Shelby  County,  Indiana

William  E.  Porter
Memorial  Swimming  Pool


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          Porter Pool is a pool that all elders and children will remember for years to come.  During World War I  William  E.  Porter  (son of  Enos  and Luella  Porter) served overseas as a Captain of Battery F. 326th Field Artillery.  He died at the age of 35 in Battlecreek, Michigan on July 5, 1925.  His body was returned to Fort Smith, Arkansas for burial in the Forest Park Cemetery.  His death records showed that he died of exhaustion.
          Enos Porter was shocked when he heard about his sons tragic death.  Mr. & Mrs. Porter wanted something they and Shelbyville could remember their son by.  In 1930 Mr.  William  Teal  a good friend of Enos Porter decided to donate the land where a grain elevator then stood for an public outdoor swimming pool.  Enos Porter also donated $40,000.00 to build the bathhouse and pool.
          Enos Porter was owner of the Porter Mirror and Glass Company along with his son who owned the Porter Steel Specialties in Fort Smith, Arkansas.  Enos was in many clubs and organizations such as:  Odd Fellows, Els, Blue River Countyr Club, and the Columbia Club of Indianapolis.  He died of a long illness on February 7, 1938.  He was buried in Forest Hill Cemetery of Shelbyville as well as his wife, Luella, who died in 1930.  This was the year the pool was dedicated.
          The following is an article from The Shelbyville News on Aug. 8, 1998:

Pool history

1920s
   Community anxiety builds up about dangerous swimming along the rivers.  The community began expressing need for a healthy and safe pool.
Summer 1929
   American Legion offers to sponsor a drive to raise funds for a pool.
August 1929
   Mr. and Mrs. Enos Porter offered $40,000 for building an outdoor pool in memory of their son, William.
January 1930
   The heirs of William Teal offered a site north of the Teal home for the pool. The city accepted the offer.
March 1930
   A grain elevator where John Walker built the first mill in town was destroyed by fire. The Porters bought the ground for the city, enlarging the Teal site.
April 1930
   A special pool committee received 11 bids and awarded a contract to Shelby Construction Co., which bid $41,829. D.A. Bohlen was chosen as the architect. The pool was expected to be completed on July [illegible]
June 1930
American Legion Vicotry Post No. 70 accepted a contract from the city council to manage the pool.
July 4, 1930
   William A. Porter Memorial Swimming Pool was dedicated. The first general manager was John Johnson.
1932
   Pool manager and headlifeguard was Martin Nading Jr. The pool was open daily from 10a.m. to 10 p.m., and general admission was 25 cents for adults and 10 cents for children.
1955
   Pool management was turned over to the Shelbyville Parks and Recreation Department.
1958
   The Learn to Swim program began under the direction of Anna Catherine Hotopp.
1971
   There were 949 swimmers enrolled in six different Learn to Swim Classes, and 45 were enrolled in lifesaving classes. General admission was 25 cents for children 11 and under; 50 cents for 12 to 17-year-olds; and 75 cents for adults.
1975
   The concrete walls and floors were reinforced.
Early June 1977
   The showers in the pool's bathhouse were renovated and painted.
1981
   A water recycling system was installed at a cost of $3,780. Registration information for the 23rd annual Learn to Swim program was announced.
1983
   The sundeck expansion and fencing projects were completed.   Shirley Oeffinger was named manager of the pool.
March 1988
   The purchase of a $70,000 water slide was approved, and expanding the sundeck and purchasing a new water pump would be necessary . To Hlep offset the costs of the slide, admission rates were again changed. Swimmers age 5 and under were to be admitted free, and the charge for those 6 and older would be $1.50.
1992
   The Shelbyville Common Council ended the possibility of a $1.9 million pool project, which would have located a facility at the Porter Pool site.
Spring 1997
   The parks board considers closing Porter Pool for the summer and letting the community decide if the public pool is needed.
April 28, 1997
   The parks board voted to keep the pool open and establish a pool committee.
Sept. 9, 1997
   Shelbyville Central Schools donated 8 acres of land at 1516 S. Meridian St. to the Shelbyville Parks Department.
Dec. 22, 1997
   The parks board voted to issue $1.7 million worth of bonds to pay for a new pool at the Meridian Street location. The Shelbville Family Aquatics Center was set to be opened by July. The construction was estimated to be $2.1 million. Porter Pool would not open for the summer.
March 16, 1998
Due to a setback in constuction plans for the new pool, Porter Pool was voted to re-open for one last summer.
June 10, 1998
   Porter Pool opens for the final season, managed by Andy Johnson and Shirley Oeffinger.
Today
   Afternoon farewell party and evening cessation party will be held for all past and present lifeguards and employees of Porter Pool.
Sunday
   Porter Pool opens for its final day.

SOURCES : The Shelbyville Democrat, The Shelbyville News and previous Porter Pool lifeguards.


          In 1998 the Shelbyville Central School system donated the old high school football field to the Parks Department. This land was to be used to buld a new pool. That lead to the closing of the Porter Pool in the same year.
          The new pool is now open and called The Meridian Family Aquatic Center. The closing of Porter Pool will lead to an important decision that will have to be made. The Parks Department is now looking into what the possible uses are for the Porter Pool bathhouse and land. One possibility is a skating rink in which the bathhouse would be extended to form a large skating rink for Shelbyville use. We hope nobody will have to experience the tragic death and sadness of William E. Porter's family.

Written by,                                         
Chelsea Smock and Kate Kolls

Bibliography

Oliver, Beverly. Shelbyville: A Pictorial History. St. Louis: G. Bradley Publishing Inc., 1996
Holtkamp, Michelle. "Good-bye Porter Pool." The Shelbyville News, August 8, 1998.

This report was made for Mrs. Vaught's 4th Grade "Strive" program at Coulston Elementary School, Shelbyville, IN, Spring 2000.

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