Property Record
1212 CHARLES ST
Architecture and History Inventory
| Historic Name: | Legion Park Bathhouse and Swimming Pool |
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| Other Name: | |
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| Reference Number: | 233589 |
| Location (Address): | 1212 CHARLES ST |
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| County: | Brown |
| City: | De Pere |
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| Year Built: | 1962 |
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| Additions: | |
| Survey Date: | 2017 |
| Historic Use: | bath house/restroom facility |
| Architectural Style: | Contemporary |
| Structural System: | |
| Wall Material: | Brick |
| Architect: | Ralph H. Burke, Inc. (Chicago) |
| Other Buildings On Site: | |
| Demolished?: | No |
| Demolished Date: |
| National/State Register Listing Name: | Not listed |
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| National Register Listing Date: | |
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| Additional Information: | Faced with brick, this one-story bathhouse is topped with a flat roof with a wide, overhanging eave. Exposed pre-cast concrete supports vertically articulate much of the building’s exterior; narrow, clerestory lighting is located immediately beneath the roof overhang. Two pair of steel doors are located along the rear (south side) of the building, while glass double doors are found along the pool-facing elevation. A standard pool and decking is located to the north of the bathhouse, while a wading pool is located to the northwest. West of the bathhouse is an open pergola. A metal fence encloses the pool facilities, with the bathhouse forming the rear enclosure. The Legion Park Bathhouse and Pool was built between 1961 and 1962. Consideration for the construction of swimming pool facilities began in De Pere as early as 1948; however, serious advancement towards the goal did not occur until 1955, when annual tax monies from a mill were set aside for it. As of March 1957, the city council provided the necessary authorization to the Board of Public Works to request bids for the construction of not just one but two outdoor pools (measuring 35 feet x 75 feet); one to be built in Legion Park on De Pere’s east side and the other in VFW Park on the west side. This decision followed consideration toward building one larger pool; however, its potential location presented issues. In January 1958, the city council voted for the construction of a pool and bathhouse in VFW Park. The concrete block bathhouse and pool were completed by July, with an anticipated opening on the 4th of July. Poor weather, however, delayed its opening until the following day. Plans for an east side swimming pool in Legion Park were reintroduced in late 1960. Following the appropriation of $150,000, as well as $34,000 from the De Pere War Memorial fund, the new pool facility was to include an enclosed bathhouse that included a heating plant so that the facility would be usable year-round (for skaters in the winter). Council members met with J. L. Donaghue of Ralph H. Burke Inc., of Chicago (engineers-architects) to discuss the plans and the potential for some modifications to cut costs. Donaghue indicated that the cost-saving measures would likely not provide any ultimate savings when paired with the proposed concessions under consideration. As a result, the council voted to approve the original plans, which also included accommodations for concessions, as well as a wading pool. Cost for the pool and bathhouse, including architect/engineering fees, amounted to over $186,000. Construction of the pool by local contractor Theodore Brozyna began in late 1961; in fact, later than anticipated. As a result of the delays, as well as additional state building code requirements (which required design changes), an additional $5,000 was added to the overall construction tab. The pool ultimately opened on the 4th of July under the direction of Pool Director Charles Smith. Like the VFW pool, season tickets were available to De Pere city residents. Non-city residents could also use the facility at the following single-day prices: 15 cents for ages 11 and under; 25 cents for ages 12 to 18; and 35 cents for adults. By the early 1980s, both pool facilities were in poor condition. Updates were made first to the Legion Park pool in 1986, with renovations to the VFW pool completed in 1987, with the latter including a substantial upgrade to the bathhouse, which incorporated walls of ribbed concrete. In 2014, an evaluation of the pool facilities was undertaken, at which time it was determined that both pools were, again, in very poor condition. Cost estimates to bring both facilities back to an acceptable level were estimated at $1.2 million. Although that cost was, in fact, less than building a new, single aquatics center, the amenities associated with the latter (including a zero-depth pool entry and water slides) would far outweigh the former. In 2016, studies were completed in order to determine the best location for such a facility—one that was accessible from both sides of the river. In February 2017, the De Pere Park Board voted 5-1 to support the future construction of a new aquatics center facility in VFW Park on the city’s west side. |
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| Bibliographic References: | 2017 citations for material included in the Additional Comments below: “Two Swimming Pools Ordered for De Pere,” Green Bay Press-Gazette, 13 March 1957, 31; “VFW Park is Voted Swimming Pool Site,” and “Pool to be Ready About July 1,” Green Bay Press-Gazette, 29 January 1958, 22; “City Council Meets Tonight on Pool Bids,” Green Bay Press-Gazette, 25 February 1958, 25; “Water Delays Opening at De Pere,” Green Bay Press-Gazette, 5 July 1958, 12. “Mayor Proposes New Main Office Site,” Green Bay Press-Gazette, 14 December 1960, 30; “Council Meets With Designer of Swimming Pool,” Green Bay Press-Gazette, 24 June 1961, 18; “Original Swim Pool Plans Win Approval,” Green Bay Press Gazette, 27 June 1961, 8; “Pool Contract Talks Slated This Evening,” Green Bay Press-Gazette, 20 September 1961, 20. “Extra Cost For Swim Pool Set at $5,000,” Green Bay Press-Gazette, 11 January 1962, 15; “July 4 Opening Set for Pool in Legion Park, Green Bay Press-Gazette, 2 July 1962, 12; “Swimming Pools Set Records; End Seasons,” Green Bay Press-Gazette, 1 September 1962, 7. Karil Van Boxtel, “De Pere Will Follow One Design for Pool Renovations,” Green Bay Press-Gazette, 5 April 1985, 4; “2014 Aquatics Facility Evaluation for City of De Pere, WI,” Prepared by MSA and WTI (2014), Available online at https://deperecitywi.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=1413&Inline=True, Accessed August 2017; Todd McMahon, “De Pere Looks to ID Site for New Pool,” Green Bay Press-Gazette, 3 February 2016; Todd McMahon, “Park Board favors VFW Park for De Pere Aquatic Center,” Green Bay Press-Gazette, 17 February 2017. |
| Wisconsin Architecture and History Inventory, State Historic Preservation Office, Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin |