- City:
- El Cerrito, CA
- Site Type:
- Parks and Recreation, Swimming Pools
- New Deal Agencies:
- Work Relief Programs, Works Progress Administration (WPA)
- Started:
- 1938
- Completed:
- 1939
- Designer:
- Harold Piatt
- Contractors:
- Harry D. Chapman (Engineer), Homes and Children's Alliance (Project co-sponsor)
Description
Originally known as Camp Berkeley, what is now Camp Herms contains a WPA swimming pool with dressing and shower rooms. The style was influenced by Mayan architecture.
“The year 1938 marked the inauguration of a program of extensive improvements at Camp Herms…
The City of El Cerrito sponsored the project and the City Engineer was to act as liaison between the W.P.A. and the council…
The W. H. Gibson Foundation gave the council $2,500 for the construction of a pool and the Scout Executive accepted the responsibility of raising approximately $125,000 in cash and materials for the project. This included the swimming pool, widening of the quarry area, sloping the quarry walls, erection of a number of buildings, rebuilding some buildings already partially constructed, landscaping the area, building rock walls, planting trees and shrubs, construction of water lines, and fencing of camp.
Groundbreaking ceremonies for the pool were conducted February of 1938 and from then on, the work proceeded rapidly. The digging of the trench from the pool to the west of camp was most difficult as it had to be dug from solid rock most of the way and reached a depth of approximately 12 feet at the outlet…
During 1939 the swimming pool was completed (the stone being taken from the quarry walls to the southeast of the quarry), also the director’s dwelling and the double garage with a work pit and underground gasoline storage tank. A 4-inch water line was installed from Arlington Avenue to the pool.” (Lindblad)
Source notes
Berkeley Daily Gazette, page 8, February 10, 1938 Lindblad, Victor: Scout Executive for the Boy Scouts of America. “Some Historical Data on Camp Herms” (1958) (Re-published by George Fosselius)Site originally submitted by Tim Montgomery on June 24, 2014.
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Gabe Bruce
A wonderful recreational site, it’s a shame that it has fallen into disuse. What kind of resources would be needed to make it functional again?