Old Swimming Pools/Parks
© Sept. 16, 1996, Janet Eckmann
Long before movies, discos and video arcades were in every town, people were destined to create their own entertainment and Rural citizens of Knox County were no exception.
During the early part of the nineteenth century, travel was done primarily with horse and wagon. Folks were content to stay within a few miles of home, necessitating the need for neighborhood parks.
In the 1920's a farmer who owned a pasture shaded with a few tall trees and generous enough to allow it to be turned into a ball diamond for a Sunday afternoon became a instant hero, and occasionally an entrepreneur; better yet, if the pasture had an artesian well or a stream running through it.
In those scorching Dust Bowl years, young and old alike sought the cool refuge of nearby unpolluted ponds and streams. Farmers and towns people were divided into teams for the purpose of engaging in America's favorite pastime, "baseball."
Several historic Knox County parks became amusement parks generating a small income for the owner and making him an instant businessman while filling a niche. Communities starved for entertainment and in need of a location in which to share social contact with their neighbors eagerly flocked to these newly fabricated parks.
One of those was Kruse Park, named for its' owner, Christ Kruse Sr. who, with the help of his large family (17 kids), operated the park in the late 1920's -mid 1930's. The picturesque grassy valley is located next to the winding Bazile Creek four miles south of Center the county seat.
What started out as a pleasant place for family picnics turned into a major county wide attraction, including a cement swimming pool, ball diamond, and amusement park.
The huge rectangular pool sets vacant now except for a few bullfrogs who have taken up residence in the deep end of the old pool. Trees and brush grow through the widening cracks of the hand poured cement floor and walls. On the pool's sloping sides are old steps emerging from its' five foot depth to the two foot tall pasture grass which now surround the concrete shrine.
The pool, which measures 54' by 125 ' is much larger then some of the present day chemically treated, sea foam blue tinted city pools.
The Kruse pool had its own wooden bathhouse where swimmers could rent one piece woolen suits for 25 cents a day. It had two low diving boards on the west end of the pool which was flanked by picnic tables on all sides.
The nearby park featured a teeter totter, slide, swings, and even a gasoline powered merry-go round with brightly painted horses and other animals.
The wooden pump house sheltered the huge diesel engine which filled the pool with water from the near by Bazile Creek. The pool had a dual purpose; water was left in it to freeze. When winter came, it was cut and stored in a nearby ice-house. Huge blocks of ice were sold for 25 cents a chunk all summer long, a real convenience for park visitors.
Mr. Kruse reluctantly closed the park in 1934 or 35 after the big diesel engine was stolen for the second time. Norma Hagge, a granddaughter said, "Those were dry years, and hard times, Grandpa decided against buying a third engine to pump the water."
Just four miles away from the popular Kruse Park, Young's Park flourished as a campground and picnic area from its' primitive beginning in the early 1900's.
Young's Park was located one mile north from the town of Bazile Mills, next to the old graveled highway running between Center and Creighton. The park was approximately 25 acres of fenced off pasture used as a picnic area by the owner John Young. The park boasted a powerful spring that forced its way out of a hill side, attracting picnickers to wade in its' cool water as it flowed to the Bazile Creek.
People who remember visiting the park recalled several small wooden cottages and one large double cabin that were rented by the day, and a family operated concession stand where pop and refreshments were sold. Still others referred to it has sort of a "Lovers Lane" type park, quiet and peaceful.
Seventy-three year old Gus Hinzmann, bought the property in 1955. He grew up in Bazile Mills and lives with his wife Lu in Winnetoon. They walked through the former park reminiscing about its' heyday.
As we walked along the winding creek, Lu pulled some of the many pesky weeds that the flooding creek had washed in. Gus pointed to the huge wash-out that claimed much of rich soil and several large trees. "The spring floods of 1957 did a great deal of damage to the abandoned park and washed in tons of sand and many weeds. It washed out all the remaining foot bridges and any signs of the park," he said. "The flood in the spring of 95 was just as severe, eroding even more of the Knox County pasture."
Mr. Hinzmann said Mr. Young and his wife Luella lived on the west side of the main road and the park entrance was on the east. "Mr. Young would charge a small fee to enter the gate, perhaps ten cents if there was a special occasion or celebration going on," he said.
"Other times you could just go in and walk around, it was always cool under the big old elm trees. They are all gone now, victims of Dutch Elm disease," he confirmed.
