2025 dollars}} for visitors.<ref>"Bargain Swimming Tickets." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' July 31, 1918. Page 18.</ref> Late in the season, pool tickets were often reduced, such as tickets for the rest of the 1919 season for the pool were {{Tooltip |text = $2|tooltip = $37.16 in 2025 dollars}}.<ref>"Free Circus and Concerts." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' Aug. 5, 1919. Page 22.</ref> In 1924, the park hosted "Morning Swims" for children from 10 a.m. to noon where they only paid {{Tooltip |text = $1.84|tooltip = $34.59 in 2025 dollars}} with a coupon and supplied their own suit.<ref name="letter1" />


==Opening Season==
==Opening Season==


===Building Delays===
===Building Delays===
Manager Harris wanted the pool to be finished by June 1, 1917.<ref>"Pool for Olentangy." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' 25 March 1917. Pg. 48.</ref><ref>"Big Park Is Opening." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' 27 May 1917. Pg. 49.</ref><ref name="prospects" /> During the building, the pool's size was enlarged from 300 by 80 feet (91.44 by 24.4 meters) to 325 by 95 feet (99 by 29 meters). Forty to 50 men worked with two large concrete mixers in early June to complete the pool on the scheduled time, but the construction went well past that date. The rush led to two of the workers being injured by a steel beam of a cement conveyor.<ref>"Workmen Are Injured." ''Columbus Evening Dispatch.'' 8 June 1917. Pg. 3.</ref>  
Manager Harris wanted the pool to be finished by June 1, 1917.<ref>"Pool for Olentangy." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' March 25, 1917. Page 48.</ref><ref>"Big Park Is Opening." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' May 27, 1917. Page 49.</ref><ref name="prospects" /> During the building, the pool's size was enlarged from {{Tooltip |text = 300 by 80 feet|tooltip = 91.44 by 24.4 meters}} to {{Tooltip |text = 325 by 95 feet|tooltip = 99 by 29 meters}}. Forty to 50 men worked with two large concrete mixers in early June to complete the pool on schedule, but the construction went well past that date. The rush led to two workers, E. W. Thomas, 32, and J. H. Mink, 35, being injured by a steel beam from a cement conveyor. Thomas sustained scalp wounds and injuries to his right shoulder and back, and Mink sustained a broken left shoulder and numerous bruises.<ref>{{Cite news |articletitle = Workmen are Injured|pub = The Columbus Evening Dispatch|date = June 8, 1917|page = 3}}</ref>


===Suit Thefts===
===Suit Thefts===
During its opening season, the park faced swimming suit thefts of more than 150 by mid-August. Attendants caught a woman using a suitcase to steal a suit, so bag checks became part of the policy. Visitors paid 25 cents ($5.50 in 2022) for a swimsuit, and the park paid more than $4 (around $88 in 2022) for each. Manager Harris believed people weren't malicious, just forgetful.<ref>"Suits Disappear." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' 19 August 1917. Pg. 58.</ref>  
During its opening season, the park had more than 150 swimsuit thefts by mid-August. Attendants caught a woman using a suitcase to steal a suit, so bag checks became part of the policy. Visitors paid {{Tooltip |text = 25 cents|tooltip = $6.28 in 2025 dollars}} for a swimsuit, and the park paid more than {{Tooltip |text = $4|tooltip = $100.46 in 2025 dollars}} for each. Manager Harris believed people weren't malicious, just forgetful.<ref>"Suits Disappear." ''The Columbus Sunday Dispatch.'' Aug. 19, 1917. Page 58.</ref>
 
==Lifeguards==
The first lifeguards were Carl V. Smith and Charles Wesley "Chic" Harley, an Ohio State University football player.<ref>Wittenmeier, Jack. "Starling's 'Smitty' Wraps Up 53-Year Coaching Career." ''South Side Leader.'' June 13, 1963. Page 7. Accessed through the Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/southsideleader100hart_4/page/n397</ref><ref name="new" /> Ned Skinner was hired to be a lifeguard at the age of 13 and later worked at Zoo Park for over 20 years, becoming the full-time manager of Zoo Park by 1975.<ref name="Stout">Stout, Ned. "Zoo Park Season Starts with Look to Past." ''Columbus Dispatch.'' April 23, 1975. Page C-1.</ref>
 
