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Written by Lauren Meyers
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 Since 1918 this natural gem began its 90-year partnership with Austin becoming one of it’s most prized possessions. Austinites should bow down to Mr. A.J. Zilker who deeded the 35 acres that started it all to the City of Austin. Now for the last nine decades central Texans could enjoy their hot summer days in the 68-degree natural spring pool. Even the “polar bear club” can take a chilly swim year round in this giant body of water. This popular summer spot in Austin welcomes people of all kinds: avid swimmers, explorers, sunbathers, toe-tippers and even divers.
Fish, crawfish and plant life that has become friends to all that have grown to love this eco-friendly, “green” pool, inhabits the natural spring pool. Many people have grown up making Saturday afternoon trips to this piece of paradise; starting out in their play pen with gentle dips into the cool water, from wearing floaties and bouncing from mom to dad in the shallow end; to taking their first belly flop off the big diving board; to after school trips; to studying during college under the shady trees to bringing their own families there. Barton Springs is a place that many Austinites hold close to their hearts. In 1990, the Save Our Springs Alliance was created to fight a massive developmental proposal for the Barton Creek Watershed. The alliance was organized in 1992 the Save Our Springs Coalition wrote a petition for the Save Our Springs Ordinance to help protect the quality of water coming off of the development in the fragile Barton Springs Watershed. A letter was sent to hundreds of Austin families to help create a way to remember how much we loved Zilker Park and Barton Springs by creating a tile that would be placed in the new Zilker Park. Located right off of Barton Springs Road and wedged behind Zilker Park this glorious pool of water is placed, reaching more than 900 feet long with natural rock on all sides and gravel bottom. People of all incomes can enjoy this diamond in the rough; adults cost $3, juniors $2, children and seniors $1.
Throughout the years, Barton Springs has brought people in from all paths of life, from politicians who have invented state laws there to free-spirited topless sunbathers who turned heads in the seventies. Even Robert Redford learned to swim at the pool when he was only five years old while visiting his mother’s relative in Austin. Even today Barton Springs attracts a diverse crowd of people—glamorous, studious, successful, high-income, low-income, blue collar, young, old, gray, tan, anyone is welcome to enjoy this jewel. This getaway gives insight onto the citizens of Austin itself—diverse, happy and always enjoying the local flavors life has to offer. |
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