Salt Pool-Fritzlar Mineral Springs on Bismark Ave (Buchanan Rd). in the wintertime. From Evansville Living, Around 1886, an oil well drilled along Pigeon Creek found salt water instead of oil. In 1892, Dr. William Rahm opened a health park, known as the Salt Well Baths and Bathing Pool, on the site. The flow of water from the artesian well was used to feed a wood-sided pool along the creek. Carriages ran from the streetcar stop at Cooks Park on West Maryland Street to deliver bathers to the pool. In 1896, Dr. William Cluthe purchased the property. (The back of the original photograph for MSS 091-069 alludes to this, saying, Cluthe bought 13 acres from Billy Rahm.) The pool reopened under the name Fritzlar Mineral Springs, in honor of his parents golden wedding anniversary in Fritzlar, Germany. Male and female guests could swim or partake of the healthy waters under the supervision of Dr. C.F. Cluthe. Swimming instructors were always available at the pool. In 1900, a new pool was constructed farther up the hill. This pool was made of concrete with a basin that slopped down to four feet for children and non-swimmers. A rail at that point separated the shallow end from the eight-foot pool. What made the pool popular was salt water flowing from the 1,586-foot well at 80 gallons per minute. The water, twice as salty as seawater, remained at a constant temperature of 74 degrees. In 1910, the Big Four Railroad began construction of a track through the property. Most of the old pool was buried and bathers now had to contend with the noise and smoke from steam locomotives. Advertising for the pool emphasized the ocean-like experience with names like, The Ocean at Evansville and Evansvilles Inland Surf. Americas entry into World War I resulted in a name change for the pool. The too-German-sounding Fritzlars Mineral Springs became the, Salt Pool. Despite the opening of a salt-water pool at nearby Cooks Park and the start of the Great Depression, the Salt Pool was still the place for pool parties and picnics. The sudden closure of the pool in 1937 was a result of the salt spring abruptly running dry. The William Rahm given as founder of this salt pool was likely a great-uncle to the originator of this collection. The Charles and William Cluthe were her father and grandfather, respectively.