In 1919, Al Josephs, also known as "Old Dandy Joe," was the chief lifeguard at the pool. He had 35 years of lifeguard experience and had a connection with the park for 20 years. He previously was a lifeguard at Rockaway Beach, Long Island, New York, and later, a lifeguard at Coney Island, Atlantic City, Old Orchard Beach (Maine), and other locations. He told the ''Columbus Dispatch'' that he believed the pool had seen over 100,000 swimmers in the previous two years without a drowning incident. Josephs's assistant, Mike Pepe, was a former North High School football star and later employed at the Y.M.C.A. as a swimming instructor. Frank Dunigan, an expert swimmer and diver, was Josephs's second assistant.<ref>{{Cite news |articletitle = Guarding the Pool|pub = The Columbus Sunday Dispatch|date = July 27, 1919|page = 5 }}</ref>
 
== Additional Injuries ==
Dora Young sustained a broken arm in a fall at the Swimming Pool on July 5, 1919.<ref>{{Cite news |articletitle = Sustains Broken Arm|pub = The Columbus Sunday Dispatch|date = July 6, 1919|page = 6 }}</ref>
 
==Discrepancies==
Some sources say the pool was only {{Tooltip |text = 300 by 80 feet|tooltip = 91.44 by 24.4 meters}} when it opened.<ref name="newsgazette" />


== References ==
== References ==
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{{Attractions}}
{{Attractions}}
{{Park Sections}}


[[Category:Attractions]]
[[Category:Attractions]]
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[[Category:Added in 1917]]
[[Category:Added in 1917]]
[[Category:Closed in 1937]]
[[Category:Closed in 1937]]
{{#seo:|description=The Olentangy Park Swimming Pool opened in 1917 and was the second-largest swimming pool in the country and the largest in the Central States.}}
{{#seo:|keywords=Swimming Pool, Swimming, Bathing Pool, Bathing, Beach, Sand Beach, Diving, Olentangy Park, Olentangy Amusement Park, Olentangy Park Columbus, Columbus amusement park, amusement park, Clintonville, defunct amusement park}}

Latest revision as of 04:56, 4 September 2025

Swimming Pool
Other Name(s) Bathing Pool
Type Activity Space, Sports
Park Section North
Built 1917
Opened 1917
Closed 1937 (park closure)
Length 325 feet (99 meters)
Width 95 feet (29 meters)
Cost $15,000$374,764 in 2025 dollars
Replaced Fair Japan
Ferris Wheel (1)
Ocean Wave

The Olentangy Park Swimming Pool opened in 1917[1] and was the second-largest swimming pool in the country[2] and largest in the Central States.[3] It was located between the Figure Eight and the Whirlwind coasters.[1][4]

When the pool was completed in 1917, it was 325 by 95 feet99 by 29 meters and held 3 million gallons of water.[2] The east side of the pool was 18 inches45.72 cm deep and gradually sloped to 9 feet2.7 meters deep at the west end. Seats were installed on both sides at first[5]. The water was first supplied by two 6-inch water mains using city water.[5][6][7] Later, the park had its own filtration plant.[8] The pool was designed to drain and fill within a few hours for better sanitation[5] and later was tested daily by a chemist.[8] It cost $15,000$374,764 in 2025 dollars to complete.[9] In 1918, the pool was painted with white enamel inside and out,[10] springboards were added, and 2,000 new bathing suits were received.[11]

It could accommodate 5,000 swimmers at a time. In 1919, over 15,000 swimmers used the pool per day.[12] There were lifeguards on duty at all times.[13][14] It was open for visitors from 9 a.m. to close. Members of the Grand Army of the Republic (G.A.R.) swam for free.[15]

A north entrance was added in July 1920 for swimming parties arriving via autos, along with an additional parking space. This was to make it easier to access swimming and swimming lessons without having to walk through the entire park.[16]

Sand was eventually brought in to create a "beach of white ocean sand and seashells"[4] for swimmers.

