Princeton Swimming Pool (former) – Princeton MO

City:
Princeton, MO

Site Type:
Parks and Recreation, Swimming Pools, Bathhouses

New Deal Agencies:
Work Relief Programs, Works Progress Administration (WPA)

Completed:
1937

Quality of Information:
Moderate

Marked:
Yes

Site Survival:
Extant

Description

This large and unusual WPA-built swimming pool was begun in September, 1936 and was scheduled to be complete within 6 months.  It has an unusual fan-shape for the main large pool and an adjacent shallow pool.  The bathhouse/dressing rooms are within the rock faced building to the east of the pool.  At this time, a chain link fence surrounds the pool, though it is doubtful that it did originally.  It has an extensive filter system on side of the hill above the pool.  The filter has an active sand filter with additional layers of rock and sand above it to filter materials of different size.  Chlorine is added.  An additional tank of water is further up the hill and it is used to periodically flush the filter of debris.  As of 2015 that system is original. Unfortunately, the pool has since been abandoned.

Source notes

Daily Capitol News September 15, 1936, p. 3

Site originally submitted by Charles Swaney on June 26, 2015.

Location Info


Route 65
Princeton, Missouri 64673
Mercer County

Location notes: Pool is on Route 65 just south of town

Coordinates: 40.397010, -93.576030

Contribute to this Site

We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal site.

Submit More Information or Photographs for this New Deal Site

15 comments on “Princeton Swimming Pool (former) – Princeton MO

  1. Kristy Dow

    What’s the age that can go to Princeton, Mo. Public school without adult supervision?

  2. The pool is directly to the east of the bath house.

  3. I was told that during the 1930’s and 40’s, dances were held on the roof.

    • Bill Kincaid

      There was a walk-way on the south side of the building on top of the hill that you could walk over to the roof. And yes, they had functions on top of the roof back in the day. The walk-way was closed when i was a kid in the 70’s but it was still there. We use to sit on the hill next to the walk-way and watch the girls sunbathing.. 🙂

  4. Many wonderful Memories at that POOL !

  5. Swimming lessons early in the morning were FREEZING back in the day! I loved being able to go swimming here.

  6. Chuck Ross

    It’s were we spent the summers of our youth. So many great memories and happy days.

  7. My biggest memories is someone shoving me in the deep end ( I won’t mention any names RICK) and his big brother Jack pulling me out while the lifeguard sat on her perch! Still I did have a lot of fun.

  8. John Delameter

    Family reunions in the park ALWAYS followed by that ( can’t go in for an hour after you eat rule) then swim swim swim….

    another memory…….. My mom would occasionally drop us off at the pool while she did her “Trading” and would pick us up on her way back out of town. I have heard her say many times that she never know where in the park she would find Jerrie and Jo. But Twylia and Johnnie would always be in the pool

  9. Seth Gaines

    The pool has been abandoned. The bottom is starting to crack and come apart, and the doors from the bathhouse are hanging off the hinges.

  10. Seth Gaine, the pool has not been abandoned. The City has been looking into ways to have it repaired, It didnt open this season for safety reasons. If we can find an affordable way to repair the pool the City will do so, This is the first time I have ever known it not to be open. The City sure hated to not open but the safety of the public always takes precedence.

  11. Cheryl Mitchell

    I have a very vague memory of being in a little peddle chair in this pool around probably 1950. One of my earliest memories. No one to ask now what the occasion was, but suspect it might have been a church outing.

  12. Pretty good post. I found your website just right for my needs. Thanks for sharing the great information. Good Luck!

  13. Michael shriver

    Maaaaaaaan this is my childhood right here……I hope they get it back up n going I come home to visit from Colorado just to hit that pool haha best memories ever there

Join the Conversation

Please note:

  • We are not involved in the management of New Deal sites and have no information about visits, hours or rentals.
  • This page shows all the information we have for this site; if you have new information or photos to share, click the button above.

Your email address will not be published, shared, or sold.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Contribute to this Site

We welcome contributions of additional information on any New Deal project site.

Submit More Information or Photographs for this New Deal Site

15 comments on “Princeton Swimming Pool (former) – Princeton MO

  1. Kristy Dow

    What’s the age that can go to Princeton, Mo. Public school without adult supervision?

  2. The pool is directly to the east of the bath house.

  3. I was told that during the 1930’s and 40’s, dances were held on the roof.

    • Bill Kincaid

      There was a walk-way on the south side of the building on top of the hill that you could walk over to the roof. And yes, they had functions on top of the roof back in the day. The walk-way was closed when i was a kid in the 70’s but it was still there. We use to sit on the hill next to the walk-way and watch the girls sunbathing.. 🙂

  4. Many wonderful Memories at that POOL !

  5. Swimming lessons early in the morning were FREEZING back in the day! I loved being able to go swimming here.

  6. Chuck Ross

    It’s were we spent the summers of our youth. So many great memories and happy days.

  7. My biggest memories is someone shoving me in the deep end ( I won’t mention any names RICK) and his big brother Jack pulling me out while the lifeguard sat on her perch! Still I did have a lot of fun.

  8. John Delameter

    Family reunions in the park ALWAYS followed by that ( can’t go in for an hour after you eat rule) then swim swim swim….

    another memory…….. My mom would occasionally drop us off at the pool while she did her “Trading” and would pick us up on her way back out of town. I have heard her say many times that she never know where in the park she would find Jerrie and Jo. But Twylia and Johnnie would always be in the pool

  9. Seth Gaines

    The pool has been abandoned. The bottom is starting to crack and come apart, and the doors from the bathhouse are hanging off the hinges.

  10. Seth Gaine, the pool has not been abandoned. The City has been looking into ways to have it repaired, It didnt open this season for safety reasons. If we can find an affordable way to repair the pool the City will do so, This is the first time I have ever known it not to be open. The City sure hated to not open but the safety of the public always takes precedence.

  11. Cheryl Mitchell

    I have a very vague memory of being in a little peddle chair in this pool around probably 1950. One of my earliest memories. No one to ask now what the occasion was, but suspect it might have been a church outing.

  12. Pretty good post. I found your website just right for my needs. Thanks for sharing the great information. Good Luck!

  13. Michael shriver

    Maaaaaaaan this is my childhood right here……I hope they get it back up n going I come home to visit from Colorado just to hit that pool haha best memories ever there

Join the Conversation

Please note:

  • We are not involved in the management of New Deal sites and have no information about visits, hours or rentals.
  • This page shows all the information we have for this site; if you have new information or photos to share, click the button above.

Your email address will not be published, shared, or sold.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.