GAINESVILLE, FL (352today.com) – Once a shining gem among North Florida’s natural springs, Glen Springs was for decades a local hub for swimming, summer escapes and community gatherings. Today, what remains is a quiet ravine, overgrown pools and a murky echo of what once was.
An historic swimming oasis
First developed in the 1920s after spring-lover Cicero Addison Pound Sr. purchased the land, Glen Springs quickly became Gainesville’s premier public pool. Architect Guy Fulton designed the initial springhouse and bathing facilities, which included a spring-fed pool that tapped a strong natural boil from the aquifer–ideal for clear, cool water.
By 1940, the facility expanded to three pools, including deep sections up to 8 feet, a high-dive platform and a shallow pool for children. The springhouse boasted locker rooms, showers and an upper-floor dance hall, jukebox and concession stand. At its height, Glen Springs hosted birthday parties, Boy and Girl Scout outings, swimming lessons, traveling carnivals and even novelty events including a mermaid show. Locals and visitors alike made it a regular summer ritual.
The pool played a role beyond leisure: The swimming team of the nearby University of Florida occasionally practiced there before their own campus pool opened in 1930–underscoring how central Glen Springs once was to Gainesville’s aquatic life.
Decline begins, access ends
In 1970, a combination of changing water-quality regulations, the growth of city-owned pools and environmental concerns led to the closure of public swimming at Glen Springs. The site was sold to Gainesville Elks Lodge #990, which repurposed the spring area for private use and discontinued public bathing…