- City:
- Fargo, ND
- Site Type:
- Parks and Recreation, Swimming Pools
- New Deal Agencies:
- Work Relief Programs, Works Progress Administration (WPA)
- Completed:
- 1939
- Quality of Information:
- Good
Description
Fargo, North Dakota’s Island Park swimming pool complex was originally constructed by the federal Works Progress Administration (WPA) in 1939.
On Decoration Day in 1941, a new swimming pool in Fargo, North Dakota opened its doors to residents for the first time. Built by the WPA, the pool – 165 feet long by 100 feet wide – was designed by the architectural firm of Braseth and Houkom. The complex included spectator bleachers and a filter system able to process 600,000 gallons of pool water every six hours.
The pool offered a beautiful outdoor setting for a spring or summer dip. During the winter months, part of the facility operated as a warming house for an adjacent outdoor skating rink. Over the course of its first season, nearly 50,000 attendees visited the pool. It is still operating in Fargo today.
Source notes
National Register of Historic Places nomination form:
https://history.nd.gov/hp/PDFinfo/MPDF%20Complete%20Rev%2010_2010.pdf
(page 66).
FG Storrs, “New Swimming Pool at Fargo,” Parks and Recreation, May 1942.
Site originally submitted by Evan Kalish on January 23, 2015.
At this Location:
Contribute to this Site
We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal site.
Submit More Information or Photographs for this New Deal SiteOne comment on “Island Park Swimming Pool – Fargo ND”
Join the Conversation
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Carolyn M Boutain
The pictures on this page represent the front of an arena built by the WPA project.
There is another structure at Island Park built by the WPA that was the site of the original pool. This is not the original pool site.