Progressive planners equipped Greenbelt with the kinds of outdoor athletic facilities that only rich people could afford during the Great Depression. Greenbelt's original outdoor swimming pool opened on Memorial Day 1939. It was reportedly the only public pool in the state. Residents also enjoyed a handball court, tennis courts, horseshoe pits, playgrounds, and baseball diamonds. Local residents still play tennis and field sports beyond the swimming pool on Braden Field.

Greenbelt continues to offer superior recreational amenities. The City of Greenbelt reconsructed the outdoor pool entirely in 1988. The new pool features a graduated entrance area for small children, and a toadstool and slide for older children. The current Aquatic and Fitness Center opened in September 1991 with an olympic-size pool. The new building with the current entry way is attached to the right of the original bathhouse, which the city remodeled in 1993 to house a fitness center. Elements of the original bathhouse remain: Notice the three circular windows above the original entry way.

(Caption for photos on left side of marker)Swimmers enjoyed a high diving board and a long slide in the original pool. Photographs from circa 1950.
(Captions of photos on right side of marker)On hot summer days people flocked to the Greenbelt pool from the surrounding areas.

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Show me all markers in:  Greenbelt, MD  |  Prince George's County  |  20770  |  Maryland  |  United States of America

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City of Greenbelt
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