Friends of Legion Pool want historic Legion Pool repaired and
maintained to the level such an historical, beloved place deserves. We have also been lobbying to extend the
season so that
today's students can enjoy
the same experience that generations of Bulldogs have enjoyed.
It was built in or around
1935 by Allen R. Fleming Post #20 of the American Legion using federal
grant funding from the Works Progress Administration, a New Deal agency
that employed millions of workers to carry out public works projects
across the country during the Depression.Touted as one of the nation's the largest and most
beautiful swimming pools, the Legion Pool and
associated facilities were designed by architect C. Wilmer Heery of
Atlanta and erected at an approximate cost of $75,000. When the
University of Georgia offered to purchase the pool and the surrounding
acreage from the American Legion in 1952, Judge Henry West of the Clarke
County Superior Court reviewed the offer and noted that Legion was “one
of the largest outdoor pools in the South,” and that it was in “more or
less the nature of a trust,” built to serve the citizens of Athens. The
sale was finalized two years later. As one of the few remaining WPA
pools, Legion Pool and its attendent buildings are unique. We need to preserve them for future generations to use and study.
Legion Pool has continued to be a
beloved community gathering place for students, faculty and staff as
well as community members for close to ninety years. As the testimonials
here prove, Legion Pool offers true community and wellness. There is no
better place for students to increase their well-being---they just
need it to be open for them. There is no reason to destroy an
historic, beloved, community gathering place to serve students. They
would be well served if the pool was open when they were on campus.
You might notice that this website is a little retro! That's because we
have been fighting to save this pool since 2012!