For a short time around 1920, there were slides in the pool, but they caused wear on the swimsuits and created a liability due to a number of accidents, and were removed.[17] Starting in the 1920s, the park started hosting diving and swimming contests and exhibitions. Leo and Elmer G. Haenlein remodeled the pool for the 1927 season, and The Ohio State University intramural swim team held a meet later that year.[18] In 1929, the tickets to swim included admission to the park.[19]

In 1924, a "sand beach" was installed on the east side of the Swimming Pool.[20]

Floodlights were added in the 1930 season to make night swimming possible.[8][21]

By 1938, the pool was in "desperate disrepair." Dimitri Gerou was hired by L. L. LeVeque to repair the pool and build the Olentangy Village Swim and Tennis Club. Gerou said the concrete of the decks was uneven and so broken that the metal was visible. "The filtration system was archaic and posed serious safety hazards for swimmers," he said in a 1999 Columbus Monthly article. It took him two years to repair it. The pool and bathhouse remained in use and was open to Olentangy Village tenants[22] for free and nonresidents for a fee.[23][1][24][25][4][26][27] The pool was made smaller and smaller over time and was removed in 2005 to build more apartments.

Bathhouse

A large L-shaped bathhouse was also added at the northwest end of the pool. It was staffed by attendants, separated by gender, and had lockers and showers. A new check-in system was installed in 1919 after the checking room was enlarged. There was a larger staff to help visitors change, and valuables were checked in a separate room with sealed and signed envelopes for better security. An outdoor shower was added to the bathhouse to force swimmers to help keep the pool clean, and the swimmers acclimated to the chilled water.[12]

Swimsuits and Supplies

Manager Will D. Harris supplied the bathhouses with 3,500 bathing suits when it opened.[5] He later increased the number to 7,000. By 1920, they had 10,000 new suits when the pool opened.[28] They were able to be washed and dried within 10 minutes after use.[2] The park would promote buying personal swimsuits in the summer, and it saved the park money. The number of visitors bringing their own suits went from less than 3 percent in 1917 to 35 percent in 1924. By 1924, the park supplied only 3,000 swimsuits -- 1,000 for women and 2,000 for men. The admission cost was the same. Suits were bought from Myer-Hess Company Suits in Chicago. The women's side of the bathhouse was supplied with caps and stockings and the men's side with caps and jock straps for purchase. Visitors could also buy towels. In the first years these were offered, the caps and towels clogged the drains and shut down the pool at times. The Haenlein brothers solved this issue by installing wires over the suction pipes.[29]

Exhibitions

Johnny Weismuller was one of the many artists who performed swimming and diving exhibitions.[4]

Lottie Mayer and her female diving team performed twice daily at the park in June 1920.[30][31][32] Diving for 13 years, she was hired by the park to teach diving to women and children at 10 a.m. daily for $5$80.76.[33][34]

Costs

1918 season tickets for the pool were $3$63.87 in 2025 dollars for visitors.[35] Late in the season, pool tickets were often reduced, such as tickets for the rest of the 1919 season for the pool were $2$37.16 in 2025 dollars.[36] In 1924, the park hosted "Morning Swims" for children from 10 a.m. to noon where they only paid $1.84$34.59 in 2025 dollars with a coupon and supplied their own suit.[29]

Opening Season

Building Delays

Manager Harris wanted the pool to be finished by June 1, 1917.[37][38][5] During the building, the pool's size was enlarged from 300 by 80 feet91.44 by 24.4 meters to 325 by 95 feet99 by 29 meters. Forty to 50 men worked with two large concrete mixers in early June to complete the pool on schedule, but the construction went well past that date. The rush led to two workers, E. W. Thomas, 32, and J. H. Mink, 35, being injured by a steel beam from a cement conveyor. Thomas sustained scalp wounds and injuries to his right shoulder and back, and Mink sustained a broken left shoulder and numerous bruises.[39]

