With hours of research under my belt, I have yet to pint point the beginning of Springs Park. I came across a discussion board that mentioned an outdoor swimming pool and clubhouse for the mill employees in 1924. Yet another site states the park, operated by Springs Industries, opened in 1940s, then closed in late 1980s. I have read some unusual attractions in the original park included a steam propelled model railroad which was a feature of the Charleston Exposition in 1902, an Army pursuit plane, and a training plane. Another site states Springs Park expanded in 1948 to include a pavilion large enough over a thousand. More research indicated that by the summer of 1963 the park also included an Olympic swimming pool with a diving tower 10 meters above the water and an amphitheater capable of seating 5000 people. According to Denise Walker, the owner of a discussion board for the history of the park, the high rise diving board was the first of its kind in the southeast and one of two or three in the entire country, which was designed by a Charles M. Graves. Attractions also included a king-sized merry-go-round, a kid-sized Ferris wheel, boat and pony rides, swings, a bowling alley, an archery range, a skating rink, shuffleboard courts.
Coming down the trail, and walking the short distance up the hill to the fence surrounding what is left of the pool, one has no trouble imaging the summers of long past. The remains of a shower house sit to the right of the pool, a gaping hole where a window once looked out to the length of it. Across the way, another building sits in ruins. What a site to see, the photos do no justice for the sheer size of the now defunct park!
I came across a Facebook page dedicated to the park, and several of its members shared a few photos and childhood memories. One of the users even posted there were concerts at the park. She wrote, “I seem to remember Patsy Cline, with her red hair, in an orange chiffon dress with gold sequined high hills. My uncle Charlie Brooks worked for Springs so we would go down from Kannapolis to visit when they had the opening each year. This was back in the 60's. I have many memories of Springs Park.”
Having seen for my self what condition the park is in today, it pains me to think of why someone would let such a grand attraction sit in ruins like this.
The high dive has long fallen, and the entire pool has various graffiti painted on the walls. The tiles are cracked and missing, the surrounding sidewalk is crumbling and at one point is actually caving in. I don’t condone trespassing, and if you even attempt to locate this park, be warned – it’s dangerous.
My friend and I explored what remains of the park, going into the pool and walking down into where so much water once was. It always makes me feel strange to walk in places that you aren’t meant to, even if the water isn’t there today.
I found another site online that officially states the parks closing in 1990. A lady posted a newspaper clipping, along with this photo. She went on to write this photo was taken in June 1990, the last summer the pool was officially open. Everything else has closed by then, and the life guard in the photo told her it wouldn’t be long till the pool closed too.
While I loved the adventure this old park provided, I hate to see something like this park once was go under. It makes me wonder about the places I know today, and what sort of people will stumble upon them in 20 or 30 years only to find them in ruin. You don’t expect to see things on this big of a scale fall down so hard.
