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Don Boyd | all galleries >> Memories of Old Hialeah, Old Miami and Old South Florida Photo Galleries - largest non-Facebook collection on the internet >> Miami Area Tourist and Local ATTRACTIONS Historical Photos Gallery - All Years - click on image to view > 1972 - Venetian Pool in Coral Gables
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FEB-1972 © 1972 Dave Kleylein

1972 - Venetian Pool in Coral Gables

Coral Gables, Florida


Thank you to former Miamian Dave Kleylein (William Jennings Bryan Elementary, North Miami Junior High, North Miami High, and Norland High Class of 1962) for contributing this great image of probably the best public pool in the USA.

The caves are in the background and the cliff to the high dive is on the left.


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Don Boyd12-Feb-2013 05:37
Jim, wow, I can't believe it either considering the odds of y'all being in the scene when photographed but I'll take you at your word about it. Amazing!

Don
Jim Goodrich 11-Feb-2013 19:57
I couldn't believe this photo the first time I saw it and I had to show it to my Mother. My Mom used to teach swimming at Venetian Pool for many years, my brothers and I all got Red Cross swimming Certificates there. The picture is of myself at 11 yrs old climbing the rocks and my brothers Billy and Chris right behind in the water.
Guest 01-Sep-2011 21:38
I grew up in Miami Florida and went to the Venetian Pool many many times as a child. I remember the caves, sitting in there and talking and cutting up. SOOOO Fun!
wish it was then, now, just one more time! Theresa Capone
Miami River Rat19-Dec-2009 03:17
Went there via bicycle many times in the early to mid 1950's. They used to kick you out for the rest of the day for diving from the top of the rocks. You had to be somewhat careful, but I never saw anyone injured from diving off the top, and I did it a lot myself and saw many others get put out for high diving there.

That was the greatest pool to play tag, hide and seek, and meet girls that ever existed.

Hope it serves many new generations as well as it served us oldies.
William Chance 23-Jun-2009 12:13
My step father was a lifeguard there in his teen years,and I remember him telling of a guy that dove off the top of the tower.He said when they got him out of the water they first thought he was lying on his stomach because of the way his hair looked ,only to find when they turned him over it was his scalp covering his face from hitting the bottom.He later went on to become a Police Officer for Coral Gables until an accident left him disabled.We got to swim there free for his service to the city.
Charles Knight 12-May-2009 23:45
Always loved the Venetian, all my sibs and I swam there. I do have a question for "Guest" though...Where does the water go that they drain everynight LOL! God bless you! Natural springs are a perpetually circulating water source, meaning that water is constantly flowing both in and out.
K Martin 06-Mar-2009 21:38
I also spent a lot of time at venitian pool..what a cool place. My era was the early to mid 60's. Went to Ponce De Leon jr high and Coral Gables H.S. Graduated in 67. What a great to grow up in. Loved Coral Gables and Coconut Grove as I was within walking distance of both. Spent much time at all 3 movie theatres in C gables ..in fact was an usher at the gables one year.
Guest 19-Jan-2009 17:53
Yes, that pool was the coldest!! We took our kids there many times back in the 70's and it made me nervous everytime as the kids would jump from the high rocks! I think I have several pictures from those times. The Venetian Pool was such a classic place from the past! One of the best places in Coral Gables.
Julie
lmartin20-Jun-2008 21:52
In the mid 60's you could go to the top of the tower but you could not dive or jump without getting busted. Some did anyway. There were many stories of busted head on the bottom. Some old pictures do show diving competitions from that top platform. I do not know how they did it because it was still only 8 ft deep.
Larry Martin
jcblanco2213-Jun-2008 00:19
lmartin, you mention the boards, which brings to mind another memory. Having gone there often in the late 70s/early 80s with the YMCA Jose Marti summer camp, I remember the very top rock being open for diving (no board, just jumping). Anyone know if there's any truth to the story that some kid cracked his head at the bottom of the pool jumping from up there? If I'm not mistaken, there's no diving at all allowed from the rocks anymore.
warren 09-Feb-2008 20:46
Spent many hours here.. particularly over summer with my friend Michael.. it was wonderful.. and very "enlightening"
Guest 07-Feb-2008 16:31
Guest:
Back in the late 40's and early 50's we used to ride our bikes, (we lived in Coconut Grove), to Venetian Pools all summer long. My sister met her husband, who was a Life Guard there, and they were married.

I started going there when I was only 11 years old and swam there for years. It was one of the greatest times of my life. I would dive off the high board several times a day. I now live in Atlanta, GA and wish I could take my kids and grandchildren there some day. I know they would love it as much as I did. Seeing this picture brings back many wonderful memories.
Guest 06-Feb-2008 01:14
My brother & I were there what seemed liked every day of the year. It was the best baby sitter for my mom; she would buy us the 3 month summer passes. We'd get there when they opened at 9am and not leave until 9pm when it closed. You had to rinse you suit out every night because the pool didn't use chlorine. It was drained every night and filled back up in the morning. Water was from a spring and that's why it was so cold.

I had that one on best authority and from watching it in awe every day. Our swimming coach Colin Bullock took great joy in making sure that you drove in and swam.....swam.....swam. Froze our butts off during winter swim practice!!!!
Guest 05-Feb-2008 21:35
Parents took us kids there in the 50's and 60's. What fun! I remember the cave you could swin through.
David 26-Jan-2008 04:05
Although gorgeous, the Venetian pool was the coldest water south of Canada. I shivered each time we swam. At the time, it was the most spectacular pool we had ever seen.

David Woods
Anita 25-Jan-2008 04:11
I don't know any local after 1960 that didn't go to Venetian Pool in Coral Gables. What a great place. Took my kids and my nephew there years later. It hadn't changed much at all. Loved that pool.
Guest 21-Jan-2008 22:27
My sister and I learned to swim at the pool in the summer of '72 - I think my parents still have the Red Cross certificates! I remember walking home from here past the large fountains and the old hotel (Biltmore) on the way home, which was near Variety Children's Hospital. We moved to another home just east of the Gables in '74 and then north to Broward County in '76. I came by in 2006 to see how the area changed (now live in Texas) and while my old house near the hospital looked to be in a fairly safe area, the house we moved to in '74 (just south of Coral Way and three blocks east of Douglas Rd) had barbed wire on top of the fence surrounding the lot! Neighborhood must have declined a bit in 30 years....
Guest 19-Jan-2008 00:32
Lourdes Mendez - Use to go there all the time - I still live about 6 minutes from there-I remember the girls would go into the caves with caution because the boys would try to loosen our bathsuit tops- The water was cold because of the Coral Rocks (nature) it's made of. Had lots of fun there !
lmartin14-Jan-2008 21:37
One of the few pictures of the pool with diving boards which have been removed long ago. From the 10 ft board your were sure to hit the bottom which was only 8 ft deep. I am sure the hole between the caves also suffered from potential liability issues. The water was cold but it was the best.