Barton Springs

Within the city of Austin, and within Zilker Park, is a swimming hole called Barton Springs. A public "pool", where the bottom is moss-covered stones and the opposite side are natural, rocky, shoreline. In 1837, William "Uncle Billy" Barton, built his rustic cabin on a tract of land which included the springs. Since he owned several adjoining tracts, the area came to be known as the "Bartons". He named the three springs after his daughters Parthenia, Eliza and Zenobia. The largest spring became known as the main spring at Barton Springs Pool. Another spring feeds the Elks Amphitheater pool that Zilker built near the present day Barton Springs Pool. A third spring bubbles up from the Sunken Garden on the east side of the park. Even Robert Redford learned to swim at the pool when he was five years old while visiting his mother's relative in Austin.

We had a marvelous time in the consistently 68º water-- actually refreshing when the air temperature is 100+º!

O spent lots of time on the diving boards--or being thrown around by her dad.


L was a fish--swimming all over the pool. He was also a skilled negotiator: able to convince me that 68 degrees really isn't *that* cold and that I *really* should try it, since, after all, I was visiting here and when would I ever be back... with them? It worked. I got in the water.

I spent the entire time walking like a timid creature, afraid of slipping and falling into the water entirely. I said it was because I didn't want to risk losing my glasses, but, really, it was because I am wimp.