- City:
- Austin, TX
- Site Type:
- Parks and Recreation, Swimming Pools, Bathhouses
- New Deal Agencies:
- Work Relief Programs, Works Progress Administration (WPA)
- Started:
- 1935
- Completed:
- 1936
- Designer:
- Dan Driscoll and Delmar Groos (Bathhouse)
Description
The spring-fed Deep Eddy Swimming Pool was originally built in 1916 as part of a private resort on the banks of the Colorado River called “Deep Eddy Bathing Beach.” The City of Austin purchased the resort on May 31, 1935 to use as a park. Early June 1935 saw heavy rains and flooding in Central Texas with peak discharge along the Colorado River at Austin occurring on June 15. This flood destroyed all the buildings at the resort and filled the pool with debris.
The city quickly took advantage of New Deal funds for work relief projects. The Works Progress Administration provided $16,900.19 toward the $25,000 project, with the city providing the rest. The project included a new bath house, limestone stairway, retaining wall and cleaning and repair of the pool. The project broke ground on October 5, 1935 and the pool was open for business the following summer.
The bathhouse, originally dedicated in July 1936, was rehabilitated in 2006-2007 and rededicated in June 2007. Deep Eddy Bathing Beach was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on June 23, 2003.
Source notes
Austin City Council Meeting Minutes - May 31, 1935 https://www.austintexas.gov/edims/document.cfm?id=118301 Texas Historic Sites Atlas https://atlas.thc.state.tx.us/view_narrative.aspx?narrative=03000560.htm&title=Deep%20Eddy%20Bathing%20Beach&filepath=E:atlas_textnr_listedhtmlSite originally submitted by Larry Moore on May 25, 2014.
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Maria Christina flores
Shelley H
Is there a book citizens can reference with new deal public pool design guidelines? The Barton springs pool boathouse is about to be rehabbed. Some of us swimmers want to be sure the 1940’s design ethic is maintained. Any help you can offer would be greatly appreciated.
Hi Maria Christina, if you have not found what you’re looking for, you might try Austin architects with experience in restoration of historic park and pools, for example Laurie Limbacher and Al Godfrey of Limebacher & Godfrey (Deep Eddy Bathouse renovation architects), Jana McCann at McCann Adams Studio (Govalle Pool architect, WPA-era-inspired park designs), and Emily Little (Pease Park Tudor Cottage renovation) and groups like Preservation Austin. They may have been able to access resources like the one you mention for some of their projects.