Newbies/-Oldies--swimming holes

[bergie]

I am like a broken record about old swimming holes, but I believe these are some of the finest sites you will find. They are hidden gems from the past. If you enter the name of a given town and "old swimming hole" you'll find various accounts. If the exact location isn't given, you can then start talking to old timers or the historical society in the town to pin it down. For example is this 1925 account I just found in a town of Kinmundy, Illinois (someone should investigate, I am in NY). Since most of these places were by creeks or lakes, they have almost always been undeveloped along the shoreline. Good luck! If anyone can find this site, let me know what you find...
(from 1925 newspaper account)
The old swimming hole is getting popular here lately due to the extremely hot weather. More than 100 spectators lined the bank last Sunday - 75 were bathing, and there were 35 cars parked. This is quite a local pastime for young and old. If you go out be sure to watch your valuables as thieving is becoming popular. A watch and some money have been stolen. They went as low as to take a dime out of one boy?s pocket.
http://www.ford-mobley.com/dafm/express/exp1925.htm
Kinmundy is located in south central Illinois in Marion County about 35 miles north-northeast of Mt. Vernon along Highway 37

 

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[jeff of pa]

Your absolutely right Bergie. Swimming areas have givin my my Best finds over the years. One Swimming hole I did a few years ago netted me, OVER 120 Rings Many of them Gold, Lots of jewelry, coins dating back to the 1730's, Fishing gear of every type, Slot Machines, Etc.? ? ?<> I'm Still waiting for them to drain it again.

 

[bergie]

Jeff of Pa? Newbies/-Oldies--swimming holes

Jeff --those are amazing finds. Is this a lake, creek or what and how often do they drain it and why? Did you find a slot machine in the swimming hole with money in it??

 

[jeff of pa]

LONG STORY HERE This was originally a DAM to supply the Union Canal,built in the 1820's? it burst in the 1860's, was turned into a Grazeing Field for cattle untill the 1920's when PP&L (pensylvania Power & Light) turned it into a Lake. it was used for the Power Plant & for swimming & as a recreation area for their workers. The Original Swatara Creek winds it's way thru it, & was still there when it was drained. The Lake was put on a List of sites that was considered dangerous if it were to burst again. The County? Purchased it in 2001, to restore it & turn it into the First County Park. from 2001 thru 2003 they drained it each spring & re-filled it in the winters. ARMY CORP, is going to dredge it, when they get Funding again, at which time it will be drained in the spring of the year before they dredge & left drained till the following year. <><><><>? The Swimming areas, There were Several were used up untill the early 70's when after several drownings & fear of Lawyers shut it down, & from then on used for fishing only. <> there was one VERY DEEP SPOT, where everyone dove off a rope, Nobody could reach the bottom. even when they drained the lake, it was obvious the Creek at this spot was still very deep. (intrestingly, several oldtimers mentiond they, Or their friend letting go of the rope & their Ring flying off, never to be seen again). EVERYONE KNEW this was a deep spot, including the "Feds" . back in the 40's their was a crackdown on gambling in the state. They sent a couple officers up from reading to hit a local Club. while raiding the place, the owner asked why us & not so-N-so down the road, this set off a string of raids where they had to get a truck for all the machines. they took all these machines ( somewhere around 30 of them) to this part of the lake. Smashed them in the back of the truck with? sledges & dumped them in. money & all? & then dumped a load of rock on top. ( the local Cop, told me of 3 other machines that were taken by boat from the PP&L Clubhouse before the raid on it & dumped in the lake at another spot, & several oldtimers claim Slots at other spots, also dumped when word of the raid came down). ANY WAY the NAY-SAYERS insisting this was legend, I planted myself on the bank at the deep spot, on the day the lake was to be drained completly. as the water hit the creek bed , I noticed a handle sticking straight up out of some mud. thinking it was the handle of a sword, I climed down & pulled up. it didn't come up, but it swiviled like a shifter. then I realized what it was. it took the better part of 2 hours to dig it out & carry it up the steep embankment , however after I got it home & put it in a tub of water & hosed it down, there were still several 1947 dimes in it. the next day I went back & dug up a Nickle Slot Machine piece by piece & parts of 2 more. MOST are probably in the deep water/Mud yet. <><> any way in 2 & a Half years of searching that lake bottom I found just about everything imaginable, & probably that only adds up to about 5% of whats still there. <><> I can't wait for them to drain it again, & with the Lake Committee on our side, we're going to try & get Army Corp to allow us to Search the dredged Material also, & I'm shure going to TRY & talk them into taking a few Scoops out of that HOLE for us <><> SORRY SO LONG, But when it comes to this site, I could go on for days :lol

