The Historic Texas Pool
The Texas Pool was envisioned in 1959 when Plano was mostly undeveloped ranchland. Famous Texan Herbert Hunt urbanized the area that would today become Dallas’ Telecom Corridor. As a centerpiece for Plano’s new development, a 168,000-gallon pool shaped like the great State of Texas was created. The Texas Pool was constructed from a design drawn into the Texas terra firma with a mesquite stick. It opened to the general public in 1961 and the Miss Plano Pageant was held at the Texas Pool that summer. Mr. Hunt named the surrounding neighborhood “Dallas North Estates” because he figured nobody would “know where in the heck Plano was.”
Generations of Texans learned to swim, shared summers, and created memories at the Texas Pool. Yet, over time, the fabric of society changed and the nearby neighborhood aged. Children grew up and moved away. Moms returned to the workforce. Fewer folks were home together for the summers. Time passed. New families moved in and the Texas Pool fell out of mind and knowledge.
Jump ahead to 2007, and the Texas Pool was in trouble. Public support and memberships plummeted. Repairs were left undone. There were big vacancies on the volunteer Board of Directors. For the first time in almost 50 years, there was fear that the Texas Pool was finished. A handful of dedicated volunteers, determined to save the Texas Pool, dove right in and changed the course of the Texas Pool’s future.
In 2013, the Texas Pool Foundation, a nonprofit 501(c) 3 corporation, was established for the purpose of preserving the Texas Pool facility and for community outreach. The Texas Pool Foundation is eligible for tax-deductible donations of cash, goods, and services. Through fundraising, the Foundation provides for the preservation of the Texas Pool, and promotes community-building events with access to swim safety education. The Texas Pool Foundation sought historic landmark designation for the pool. The Texas Pool is a vital link between Plano’s past, present and future.
Celebrating 60 Years
The Texas Pool celebrated its 60th summer in 2021. Please join us in thanking all of the volunteers, lifeguards, members and guests throughout the years who spent their summers swimming across Texas. With support from the community, the historic Texas Pool will continue to be a community gathering place and legendary landmark for Texas-sized fun in the sun!
