The Old Kutztown Pool

Nov 2

BY: JIM SCHLEGEL - 2020

The area that today is known as “North Park” is where the old Kutztown pool use to be. The history of the area as far as the Kutztown community is concerned, goes back to 1889.

There was a private water company known as “The Kutztown Water Company.” At this time in history the Borough of Kutztown did not provide potable water to the borough. The water was collected via springs, Kemp’s run, and an 800 foot deep well into a reservoir which later on became the area for the pool. Ironically, The Kutztown water company and pool were located in Maxatawny Township.

The water was then pumped up the hill via the pump house (the pump house later became the restaurant for the old pool) and a pipe line up the north side of reservoir hill to a reservoir on the top of the hill. As is today the water was gravity fed down the south side of reservoir hill into the Borough of Kutztown.

Today the Borough’s water is collected, treated, and pumped from the east side of Kutztown across town to the same hill to feed the town with potable water.

The Kutztown Water Company’s pump house was situated at the foot of Kutz’s Hill (Reservoir Hill) It was proximate to natural springs and Kemps Run ( a tributary to the Saucony Creek.) In addition there was an 800 ft deep artesian well with a daily flowing capacity of 100,000 gallons of water. A year after the borough purchased the Kutztown Water Company in 1917 the borough drilled a new well on the today Borough farm. The Borough built a new pumping station at this site and today this well along with 3 other wells provided potable water for the Borough of Kutztown and some of the surrounding area including Kutztown University. Long before plans to build the new pool in the early 1930’s, the pump house was no longer providing water for the town. The Pump house was converted into a restaurant / pavilion with old fashioned rest rooms near by…OUTHOUSES.

The reason the old pump house was converted into a restaurant a few years before the pool, was because the area was already a recreation area of some sort. There was ice skating and fishing at the first dam (Located by Deturks Bridge) and there was row boating, fishing and hiking on many nature trails including across modern day 737 on the Wagenhorst hill. (which today is still owned by the Borough of Kutztown)

In the early 1930’s the borough decided to build the pool. Some believe it was a WPA project , but it was done before the WPA act became a reality.

The pool was a joint venture between the Borough and the Kutztown Fire Company. The fire company was responsible for the full time operation and maintenance of the facility. This included filling, draining, scrubbing, and refilling the pool. In addition, operating the restaurant.

Pool–goers timed their visits accordly, as the water was the most uninviting on the several days prior to cleaning (By which point it had turned green and quite possibly a cesspool. Probably one of the reasons the state made the borough build a new pool with filters and chlorine treatments). And I do recall floaters going by and who knows how many folks decided to wizz in the pool instead of going to the nearby outhouses. Pool-goers also didn’t go immediately after when the pool was refilled with ice cold spring water. Even on the hottest day you froze your butt. There were less girls than boys attending on those early refill days for certain obvious reasons that won’t be mentioned here.

As was mentioned before, long before the site for the pool was chosen to be a pool the area was somewhat of a recreation area. At the first dam there was fishing, row boating, swimming, picnicking, and in the winter ice skating. In addition there were hiking trails all over the area and even up on Wagenhorst hill. (today the borough still owns most of Wagenhorst hill)

The pump house was no longer in use by the Borough to pump water up to the reservoir so it was converted into a restaurant and pavilion for the folks who spent time in the area enjoying themselves with the recreation that was made available to them. It was a natural to develop the area into a formal recreation area.

Swimming in the Saucony Creek and the First Dam. Some may be wondering about, Why the First Dam?

Here is a brief History:

Back before modern refrigeration, folks would keep there perishable food in ice boxes. So all over the country there were places that dams were established for the purpose of harvesting ice and selling it year round to folks with ice boxes.

Along the Saucony creek below Kutztown there were two dams and along the Mill Creek there was one dam. The purpose of these dams was to freeze ice in November, December, January, and February. The Ice would be harvested and placed in Ice storage buildings that were insulated with saw dust to prevent thawing. The ice was delivered to homes and businesses throughout the year from the late 1800’s to early 1900’s.

By now you pretty much know that this area was a recreation area for the folks of Kutztown and the surrounding areas. In 1929 the Great Depression came along. Many folks were unemployed. The WPA act was not passed and folks needed work so in 1931 the Borough and Fire Company planned to construct a swimming pool at the site of the old Kutztown Water Company site. The pump house was already a restaurant for the recreation area that existed.

On October 22, 1931, The Kutztown Fire Company purchased the land adjacent to the first dam. (This included a big portion of the Wagenhorst hill). With financial aid from the Borough Council, the pool was completed in August of 1932 at a cost of $26,064.55. The pool was a source of income and was operated by the Fire Company until 1963. (31 years of operation).

