Westfield in Austin in Travis County, Texas — The American South (West South Central)
Deep Eddy Bathing Beach
Photographed By Keith Peterson, July 15, 2007
1. Deep Eddy Bathing Beach Marker
Swedish immigrant Charles Johnson built a large home for his family on 39 acres of land in this vicinity in the 1850s. In 1902 two of his children, Mary and Henry, opened Deep Eddy Resort. The Johnsons named the park for a deep hole in the limestone bed of the Colorado River at this site that caused the water’s current to form an eddy. Recreational facilities included campsites, picnic areas, rental cottages, and a cable ride into the river.
Mary Johnson sold the park to A.J. Eilers in 1915. He built a concrete swimming pool in 1916 and renamed the resort Deep Eddy Bathing Beach. Managed by George A. Rowley, the resort featured such attractions as silent movies, a ferris wheel, carousel rides, a diving horse show, trapeze swings over the water, a 70-foot slide, and a 50-foot diving tower. The carnival atmosphere attracted hundreds of visitors each summer.
The City of Austin purchased the park for $10,000 on May 31, 1935. Two weeks later a devastating Colorado River flood inundated the city, swept away park improvements, and filled the pool with debris. With assistance from the Federal Works Progress Administration, the city rebuilt the park. It reopened in 1936 as Eilers Park and Deep Eddy Swimming Pool.
Erected 1991 by Texas Historical Commission. (Marker Number 6446.)
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Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Entertainment. In addition, it is included in the Works Progress Administration (WPA) projects series list. A significant historical month for this entry is May 1835.
Location. 30° 16.64′ N, 97° 46.39′ W. Marker is in Austin, Texas, in Travis County. It is in Westfield. Marker can be reached from Deep Eddy Avenue south of Foster Avenue, in the median. 2021 Austin Parks and Recreation moved the marker from the side of the bath house (the old entrance) to the front of the bath house (today's entrance). Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 401 Deep Eddy Avenue, Austin TX 78703, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. The Johnson Home (about 600 feet away, measured in a direct line); Travis County (approx. 0.2 miles away); Ashford McGill House (approx. 0.4 miles away); Clay Pit Bucket Tower (approx. 0.4 miles away); Austin High School (approx. half a mile away); Confederate Men's Home (approx. half a mile away); Esperanza School Building (approx. 0.6 miles away); Swedish Log Cabin (approx. 0.6 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Austin.
Photographed By Photo courtesty Austin PARD, February 23, 2021
2. Deep Eddy Bathing Beach Marker
Photographed By Richard Denney, December 5, 2014
3. Deep Eddy Bathing Beach Marker
Deep Eddy bath house entrance. Marker is visible to right by parking spots.
Photographed By Photo courtesty Austin PARD, February 23, 2021
4. Deep Eddy Bathing Beach Marker
Marker in its new location adjacent to today's bath house entrance.
Credits. This page was last revised on February 1, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 24, 2009, by Keith Peterson of Cedar Park, Texas. This page has been viewed 1,617 times since then and 48 times this year. Last updated on February 23, 2021, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. Photos: 1. submitted on December 24, 2009, by Keith Peterson of Cedar Park, Texas. 2. submitted on February 23, 2021, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. 3. submitted on December 5, 2014, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. 4. submitted on February 23, 2021, by Richard Denney of Austin, Texas. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.
Editor’s want-list for this marker. Pictures of the park and Deep Eddy Swimming Pool. • Can you help?
