1923: THE "NATATORIUM" AT WOODLAWN PARK

Few people are familiar with the term "Natatorium" which was the strange description they appended to the swimming pool that was to become the Woodlawn Pool and ironically, would survive the closing of Hamilton's Woodlawn  Park.

1944: BEFORE IT BECAME THE WOODLAWN POOL

Many of us spent many hot summer days at the Woodlawn Pool over on Connecticut Avenue in the Bromley section of Trenton. The pool is no more, having been replaced by a number of vinyl clad homes.

SJBill said...

There were a lot of great local swimming spots way back when. Being a Burg kid, my Dad used to swim in the old "Water Power" off of S. Broad St. near where Capitol Motors was located. Dur ing my years, Woodlawn Pool was close enough for to get to by bicycle. During the late forties - early fifties, our family used to frequent Gropp's Lake. Some daredevils would always be diving from the S. Broad Street bridge. IIRC, there was a good pinball machine near the front entrance. Another great place was the Hiohela Sportland out in Pennington, but that was a drive away. Weren't the buildings all painted orange and black? My favorite was the old Hopewell Quarry - a beautiful, but very dangerous place. The water was cool, clean, clear and very deep. It was surrounded by high stone quarried-out walls that you could climb - barefoot, of course. WHen you jumped, you needed to get as much clearance as possible or pay dearly. The best place, from which we were innoculated by every toxin and bacteria known to man, was the Delaware River. From the railroad bridge to Philly, we swam and waterskiied every inch. Loved it! ;-)

Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Michael said...

SJ Bill: Those turbulent waters of the Deleware at the Old Docks below the Railroad bridge hold many memories for me also. As a charter member of the "South Trenton River Rats". It was a right of passage to get up on the Railroad bridge, in late spring with my buddies Joe Bastecki (now my brother in Law), Johnny (Ninny) Dvorak and his brother Stanley (Tyo) and jump off into the water below, but only after Chester Migut would clear the "Dog Boils" (foam) off the spot we aimed for. Another spot to swim was the "Island" just over The Trenton Makes Bridge" where swimming out to "Elephant Rock" was a fete to crow about! Don't forget the old canal feeder along the Deleware from Morrisville to Yardley and Black Rock; does anyone remember when it was referred too as "Dead Cow"? Lastly there was always the Gravel Pits ( the old Warner Site between Morrisville and Tullytown) Where many a young Trentonian lost his life on a hot humid summers night! Too deep, to big, and too remote a place to chance it for us little guys. Did it much later in life. Happy times to all. Mike Kuzma

We used to swim often at the Gravel Pits. I can remember going through that railroad tunnel (?) to get there.

Tom Glover

1924: GRAND OPENING OF WOODLAWN POOL

It was a most wonderful pool in its day. I was a regular visitor to that great old pool when it was known as "Woodlawn Pool," not a "Natatorium DeLuxe" as described in the broadside above, announcigy the opening of the pool on July 4, 1924. The pool is no more. There are 3 or 4 McMansions on the site today.

1940's Woodlawn Pool

Thanks to HHS '51 classmate Alice Schmidt Mullen for this photo of the Woodlawn Pool. Woodlawn opened up in 1923 as a "Natatorium," and was a feature of the Woodlawn Park which was located between South Logan Avenue, Connecticut Avenue, and Greenwood Avenue. The Lasek family were the most recent proprietors until just recently when the pool closed down. The property is now occupied by new homes. Thanks again, Alice....you're the best.