On Memorial day 1963 a new pool opened that was erected by the Borough of Kutztown along the Saucony Creek. (Inside the Borough just north of Normal Avenue). The town kids no longer had to drive their bikes to the old pool on a hot summer day to cool off. (I use to enjoy the bike ride to the old pool).

Excavation and construction put dozens of unemployed locals to work for the better part of two summers during the worst part of the Great Depression. After the earth moving equipment dug out a large and gently sloping oval bigger than most local farm ponds, four inches of stone were packed into the foundation. Then Windsor Service of Laureldale applied two layers with fine chips between the two outer layers. 30,000 gallons of asphalt paving cement were used to construct the pools sides and bottom. (Remember the balls of asphalt you could get from the bottom of the pool?) Later on a raft, dock and sliding board were installed. In the mid 1930s, a WPA project dug an extensive 10’ wide culvert or “Swale” down the hillside and lined it with closely – packed brick with out cement grout, just sand to fill the joints into the ground.

On August 18,1932 The Kutztown Patriot reported the following:

THRONGS AT OFFICAL OPENING OF POOL HERE TO SEE BEAUTY CONTEST AND TAKE A DIP!!

Mae Kemp chosen Miss East Penn Valley on Sunday at Dedication; Burgess Yoder accepts pool on behalf of Kutztown.

More than 500 bathers enjoy swim in pool.

Kutztown’s new swimming pool was officially opened with pump and ceremony on Sunday afternoon, with at least 5,000 people looking on and participating in the affair.

Automobiles poured onto the grounds in a steady stream from 12:30 to 2 o’clock, and the seating capacity of the grounds was overtaxed, even though more than 500 people took advantage of a swim in the pool, at no time during the afternoon could they supply the demand for baskets, in which to place clothing. Many were allowed to change clothing free of charge and place their clothing in their automobiles. (When you went to swim at the pool, you reported to the bath house to pay your admission fee and get a basket to put your clothing in. In addition you were issued a rubber band to put around your ankle to show that you payed to get into the pool. At the end of the day you surrendered your rubber band to claim your basket and clothing. And then you could shower and dress to go home.)

The affair began promptly with a short band concert by the Kutztown Band through the amplification system set up by George O’Neil. The music was carried to all parts of the grounds.

Mr. Seltzer, on behalf of the Kutztown Fire Company volunteer firemen, welcomed the people to Kutztown and the new pool. He thanked everyone for aiding the firemen in making the joyous event a success.

Burgess Harry B. Yoder addressed the crowd and said the following, “Fellow Citizens: It is a pleasure to be given the opportunity of saying a few words to such a large assemblage, gathered here for this momentous occasion of dedicating the swimming pool of the Borough of Kutztown. Tis true the pool has been opened for several weeks in which time thousands of men, women, and children enjoyed the swimming facilities. We are gathered here to dedicate this project of recreation to the future happiness and general welfare of our citizens and neighbors.”

Kutztown Patriot July 28, 1948: Cleaning of the pool!

Every other Monday evening between seven and midnight, the truck crew of the Kutztown Volunteer Fire Company cleans the swimming pool. Equipment includes a tractor with a rotary brush, plus hoses, and the two fire trucks. Chemical treatments include daily additions of chlorine. Bluestone is also added.

( So does anyone know what blue stone is and what was it for?)

The Cleaners include Chief Harry Knittle, Charles Saul, Charles Scheidt, George Wink, Walter Eck, Harry Hauck, Harold Siegfried, Llewellyn Eckert, Granville Sterner, Irwin Delcamp, Frances Deturk, Warren Haas, and Harold Epting.

The pool, one of the largest, if not the largest in the county, was in use from the latter part of May until Labor day. The peak attendance thus far was July 6th with an estimate that more than 2,500 went in swimming. It was June 6, 1932 that Borough Council decided to build the pool. In order to help unemployment conditions. Borough accounts show that $26,064.55 was spent on the project.

The committee included the following: Chairman Herbert Schlenker, Secretary Earl Moyer, Treasurer Charles Saul. Members Orville Hauck and John Dietrich. Myron Boyer was the manager, the lifeguards included Merville Lambert Jr. and Paul Kunkel. The regular crew comprised of Theresa Boyer, and Anna Merkel at the bath house, Rodney Moyer at the restaurant, and Jerome (Chups) Riegel was the handyman.

