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Swimming in Bluffton one century ago

Once upon a time in Bluffton, if swimming was the plan, this was the scene.

The photo, enlarged from a snapshot taken in the early 1920s shows the Buckeye from the south bank looking north.

The building in the photo is very near the location of today's shelter house.

The "pool" had a slide and diving board platform (on the right), and a dressing area. Missing from the scene is a float (raft) with two barrels underneath.

A wire stretched across from the slide to the south bank, separating the shallow swimming area from the deep end. Only adults were allowed to swim in the deep end.

The man standing on the far right is Steiner Geiger, pool manager. It is possible that his sister, Mabel, standing next to him.

Fred Steiner's mother, Maragaret (Hahn) Steiner, said that swim lessons were offered here. She said that instructors would tie a rope around the young swimmer as a safety net.