He also remembered the wooden concession stand which set near the creek bank where the spring extend into the wider Bazile Creek. "Mr. Young and his wife sold soda pop for five cents a bottle. It was "Stochls Pop", bottled in six and half ounce bottles, right in nearby Creighton, Nebraska," he said. "They cooled the pop in a large stock tank with cold water from the spring. When it got warm, he would pull the plug letting the water return to the creek and refill it with more cold spring water."
Mr. Hinzmann explained how the owner had taken a two inch T-shaped pipe and wedged it into the bank at the place the spring emerged from the hillside creating a fountain effect where you could led precariously over a narrow foot bridge and get a drink of refreshing cold spring water.
There were several foot bridges built across the creek with paths that led to the cottages or cabins scattered around the park. The cabins were equipped with kerosene lamps and stoves. One had to cross a bridge to reach the baseball field where area teams sought victory and yet another bridge joined the picnic area to the horseshoe pits. There were several glider swings and picnic tables made of cottonwood milled at the Bazile Mills sawmill.
Eighty-eight year old Nona Clinkenbeard, Bloomfield, said she remembered in 1916 as a young girl going to Young's Park with a neighbor for a family picnic, and again in 1921 with a group of Camp Fire Girls, and attending several Sunday School picnics. "We would wade in the stream, but it was so cold, because of the spring water you didn't stay in long," she said.
Ninety-five year old Albert Bonge, Creighton, said he was at the park in 1913 as a Boy Scout and thought the park was already several years old. Documented records of the parks beginning have never been found.
For a number of years in the 1930's, Knox County held their eighth grade graduation ceremonies at Young's Park.
Mavis (Cross) Benson of Bloomfield said, "It was 1934 and we weren't required to attend the public graduation ceremonies at the park, but I was sure glad I went. It was such a pretty place, kind of a haven during the awful dry years."
The park closed in 1946 with the death of Mr. Young, and cattle once again graze the hills and drink the cool spring water that once enticed picnickers to it's beauty.
In western Knox County, between the now ghost towns of Walnut and Venus, near the Grimton Cemetery, is the most impressive park of all, Oak View Park.
In 1894 Mr. John Pospeshil was living near Bloomfield on "Sunny Brook Farm". Tiring of rural life, he rented his farm, moved to Bloomfield in 1904 purchasing several lots.
He soon became bored of retirement. Urged by friends, he began to plan to build a theater. He decided to make his own brick for the building using a small wooden machine with which he could press six cement brick at a time. He made his first brick in the basement of his home and, after making 2,000 bricks, discovered the form was worn out. Besides, the process was too slow. He then made a form of steel and enlarged it so he could make 10 bricks at once. The new machine made all kinds of bricks.
He built the Pospeshil Theater in 1906, which is referred to as the Opera House. Mr. Pospeshil, his wife Anna, two sons, Albert, Rudolph, two daughters, Vlasta, and Viola, operated a restaurant in the huge three story building as well as performed home talent comedy and vaudeville shows.
In 1908, Mr. Pospeshil traded the theater for 1720 acres of land northeast of Verdigre. He erected a complete set of brick buildings on the property he named Oak View Ranch.
In 1919 he built a still grander house and barns across the creek on the northeast corner of his land. The house was made from 11,000 different kinds of bricks. Pospeshil had a standing offer that if anyone would find two bricks alike in his home, he would give them the house. That statement put him in Ripley's Believe It or Not in 1931.
He received a patent for the brick machine in 1923, the same year he and his wife celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary.
In 1926, at age 67, Mr. Pospeshil fenced off 30 acres and spent a total of $20,000 to create Oak View Park, a beautiful place, designed by nature, as an ideal summer playground.
He built a wooden dance pavilion with sixteen corners, 82 ft. in diameter, with entrance lobby, refreshment stand, a checkroom, and a "kids" room with built-in shelves used as bunk beds by children, as their parents danced the night away.
Many local bands played in the pavilion, including the Pospeshil Band in which Pospeshil himself played a violin he constructed from the shell of huge turtle, (turtlella won a blue ribbon at the 1922 Knox County Fair.) During the early 1930's the famous Lawrence Welk and his band played while dancers twirled on the oak floor.
The Pospeshil family performed home talent comedy and vaudeville shows in the dance pavilion and operated several concession stands on the grounds.
Alfred Marshall, 82, Verdigre, recalled playing for dances at Oak View during the end of World War II with a band called the Rhythm Ramblers. He said mirrors were arranged in an octagon shape around the center pillars of building. "For 25 cents you could roller skate all afternoon in the pavilion, the night was reserved for dances."
