From Quarry to Public Pool

From Quarry to Public Pool. . , When quality grade sandstone was discovered here quarrymen came from far and wide to work. The sleepy junction town of Tenino sprang to life as a boomtown. The Tenino Stone Company Quarry's proximity to the first Tenino Depot provided easy shipping access for stone., After world war one, concrete began to replace stone as a cheaper building material. The quarry closed in 1926. The natural springs that plagued the quarry during operation filled the vast cavity after work ceased. Despite no trespassing signs, an unofficial swimming hole was born. , In October 1945 civic groups, like the Lions' Club, announced plans to create a Memorial Pool in honor of the service men and women from world war two. Funds for pool renovations were raised through dances, "Community Betterment Stamps" and other fund-raisers. The Memorial Pool was officially dedicated on June 18, 1950 and is still in use today. , Mystery from the Deep End! , On August 28, 2017, four divers including Mayor Wayne Fournier dove to the bottom of the Memorial Swimming Pool and made an historical discovery. Divers confirmed the presence of the Channeling Machine at the bottom of the quarry pool. It was also determined that the depth (often speculated but never measured) was 65 feet in the dive area. , Stonemasons then and now: Master Stone Cutter Keith Phillips uses a wooden mallet and chisel to carve stone at The Shed in Tenino, just as stone cutters did 100 years ago. Photo courtesy the South Thurston County Historical Society, ca. 1890, TEN QUA Site-016. , Doublegang channeling machine used to cut stone blocks out of the sandstone walls at the Tenino quarry. Image courtesy of STCHS. , Tenino quarry showing the steam-driven channeling machine with Quarrymen before the quarry closed. Historic photo courtesy of STCHS. , Design and Illustration: noeldesigninterp.com