“Extras” who served were Roy Furguson, Special Policeman; Herbert Schlenker, ticket seller; Warren Grim, Arthur Wessner, and Warren Brobst; at the bath house; William Wessner Jr., Joan Boyer, Doris Lightcap, Barbara Bridge, Faye and Joyce Luckenbill, Marvin Schlenker, Barbara Boyer, Ruth Gromis, Joan Epting, Roane Lytle, Janice Rhoads, at the restaurant; Mrs Arthur Moyer, Denton Feick, Mrs. Irwin Delcamp, Mrs. Charles Lightcap, Mrs. Katherine Rhode, Mrs. Herbert Schlenker, Jacob Boyer, Harold Moyer, Joseph and Lewis Ferguson, Mrs. Byron Boyer, Mrs. Helen Schade, Mrs. Roy Furgson, Charles Lightcap, and Mary Furguson also were extras at the restaurant.

Who Remembers walking across the brick swale in the summer time to get from the pool to the restaurant and outhouses?

Remember How burning hot the bricks were and you would almost burn the soles of your feet?

In 2013 during the establishment of “North Park” the swale was restored by the late Bill Fox and many volunteers. The swale is the only original part of the pool’s infrastructure still in use.

The pool as was just described was a recreation area for the folks of Kutztown area for only 30 years. When owning to the preoccupation of sanitation and hygiene, the borough opened the Industrial Ave pool on Memorial Day 1963 (I can say I swam at the old pool the day it closed and I swam at the new pool the day it opened. I broke my left little toe the first day of the new pool.) It closed as a pool on Labor day 1962. The old pool was filled with sand to prevent accidental drownings and to adapt the site for the fire company to practice rescue drills for several years. But this was not the end of the story about this site. It was re purposed to different venues including the following; a BMX track, a borough junk yard, and most recently part of it was repurposed into a sewage treatment plant, and a nature park known as “NORTH PARK”.

Kutztown Patriot - July 15, 1982

Pssst! Have you heard the latest? Bicycle moto cross has arrived in Kutztown. July 4, marked the opening of Kutztown Rad Track, The area’s bicycle moto-cross track, located at the site of the old Kutztown swimming pool along 737 north of Kutztown.

The first day of racing at the Kutztown Rad Track was successful and great fun. In Addition to riders from the immediate Kutztown Area, participants hailed from Reading, Allentown, Lebanon, Phoenixville, Lansdale, Easton, and Philadelphia.

The beautiful area at the old swimming pool is now available for many people to enjoy in a family oriented sport. This was made possible by Kutztown Borough permitting the Kutztown Optimist Club to use the land for this project as well as through the generosity of local businesses, the Maxatawny Township supervisors, Kutztown borough council, plus the hard work of numerous individuals.

Come to the Kutztown Rad Track and enjoy the challenge and good sportsmanship involved in BMX racing, meet some really terrific people, and have a good time in the process.

According to Donald Sechler who was president of the Kutztown Optimist club during one of the years of the Optimist Club sponsorship. The club provided the food and maintenance of the operation. It operated for 4 years of under the sponsor ship of the club. 1982-85.

The track was then operated for 2 more years by the Southeastern BMX racing association. After that, the grounds went into a new era of dilapidation by the Brough's public works department.

For many years the borough just mowed the grass inside the confines of the old pool and race track. The borough would also use it for a storage area for derelict equipment and other junk. The old restaurant / pump house was torn down.

In the year 2008, the Borough of Kutztown hired the consulting firm of Yost Strodoski Mears of York PA, and Toole Recreation Planning of Doylestown, PA to come up with a “Master Park Plan” for the greater Kutztown Park System. The plan was paid for in part by a grant from the community, Conservation Park Partnership Program, Keystone Recreation, Park and Conservation Fund (under the administration of Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the Bureau of Recreation and Conservation.)

The plan included the old Kutztown Park, the trail system along the Saucony Creek, and the old Kutztown Pool site.

After many committee meetings made up of local citizens and Borough council members, the decision was made to recommend to Borough Council to move forward and turn the old Kutztown pool site into North Park.

In the years 2011-2013, North park was constructed with a PA/DCNR grant of $100,000.00 that the borough matched to create North park. This included new modern bathrooms (which are currently out of commission). Gazebos and picnic areas were built. Kiosk’s were built. Hiking trails installed.

It was finished in 2013

Since it’s creation a group called Kutztown Thriving and the local Boy Scouts have done many projects. It is really a neat repurpose for the old pool site. Everyday you can go there and see the park in use by many nature lovers and classes from both the Kutztown Area School District and Kutztown University. Fishing is still enjoyed at the old pool site.

In Addition to the park, Maxtawany Township Municipal Authority built a waste water treatment plant in the old parking lot.

Dedicated to the memory of all the folks who helped build, operate, swam, or just had a great time at the old Kutztown pool.

CREDITS

Kutztown area Historical Society

Sue Barron

Andy Bieber

Larry Burger

Jarrod Burkert

Dennis Fenstamacher

Lisa Eshelmann Foster

Jeff Geist

The late Nevin Hensinger