Mr. Marshall, who carried mail in the area for 38 years said, "The place lit up like a Christmas tree. It was very unusual because REA hadn't yet reached our area of the country." He said Pospeshil had a powerful electric light plant installed in a special cement pit.
Mr. Marshall said that at the end of the day he saw the owner carry three pound wooden candy buckets of change from the various ticket booths to the big brick house. "He never boasted or bragged about it, he was just a real common fellow," he said.
The cement swimming pool measured 50' X 100', with two diving boards, the tall board was 20 feet high. At one time, instead of diving boards, they installed a large wooden water-wheel. Swimmers could lay on the two foot wide paddles and it would turn, plunging them into the twelve foot deep water.
The water was pumped from the Middle Branch Creek by a huge gas powered engine sitting on the creek bank. The pool was surrounded by a cement sidewalk and a white picket fence. A large two story wooden bathhouse sat on the north side.
Pospeshil created a large artificial lake and rented small boats for boating and fishing, it was used for ice-skating in the winter.
An early 1926 newspaper described the park's grand opening, "A large amount of space is provided for parking cars and for picnic spots with an abundance of fine shade and a heavy mantle of blue grass. A modern enclosed baseball diamond with an excellent grandstand is available. Elaborate playground equipment, surrounded by a high oak fence is available for the youngsters. A dance pavilion where 300 couples may follow their stepping desires is splendidly designed, and a natural amphitheater adorn the grounds."
The next year, Pospeshil spent five thousand dollars on improvements which included a rodeo arena and several cabins.
A 1927 newspaper reported, "Mr. Pospeshil made a trip to the west last week and purchased a car load of Texas long-horns. A car load of bucking broncos is already on the place. A fence was built around the arena last week and the chutes and corrals are completed. Three wells have been sunk to provide plenty of good drinking water."
It was said that over 7,000 cars were on the grounds for the two day Fourth of July celebration in 1927. Pospeshil added still more attractions- tug of war, clowns, bucking Ford, fireworks display, Indian dancing, and rope tricks done by son Rudolph. He built a barber shop and a brick gas station, as well as a squirrel cage in which the squirrel plays the violin and drums by running inside a revolving drum. Air plane rides were available from his own landing strip.
In 1930 he added even more parking. In 1931, over 3,000 people attended a ball game between Lindy and Bloomfield. In 1932, he advertised free admission to the park, dance tickets 75 cents, spectators, 25 cents.
In 1935 the Knoxville Dramatic Club presented "Dotty and Daffy". A news write-up said, "Proceeds amounted to more than fifty dollars. It was a good season considering times."
Lyndely Crumly, 93, O'Neill, said that he was at Oak View Park on July 4, 1936. "It was a record high 118 degrees, almost to hot to play ball," he said. Crumly played with the Crumly Giants out of Page, NE.
A free dance was held for Mr. Pospeshil's 78 birthday in 1937.
The Grimton school, built in 1875, located just across the road from the park held their reunion at the park on Armistice Day Nov.11, 1938. The schoolhouse still stands.
The fourteenth annual Masquerade dance was held in the dance pavilion in Sept. of 1939.
John Pospeshil, 83, was recognized at the oldest person present at the Grimton School's Homecoming in 1942. Prize winners received war stamps.
Due to the effects of war, tire and gas rationing, the park had nearly closed down. They still had dances and roller skating on special occasions.
Anna Pospeshil died in 1944, at the age of 79; John passed away at the age of 86 in 1945. The two unmarried daughters remained in huge house their father built in the park. In 1952 Franklin Uhiler bought the west part of the land, and it is still named Oak View Ranch. In 1962 the park was sold to Elenore Schleusener. The Schleusener family tore down the old dance pavilion which was rapidly deteriorating.
Lyle Schleusener said, "Age and vandalism have taken their toll. We replaced the house roof right away, but never moved into it. Some of the oak flooring and woodwork, including the elaborate stair banister have been riped up."
All this family entertainment would never have been possible if it weren't for the determination and ingenuity of those responsible for creating country parks.
A note from the Editor! Lyle Schleusener stopped at my house in July of 2001 with the name and address of the new people who purchased the range and plan to fix it up. I haven't done anymore with it yet, but plan to interview them and see what the future holds for the old park. He also brought me a copy of the scrapebook made by the only grandchild of old John Pospeshil.
Janet Eckmann 10-12-2001
