Klamath Falls Pool Memoirs 1


The Ella Redkey pool in Klamath Falls is named after a woman who was the driving force behind bringing swimming and water safety to Klamath Falls.  In an area of open irrigation ditches, mill ponds and deep marshes, this was a godsend to the area, which had seen more than its share of drownings.

She was the manager for many years of the pool she helped establish and was probably in her early 60s when I was a young teen on summer swim team.  She ran a tight ship, and did not look kindly on the brazen swim team youth who dove in the shallow end, horseplayed on deck, and loved to take extended warm showers after the chilly morning practice.  She was known to go into the boys’ dressing room to enforce order when necessary.  One of her most remarkable skills was that she could float vertically with her head above water, with absolutely no movement of her arms or legs.  Another memory I have of her era was my thought, as a 14-year-old, that I would NEVER look like she did in a swimsuit!   Ahem!!


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One thought on “Klamath Falls Pool Memoirs

  • Laura Schob

    I loved reading your article. Thank you. I grew up in Lakeview and loved racing in the summer league in this
    33 1/3 yard warm pool.