Fun Swimming Pool History from Your Houston Pool Builder
Take a look at this brief history of pools to learn how your Houston swimming pool came to be!
Swimming has long been heralded as something that simply must be learned as a life skill. The “Great Bath” in Mohenjo-Daro (Pakistan) is believed to be the oldest pool in existence today, being dug sometime in 3rd millennium BC. From as early on as 2500 BC, Grecians have been creating swimming pools as a safe area where young boys and men could learn to swim and train for military exercises and nautical games. These boys were going for swims in some chilly waters, however, as the first heated swimming pool wasn’t created until 1st century BC by Rome’s first “patron of the arts”, Gaius Maecenas.
But though pools have been around for thousands of years, it wasn’t until after the 1896 Olympic Games that the swimming pool’s popularity began to spread around the globe. England became home to several pools and swim clubs (such as the Temple Cowley Pool) and the Racquet Club of Philadelphia in the United States built one of the very first above-ground swimming pools.
Interest in swimming pools and competitive swimming continued to grow after World War I, with many Hollywood films then beginning to build and include pools in the backyards of luxurious homes. As a result, a private residential pool in one’s backyard quickly became a status symbol.
Today, there are millions of pools in the backyards and homes of many Americans. According to the International Aquatic Foundation, the USA is home to more than 4.5 million in-ground pools and over 3.5 million above ground pools (International Aquatic Foundation, 2004). These pools are no longer just your standard rectangular lap pools, either. Pool designers have gotten extremely creative with the different materials used for pools (such as fiberglass and vinyl), as well as the design of the pool itself. A number of different water and lighting features can be added to almost any pool, such as beach entryways, waterfalls, faux rock grottos and even televisions and center-island fire pits. No longer are pools simply a way to get some exercise – they can become a homeowners very own personalized piece of paradise.
ABOUT ELITE POOLS & SPAS
For over 20 years, Elite Pools & Spas have been providing new pool construction, pool remodels, pool repair and weekly maintenance services for Houston, League City, Pearland, Clear Lake & surrounding areas.
Elite Pools & Spas of Houston can work with almost any budget and give you a personalized vision of your very own backyard paradise. Whether you need new pool construction or remodeling services, Elite Pools provides the same quality and attention to detail to all of their projects. As a Hayward Warranty Station, they offer energy efficient pool products for your pool & spa.
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Ready to get started on your own backyard oasis? Contact the Houston pool builder experts at Elite Pools and Spas today!
