Only in York County

What’s inside

Today’s Ask Joan takes a look at a couple of summer fun destinations about which readers are seeking more memories – first, Springwood Park and Pool; second, the former Meadowbrook Swim Club in the northeastern York County area.

1.

I have these tickets from Aug. 15, 1943. We would pack a picnic basket and go to the railroad in the 400 block on East Market Street, get on the train and ride to Springwood Park. (We’d) get off the train at the swimming pool, eat our lunch and go swimming. Get back on the train and come to Market Street. I was wondering if anyone knew if there was a small store on Springwood Road that you could buy food and drinks? Also if the swimming pool is still there.
– Willard Kehr

Another reader, Barree Gable, also wrote in search of Springwood Pool info. Barree said, “What do you know about a swimming pool just outside of Yoe on the Springwood Road maybe in the ’50s or so – any pics? Some of us were talking and wondered if we could find some info.”

Well, the pool itself is no longer a going concern, and it’s on private property, so I definitely don’t recommend any trips to go in search of it.

In an earlier column, a reader shared you could see the stones from the corner of the pool from the road; following that, commenter Bill Greenawalt wrote and clarified, “What they are seeing is the step into the check room at the pool. It is not part of the pool. The pool is not visible from the road. Since this is private property, it is advisable that you not enter the area in search of the pool.”

But I do have another reader who has a photo of Springwood Park, and she and I are coordinating about that; hopefully I’ll be able to share it in a future column!

We have talked more about Springwood Pool in the past; to read more about it, I suggest you check out the following:

March 5, 2013: Ask Joan: Hollander’s, Springwood Pool and pizza (includes a few Springwood Pool photos)
April 19, 2013: More thoughts on Camp Betty Washington Road (includes a few details about Springwood Pool in some reader comments)

2.

Another reader wanted to know if anyone has memories to share of Meadowbrook Swim Club, originally in the Saginaw area of northeastern York County. It was operated by the late Joseph Lowe and his son Harold “Ike” Lowe and family from 1952 to 1981. It was a busy area hangout and closed at the height of its popularity.

Jill Schaffner, daughter of Harold Lowe, was able to provide some more information; she said her brother Randy Lowe now lives on the site with his family now and the pool is a large pond. She was also able to provide the pictures seen above and below of the pool; the two featuring swimmers were taken in 1981.

Does anyone else have Meadowbrook Swim Club memories to share? I’d love to collect more information on this northeastern York County summer hot spot!

Got any questions? Ask Joan using the form at right. I’ll attempt to answer them in a future “Ask Joan” column on this blog. I get a large volume, but I will feature three each week and answer as many as possible!