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When you think of Louisville Water, do you think of a swimming pool?
Maybe not, but back in the early 1900s, many Louisvillians did.
Next to the Crescent Hill Reservoir and Gatehouse, where the coagulation basins are today, was Reservoir Park. Reservoir Park had become a dumping ground for the mud discarded when the reservoir was built.
As Louisville Water invested more money in its pumping stations and filtration plant, the park became an afterthought.
That’s when Louisville Water President Sebastian Zorn decided to build a giant community swimming pool in the heart of its water treatment facility. In July 1919, Crescent Hill Swimming Pool opened, becoming “one of the most attractive pleasure spots in Louisville.”
The early days
More than 500 people attended the opening ceremonies that included a band concert and a speech by Lt. Gov. Edward J. McDermott, who remarked: “Life is not merely for work, business and wealth; it is also for health, refinement and innocent pleasure.”
The pool ranged in depth from three to nine feet and held 1.2 million gallons of water. It was built to have a constant flow of water and cleaned twice a day to ensure the facility was sanitary. Guests were also required to rent bathing suits at the pool to ensure swimmers were wearing clean swimwear before entering the pool. The pool quickly became a popular summertime attraction for many young people.
Fond memories
One person who remembers spending much of his childhood at the Crescent Hill Pool is Albert “Buddy” Sattich, a Louisville native and former Crescent Hill resident.
“I had an awful lot of fond memories swimming at the original Crescent Hill pool,” Sattich said. “It was just fabulous.”
Sattich said he would arrive early with a friend and help clean the pool’s skimmer to get in for free. Afterwards, he’d often stay until nine o’ clock, enjoying the large pool and diving boards.
“Sometimes in the middle of the summer, we would get in around noon, and we would swim until nine o’clock at night,” Sattich said. “And then we’d walk home, and of course, there were rings around all the streetlights because of the chlorine that was in your eyes. But we had a great time.”
Sattich remembers the snack bar selling “penny” candy, ice cream bars, and soft drinks for around five cents. The men’s changing rooms were open-air with wooden benches and metal wire baskets for storing clothes. He recalled the women’s changing rooms being a little more elaborate and enclosed. Women wore white swimming caps and full bathing suits.
“And there were no bikinis,” Sattich joked.
Closing the pool
After more than 30 summers of providing many happy memories to young people like Sattich, leaks formed in the pool’s bottom.
By the early 1950s, it was deemed too costly to repair and Louisville Water needed the space to increase its production capabilities. The pool closed after the 1953 season, but not without a public outcry to keep this gathering spot from closing. The city built three new open-air pools: Crescent Hill, which is now known as Mary T. Meagher Aquatic Center; Algonquin Park; and Wyandotte Park.
The pool became etched in his memory as a symbol of his youth in the neighborhood. So, when Louisville Water closed the pool, it was a huge disappointment to Sattich.
“The new pool wasn’t anywhere close to this pool,” Sattich said. “It was a good size pool, but it wasn’t anywhere close to (Crescent Hill Pool) whatsoever. It was a lot smaller, a lot smaller.”
Sattich lived in the Crescent Hill neighborhood for most of his life, growing up going to the Water Works with his mother, working at nearby local businesses like Meisburg Drugstore, which is now Hillcrest Tavern, and playing in pipes owned by Louisville Water.
“We would play just due north of the big settling tank,” Sattich said. “And the Louisville Water Company stored their excess pipes there. They had pipes about five feet in diameter. And we would play hide and seek.”
Creating a community gathering place
Though not a pool anymore, the Crescent Hill Reservoir and Gatehouse has continued to serve as a gathering place for the community. Walkers and runners enjoy the scenic loop. Photographers love capturing its architectural beauty. And Louisville Water loves welcoming its customers for community events like “Walking Wednesdays.”
Louisville Water just started a multi-year project, the Reservoir Relining Project, to preserve the reservoir and continue serving the community for years to come.
Significant repairs were made in the late 1990s and early 2000s, including securing the grassy perimeter around the reservoir and installing a heavy-duty liner. Now it’s time to replace that liner.
You can follow along with the progress and sign up for email updates at LouisvilleWater.com/ReservoirReliningProject/.
