The History of Thurber in 12 Objects: Summertime Swimming
by Shae Adams
On a sweltering Texas summer day, nothing sounds more invigorating than a dip in the local pool. Thurber residents of the early 1900s couldn’t agree more! Just like we do today, overheated Thurberites in need of refreshment would don their swimsuits and head to the lake. However, their bathing suits looked a little different from those we see on modern beaches.
This swimsuit from our Copeland collection belonged to Joseph Butler, a local coal miner who probably spent some of his leisure time relaxing at Little Lake with friends and family. The swimsuit is heavy; a cotton garment much thicker than our modern day nylon suits. The swimsuit encapsulates the place of modesty in fashion norms of the early 1900s. While we generally link issues of modesty in fashion with women, men at the turn of the century also avoided revealing clothing. It wasn’t until the 1930s that Americans began to see bare-chested male swimmers.
Fashion differences aside, swimmers in Thurber enjoyed many of the same activities seen at pools across the country today. Thurber resident Dan Gentry fondly recalled summer holidays spent at Little Lake:
Built in 1892, Little Lake served as the main water source for Thurber until the construction of Big Lake in 1896. While only those who belonged to the Thurber Club could enjoy hunting and fishing Big Lake, Little Lake remained open to the public. Mary Jane Gentry notes that people from neighboring towns commonly traveled to Thurber for a swim in Little Lake.
The Company added to the amusement by building a pier and diving boards. Several oral histories include stories about the fun of diving off the tower into the lake. The activities at Little Lake were so integral to the recreational life of Thurber that Company officials included footage of the Lake while filming scenes of life in Thurber.
Enjoy the holiday weekend with a trip to your own local lake or pool. Once you dry off, be sure to stop by the Gordon Center to discover more about the ways Thurber residents beat the heat and boredom!
On a sweltering Texas summer day, nothing sounds more invigorating than a dip in the local pool. Thurber residents of the early 1900s couldn’t agree more! Just like we do today, overheated Thurberites in need of refreshment would don their swimsuits and head to the lake. However, their bathing suits looked a little different from those we see on modern beaches.
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| A swimsuit belonging to Joseph Butler, a Thurber miner. Copeland Collection, W. K. Gordon Center |
Fashion differences aside, swimmers in Thurber enjoyed many of the same activities seen at pools across the country today. Thurber resident Dan Gentry fondly recalled summer holidays spent at Little Lake:
Now [Little Lake] that’s where we all swam, in the earlier days on the labor days and Fourth of July they used to have big picnics and we always have water events and things like that swimming and diving contests and boat rowing…
Built in 1892, Little Lake served as the main water source for Thurber until the construction of Big Lake in 1896. While only those who belonged to the Thurber Club could enjoy hunting and fishing Big Lake, Little Lake remained open to the public. Mary Jane Gentry notes that people from neighboring towns commonly traveled to Thurber for a swim in Little Lake.
The Company added to the amusement by building a pier and diving boards. Several oral histories include stories about the fun of diving off the tower into the lake. The activities at Little Lake were so integral to the recreational life of Thurber that Company officials included footage of the Lake while filming scenes of life in Thurber.
Enjoy the holiday weekend with a trip to your own local lake or pool. Once you dry off, be sure to stop by the Gordon Center to discover more about the ways Thurber residents beat the heat and boredom!