 

[goldchuck]

Here's my two cents! ?About 25 years ago (12 or 13 years old) I used to mask and snorkle around our old swimming hole, a lake about 4 miles from here. There was an old dock we used to run and jump from trying to tag each other seeing who could jump the farthest. I was out off the end of the dock keeping myself up in the water by kicking with the rubber fins I was wearing, apparently creating quite a turbulence on the muddy bottom. Later on as we bored from that I was searching around the bottom with my mask on and must have felt like Mel Fisher did when he first saw the ocean bottom covered with coins! ?There was a pretty large hole created by my fins action and there were coins and rings and stuff everywhere! I remember several silver halves and quarters, a couple of ?gold wedding rings junk jewelry of all sorts! Man I was one excited kid. I filled up two large styrofoam cups full of the treasure that day and over the next several days and alot of kicking netted several more finds, one of which was a gold band timex watch lost for a month that was still ticking! (returned to owner for $10 reward!). Most of that treasure was squandered by selling to the local pawn shop to buy fishing stuff as I was not really into collecting my finds at the time, kicking myself now though! Must have done a pretty good job at underwater salvage as they drained the lake a few years ago for dock repairs and I only found a few silvers and some clads with my metal detector. Thanks for bringing back the memory! Where are my fins?!!!

Charlie

 

[jeff of pa]

There is Nothing Like it Charlie !!! I was just thinking the same thing on Getting rid of my Gold. <> I have put together a museum in my Garage, which at least half of the finds in it are from this lake. <> Of the Gold Rings, most were CLASS RINGS, which most of them were returned to their owners, the rest including the Diamond Rings etc. I sold. <> I actually made enough out of this lake in 2 1/2 years to pay for a 91 GMC Jimmy, which I needed, because I destroyed my car by getting in it daily, Completly Covered in Thick Mud.? I sold Rings, Beer Cans, Soda Cans, Coins, Anchors, Sinkers, etc. etc. & still have tons of stuff tho, & probably wouldn't have room for all I sold

 

[bergie]

Charlie--great story--have you gone back and detected the shore or the lake??

 

[lookstwice]

wow, charlie...mel fisher would be proud...good hunting

 

[goldchuck]

Yes I did make a pretty thorough search of the whole area, I guess folks were jumping off the end of that dock for alot of years. One class ring was found behind a concrete retaining wall on the shore and returned to the lady who lost it as a teenager back in the 60's. I'm sure there are more finds there though, you know we never find everything! Thanks for the Mel would be proud remark. He was always my hero of inspiration as a young boy and one of my most prized posessions is a Piece of Eight which was recovered by Treasure Salvors in 1964. My Uncle bought the coin from Bill Mahan of Los Angeles who was the producer of the tv documentary film, "Treasure Trove of the Century" for ABC. He gave the coin to my Aunt who presented it to me with an autographed photo of Mel kneeling beside a pile of treasure just brought up from a salvage operation. " It said "May you find your treasure" Mel. She also gave me a copy of the book "They Found Treasure". So you see I didn't come into this treasure obcession of my own accord, it was forced on me with such tenacity I simply could not resist!!! I love treasure hunting! Finding some would really be great. I'm getting closer...I just thought the two rock carvings were of turkey feet in the center of a diamond. The turkey foot was found this morning on a large flat stone a couple hundred yards from the other two carvings...two of the toes point to the other carvings...more to come. Charlie