Phoenix's oldest swimming pools kept generations cool. See what they looked like

When things heat up, Arizonans hit the pool. It's an extreme summer heat coping mechanism as old as Phoenix itself.

Arizona has more than 500,000 residential swimming pools, more than all but two other states, according to Angi.com. However, backyard pools didn't become popular until the 1940s and '50s after World War II.

Before that, generations had flocked to several pools across town, many of which were fed by wells and featured sandy bottoms.

Here's the history of Phoenix's historical swimming pools and where they were located.

Phoenix's first swimming pools

Older metro Phoenix residents may remember swimming in canals, but this was not the safest option.

Over time, pools began popping up, offering a safer alternative to the canals.

Cottonwood Pool, which opened in 1946, was located on Seventh Street by the Grand Canal. The pool was fed by wells, making them icy cold. Broadway Pool was another pool in the area at approximately 20th Avenue and Broadway.

George Bailey Nelson operated two pools in Phoenix. The first opened in 1927 near 40th Street and Thomas Road and featured a sandy bottom before it closed in 1944. Nelson then built another pool near 19th Avenue and Turney. The pool closed in the 1970s, becoming a fishing hole.

Other historical pools in Phoenix included Saguaro Beach, where Highline Park is now.

Joyland Pool, near 35th Street and Van Buren, was the largest pool when it opened in 1924. At 220-feet long, the pool featured a sandy beach and a water slide.

Arizona Republic contributor Donna Reiner contributed to this article.

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This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Swimming pools in Arizona: 100 years of historical photos