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UER Forum > Archived US: South > World's Largest Concrete Swimming Pool Plus Zoo and Cabins (Viewed 824 times)
allybeth13 






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World's Largest Concrete Swimming Pool Plus Zoo and Cabins
< on 5/25/2010 1:42 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Cisco, Texas was somewhat of a boomtown back in the day, until the railroad bypassed it and it began to slowly sink into west-Texas oblivion. ...Not that I was there to see it, but so the old folks have told me. Matter of fact, Conrad Hilton's first hotel venture was there, The Maberly. Word has it, he rode into town looking to buy a bank but someone instead talked him into buying a hotel. He did, he begat Paris, and the world has been a lesser place ever since. ...I digress...

The Maberly still stands proudly in Cisco's main square, as some sort of civic building. If you can get past the meth labs, it's actually a pretty little town; albeit one that's dying quickly. Anyone who's been to west Texas knows there is a void of entertainment so to rectify that back in the 1920's, the town built what was then purported to be the world's largest concrete swimming pool. It sat at the base of the dam (which is hollow-core, and is a crumbling exploration unto itself), and featured an island that housed a slide which delivered it's riders into the water via rolling cart. There was a built-in kiddie pool, and other in-pool accoutrement to please the visitors. The pool's scale is massive...it runs the entire width of the dam. At the water's edge stood a roller rink that has long-since burned. The pool sat in a valley of sorts and in the hillside next to it, a zoo was carved out of the boulders. The cages and stairways still remain, some still featuring wrought-iron bars.

Venture on to the top of the hill, and you will find about 8 or 10 abandoned stone cabins that look out over the lake, the pool, and the (still-functioning) country club on the other side of the hill. Mind your step, though, as one of the cabins is still occupied, I'm assuming by the country club's caretaker. Also in this complex at the top of the hill are the ruins of what appears to be a meeting lodge. From the top of the hill, you can venture out across the top of the dam. It's crumbling, so do watch your step. One side drops waaaaaaaaaaay down into the pool, and the other would basically be a high-dive into Lake Cisco. Venture down the steps at the end (beginning) of the dam, and you will see an entrance to the walkway that takes you through the hollow-core dam. Keep going around the pool below, and you'll also find the remains of an old miniature golf course. This whole area shut down in the mid-1970's, after Cisco had long been in a state of decline.

Be mindful that on this property is a somewhat-functioning water treatment facility, and a rattlesnake haven.

Below is an image of the pool, as seen from the dam. The kiddie pool is seen in the bottom right corner, with the island in the middle:
182990.jpg (34 kb, 448x336)
click to view


These are the pillars that the slide once rose from, as seen from the island:
182992.jpg (38 kb, 448x299)
click to view


This swingset stood in the shallow side of the pool, between the dam and the island:
182993.jpg (37 kb, 299x448)
click to view


This is the deep end of the pool, as seen from the island:
182994.jpg (39 kb, 448x299)
click to view


One of the zoo's cages:
182995.jpg (41 kb, 448x299)
click to view


One of the hilltop cabins:
182996.jpg (44 kb, 448x299)
click to view


This is an image of the lodge:
182991.jpg (30 kb, 336x448)
click to view


Atop the dam:
182997.jpg (32 kb, 448x299)
click to view


Inside the dam:
182998.jpg (35 kb, 299x448)
click to view



Happiedaze 


Location: Galveston Area, TX
Gender: Female




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Re: World's Largest Concrete Swimming Pool Plus Zoo and Cabins
<Reply # 1 on 5/25/2010 3:49 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Wow.. great write up of the location. And a very nice find.. ;D

'Our plans are all laid out,
take all these unmarked roads,
we blaze the trails to places no one goes, yeah!' -Rise Against
Imbroglio 


Location: DFW
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The glass is twice as big as it needs to be.

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Re: World's Largest Concrete Swimming Pool Plus Zoo and Cabins
<Reply # 2 on 5/25/2010 5:21 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Well done...I never bothered to drive out there, but was always curious about what the "largest concrete swimming pool in the world" would look like.

http://www.noelkernsphotography.com
RobTech 


Location: 'da 305
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20 Year's, and still looking ...

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Re: World's Largest Concrete Swimming Pool Plus Zoo and Cabins
<Reply # 3 on 5/25/2010 8:53 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Well done all around

Home of Florida's Explorers

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allybeth13 






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Re: World's Largest Concrete Swimming Pool Plus Zoo and Cabins
<Reply # 4 on 5/25/2010 10:25 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Thanks, y'all; I appreciate it!

altaria 


Location: Austin, TX
Gender: Female




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Re: World's Largest Concrete Swimming Pool Plus Zoo and Cabins
<Reply # 5 on 5/26/2010 10:53 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Very cool! I always love hearing all the history that goes along with the places. Great writeup & photos!

IMPLAUS1BLE 


Location: Houston
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Re: World's Largest Concrete Swimming Pool Plus Zoo and Cabins
<Reply # 6 on 5/28/2010 9:26 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
Where is this city located?

I Googled "Cisco TX" and just found a little town out side of fort worth. not very "West" and I couldn't imagine a town being so close to Fort Worth starting to fall apart....Or maybe I am wrong.

pkrearden 


Location: Funkytown, TX
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Re: World's Largest Concrete Swimming Pool Plus Zoo and Cabins
<Reply # 7 on 5/28/2010 9:55 PM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
looks like I'm gonna have to get me out to cisco.

"there is no devil, there's just god when he drinks." - Tom Waits
Barry Kooda 


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Re: World's Largest Concrete Swimming Pool Plus Zoo and Cabins
<Reply # 8 on 5/29/2010 1:53 AM >
Posted on Forum: UER Forum
 
I like it!

I'm a blatant waste of time and resources.
UER Forum > Archived US: South > World's Largest Concrete Swimming Pool Plus Zoo and Cabins (Viewed 824 times)



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