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Author
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Topic: Capsule-shaped swimming pool (Timber Cove)
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tfrielin
Member Posts: 162
From: Athens, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 02-25-2013 11:12 AM
  
Near the end of Scott Carpenter's autobiography there is a wonderful description of a community swimming pool shaped like a Mercury capsule that Rene Carpenter and other Mercury wives/mothers raised funds for in Timber Cove, where many early astronauts and Manned Spacecraft Center people lived. The account says it opened for the summer season of 1963. From my own passing knowledge of public or community swimming pools, I realize that they have a finite lifetime as repairs and maintenance issues render them obsolete after a time, so it may be too much to expect this nearly fifty year old artifact of the early days of the US manned spaceflight community might still exist. But, I'm curious — does anyone know its story? Might it still exist? Or if not, when was it demolished or replaced? And would it be too much to think someone out there has any photos of this Mercury capsule pool? |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-25-2013 11:16 AM
Yes, the pool still exists. I have a friend who lives in Timber Cove and her children swim there (lucky kids!).Some photos are posted in this 2010 thread: Astronauts' Houston homes of the 1960s — and it can be seen in Google Maps: |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3208
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 02-25-2013 11:17 AM
The swimming pool is mentioned on page 49 in the Timber Cove article in the fall 2008 issue of Houston History magazine.There is also an interesting article on page 60 about the Apollo 11 flag and plaque. |
tfrielin
Member Posts: 162
From: Athens, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 02-25-2013 12:28 PM
Well, not exactly a high fidelity model, but it sort of looks like a Mercury Capsule if you know what you're looking at. Good 1960s googie-style kitsch I guess. |
Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 02-25-2013 12:37 PM
I might be stating the obvious, but the capsule shape is formed by the surrounding concrete pad, not just the pool itself. |
tfrielin
Member Posts: 162
From: Athens, GA
Registered: Feb 2007
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posted 02-25-2013 12:51 PM
Evidently, in looking at the two photos of the pool from the Houston Magazine article, the angle seems to make a difference in discerning the Mercury shape — the top photo in the magazine article makes it look more "Mercury" than the lower photo. Still I gotta love it and it's good to know it's still going strong entering its fifty-first season. |
LM-12
Member Posts: 3208
From: Ontario, Canada
Registered: Oct 2010
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posted 03-23-2013 04:39 PM
Can you spot the swimming pool in this photo of the Clear Lake area and JSC taken from the ISS on Expedition 34? |
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