Fleishhacker Pool

Fleishhacker Pool
General information
Town or city	San Francisco, California
Country	United States
Construction started	1924
Completed	1925
Demolished	2000

Fleishhacker Pool, the largest swimming pool in the United States, was located in the far southwest corner of the city of San Francisco, California next to the zoo for 47 years. Its major claim-to-fame was that it was said that it could be seen from space.

Construction

It was built by philanthropist and civic leader Herbert Fleishhacker in 1924, and opened April 23, 1925. The pool measured 300 m (1,000 ft) by 45 m (150 ft), held 23 million litres (6 million gallons) of seawater, and accommodated 10,000 bathers. The pool was so large the lifeguards required kayaks for patrol, and was used by the military for drills and exercises. The unheated waters of the pool were provided by a series of pumps and piping at high tide, directly from the Pacific Ocean, 200 metres away. There was also a diving pool measuring 15 m (50 ft) square and 5 m (16 ft) deep and a two tiered diving tower.

Decline

After years of deterioration and absence of modern operational systems, the pool did not meet health and safety standards and closed in 1971. Consideration was given to refurbishing and reopening the historic landmark, but usage studies showed low interest, and the high annual operating costs could not be offset with the expected revenue.

Loss of a landmark

In 1999, the San Francisco Zoological Society was granted ownership of the pool house, and it is not known what might become of it. The swimming pool itself was filled with rocks and gravel, with the space now serving as a parking lot for the zoo.

External links

• List of 26 photos of Fleishhacker Pool at Library of Congress