Oliver Bath House, South Side Flats: Special Use Park, 38 S. 10th Street
The Oliver Bath House has been closed and under construction for so long now that many people who pass by as they travel the 10th Street Bridge may have no idea of its significance (beyond the traffic delays work crews have caused).
While its modern-day function is an indoor, year-round public swimming pool, the name reveals its origin. First opened in 1915, the building was designed to improve public health and cleanliness for residents without indoor plumbing, and for the early twentieth-century South Side, that was a lot of people.
During this time in history, many public and private bathing facilities appeared throughout Pittsburgh’s working-class neighborhoods, but Oliver is the only one that stayed true to its original mission. Today, “bathing” is more about swimming, water-supported exercise, and socializing, but since its closure several years ago, it has been greatly missed by the community.
As someone who has never experienced life without safe and easy indoor plumbing, I find it hard to imagine bathing at a kitchen sink or in a small metal wash tub after pumping water by hand or collecting it from a neighborhood well. This level of labor to stay even marginally clean explains why crowds eagerly appeared at Oliver’s opening in 1915. And based on comments found on EngagePGH and various social media platforms, I wouldn’t be surprised if the same happens when the pool finally re-opens its doors.
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