Suit Thefts

During its opening season, the park had more than 150 swimsuit thefts by mid-August. Attendants caught a woman using a suitcase to steal a suit, so bag checks became part of the policy. Visitors paid 25 cents$6.28 in 2025 dollars for a swimsuit, and the park paid more than $4$100.46 in 2025 dollars for each. Manager Harris believed people weren't malicious, just forgetful.[40]

Lifeguards

The first lifeguards were Carl V. Smith and Charles Wesley "Chic" Harley, an Ohio State University football player.[41][2] Ned Skinner was hired to be a lifeguard at the age of 13 and later worked at Zoo Park for over 20 years, becoming the full-time manager of Zoo Park by 1975.[42]

In 1919, Al Josephs, also known as "Old Dandy Joe," was the chief lifeguard at the pool. He had 35 years of lifeguard experience and had a connection with the park for 20 years. He previously was a lifeguard at Rockaway Beach, Long Island, New York, and later, a lifeguard at Coney Island, Atlantic City, Old Orchard Beach (Maine), and other locations. He told the Columbus Dispatch that he believed the pool had seen over 100,000 swimmers in the previous two years without a drowning incident. Josephs's assistant, Mike Pepe, was a former North High School football star and later employed at the Y.M.C.A. as a swimming instructor. Frank Dunigan, an expert swimmer and diver, was Josephs's second assistant.[43]

Additional Injuries

Dora Young sustained a broken arm in a fall at the Swimming Pool on July 5, 1919.[44]

