The Salt Water Natatorium right after it was built.

This next photo is the Salt Water Natatorium from an angle I have never seen before. You can clearly see the Pavilion off to the right. I think in the background you can see the Ouachita River, which gives you an idea how close it was to the river!

A Stunt at the Natatorium

Yep. Stunts like the above were all the rage in the 20's. This particular one happened in 1928. His second attempt was more successful. He exceeded his old record of 72 hours by fifteen minutes. He was dug up, the "coffin" carried to the Pavilion and opened. Steely was a little weak and shaky, but … Continue reading A Stunt at the Natatorium →

Windmill at Forsythe

Did you know that Forsythe Park once had a big windmill? It was built to hide something. In the February 20, 1930 issue of the Monroe News-Star was the following article: Windmill at Forsythe Monroe citizens yesterday read with approval that the city is building a rustic windmill enclosing the salt water well at Forsythe … Continue reading Windmill at Forsythe →

Monroe Natatorium Salt Water Pipe.

https://louisianadigitallibrary.org/islandora/object/oplib-orv%3A61 This postcard shows one of the pipes that filled the Natatorium pool, probably taken in the 1910's. If you look close, you can also see the steam/gas coming out. It was a novelty when the well was first discovered to light the gas and see water and fire coming from the same pipe!

Riverside Pavilion at the Salt Water Natatorium

This is the second postcard I bought. This, of course, is the Riverside Pavilion at the Salt Water Natatorium. I have written about it's history before. What caught my eye was the angle of the photo and the signs. In the foreground is the water slide into the pool. Ladies and gents sit along the … Continue reading Riverside Pavilion at the Salt Water Natatorium →

An unusual view of the Salt Water Pool

This photo: https://www.louisianadigitallibrary.org/islandora/object/lsu-sea-pvc%3A639 probably doesn't look like much to you. It shows a mostly empty swimming pool. What caught my eye, was that it was the Salt Water Natatorium out at Forsythe back in 1922. It shows very clearly how deep the pool was. They were having problems with harmful insects breeding in the water … Continue reading An unusual view of the Salt Water Pool →

“Moving Pictures of Monroe, La.”

I found this article in The Shreveport Times, August 18, 1913 and it made me ill! I want to see this SO BAD! The Palace Theatre (note: Not the Monroe Palace Theater) has the following announcement: Moving pictures of Monroe, La.; the Salt Water Natatorium and street scenes of Monroe and the Saenger enterprises of … Continue reading “Moving Pictures of Monroe, La.” →

Riverside Pavilion at the Saltwater Natatorium

This is a great closeup of the pavilion that once stood at the old natatorium. From the clothing, I would guess this dates to the teens. The pavilion was used as a theater and party venue until it burned. Notice the gas lamps used to light the pool at night!

A Monroe Travel Guide

This little brochure was printed in the early 1920's. It showcased to businesses and travelers what Monroe had to offer. I copied the front cover and a couple of pages for you to see.

Salt Water Natatorium Flood, 1912

Very interesting shot of the flooded Salt Water Natatorium at Forsythe park, dated 1912. The pavilion would eventually be lost to a fire, but it would be another flood, the 1932 flood, that would ultimately take out the natatorium. It was decided Monroe needed a levee system and the pool was covered over.