Discrepancies

Some sources say the pool was only 300 by 80 feet91.44 by 24.4 meters when it opened.[3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Hyatt, Shirley. 2009. Clintonville and Beechwold. Arcadia Publishing.
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 "New Park Pool Second Largest of Its Kind in United States." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. July 15, 1917. Page 42.
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 "Olentangy Park." The News Gazette (Reynoldsburg, Ohio). Vol. 10. Issue 21. May 24, 1917. Page 2. Accessed through Newspapers.com https://archive.org/details/newsgazette1917000news/page/n71/
  4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 Barret, Richard E. "Olentangy Park: Four Decades of Fun." Columbus and Central Ohio Historian No. 1. April 1984. Page 11.
  5. ↑ 5.0 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 "Pool Prospects." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. June 3, 1917. Page 52.
  6. ↑ Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. Sanborn Map Company, - 1922 Vol. 3, 1922, 1922. Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn06656_008/.
  7. ↑ General Map, The Olentangy Amusement Co., Columbus, Ohio, 1924.
  8. ↑ 8.0 8.1 8.2 Cherrington, H. E. "Ohio In Pageantry And Some Other Play Topics." The Columbus Dispatch. June 22, 1930. Page 52.
  9. ↑ "Items From Olentangy." Columbus Evening Dispatch. July 21, 1917. Page 12.
  10. ↑ "Real Opening of Park Season." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. May 26, 1918. Page 41.
  11. ↑ "Bathing Pool Open This Week." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. May 19, 1918. Page 5.
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 "Fast Check System." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. June 8, 1919. Page 69.
  13. ↑ "Guarding the Pool." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. July 27, 1919. Page 61.
  14. ↑ "Olentangy Park Filled Early with Families Invited for the Day as Guests of Newspaper." Columbus Evening Dispatch. June 16, 1937. Page 1.
  15. ↑ "Many of the G. A. R. Swim." Columbus Evening Dispatch. Sept. 11, 1919. Page 28.
  16. ↑ "North Entrance Popular." The Columbus Dispatch. July 27, 1920. Page 24.
  17. ↑ Heinlaen, Leo. 1934. "Letter from Olentangy Park to Kennywood." Historic Pittsburgh. April 11, 1934. Accessed on May 14. 2022. https://historicpittsburgh.org/islandora/object/pitt%3A20210510-hswp-2029
  18. ↑ "Intramural Swim Meet to Be Held at Olentangy." Ohio State University (Columbus, Ohio). May 25, 1927. Page 1.
  19. ↑ "Haenleins Plan Opening in May." The Billboard. Vol. 41. Issue 15. April 13, 1929. Page 60.
  20. ↑ "Olentangy Park." The Billboard. Aug. 15, 1925. Page 134. Accessed through Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/sim_billboard_1925-08-15_37_33/page/134/mode/2up
  21. ↑ Cherrington, H. E. "Looking Backward at Park and Forward to Film Season." The Columbus Dispatch. Nov. 9, 1930. Page 6-F.
  22. ↑ Foster, Emily. "Bob and Carol Pattin, 1930s and 1940s north side residents, on Olentangy Park." The Ohio State University District: A Neighborhood History. United States: History Press, 2014.
  23. ↑ Read, Dennis. "Olentangy Village pool: Closing a Clintonville landmark." Columbus Monthly. October 1999. Page 12. Accessed through Columbus Metropolitan Library. https://digital-collections.columbuslibrary.org/digital/collection/cbusmonthly/id/44030
  24. ↑ "Olentangy Pool to Remain." The Billboard. May 21, 1938. Page 42. Accessed through the Internet Archive. https://archive.org/details/sim_billboard_1938-05-21_50_21/page/42
  25. ↑ Franklin Survey Co. 1937. Map. City of Columbus, Franklin Co., Ohio. Vol. 1. Accessed through Ebay.com https://www.ebay.com/itm/235251834706
  26. ↑ Liebold, Chris. "Olentangy Amusement Park and Clinton-Como Park." Columbus Foundation Fellowship Programs. July 10, 2014. Blog. https://tcfsummerfellows.blog/2014/07/10/olentangy-amusement-park-and-clinton-como-park/
  27. ↑ Sanborn Fire Insurance Map from Columbus, Franklin County, Ohio. Sanborn Map Company, Vol. 3, - Mar 1951, 1951. 1939 Map. https://www.loc.gov/item/sanborn06656_014/.
  28. ↑ "Pool Is Open to Public." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. June 6, 1920. Page 6.
  29. ↑ 29.0 29.1 Heinlaen, Leo. 1925. "Letter from Olentangy Park to Kennywood." Historic Pittsburgh. Jan. 9, 1925. Accessed on May 14, 2022. https://historicpittsburgh.org/islandora/object/pitt:20210510-hswp-2052
  30. ↑ "Grand Stand at Park Pool." The Columbus Dispatch. June 12, 1920. Page 12.
  31. ↑ "Diving Beauties at Park." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. June 13, 1920.
  32. ↑ "For Swimmers and Spectators." The Columbus Dispatch. June 17, 1920.
  33. ↑ "Diving Girl at Park Pool." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. June 20, 1920. Page 26.
  34. ↑ Advertisement. The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. June 20, 1920. Page 7.
  35. ↑ "Bargain Swimming Tickets." Columbus Evening Dispatch. July 31, 1918. Page 18.
  36. ↑ "Free Circus and Concerts." Columbus Evening Dispatch. Aug. 5, 1919. Page 22.
  37. ↑ "Pool for Olentangy." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. March 25, 1917. Page 48.
  38. ↑ "Big Park Is Opening." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. May 27, 1917. Page 49.
  39. ↑ "Workmen are Injured." The Columbus Evening Dispatch. June 8, 1917. Page 3.
  40. ↑ "Suits Disappear." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. Aug. 19, 1917. Page 58.
  41. ↑ Wittenmeier, Jack. "Starling's 'Smitty' Wraps Up 53-Year Coaching Career." South Side Leader. June 13, 1963. Page 7. Accessed through the Internet Archive https://archive.org/details/southsideleader100hart_4/page/n397
  42. ↑ Stout, Ned. "Zoo Park Season Starts with Look to Past." Columbus Dispatch. April 23, 1975. Page C-1.
  43. ↑ "Guarding the Pool." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. July 27, 1919. Page 5.
  44. ↑ "Sustains Broken Arm." The Columbus Sunday Dispatch. July 6, 1919. Page 6.


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