PA Photos and Documents

Nestled within the picturesque countryside outside of Meyersdale, Somerset County, Pennsylvania, Maple Valley Parks’ community swimming pool was once a vibrant center of summer joy. Although the pool first opened to visitors in 1962, serious discussion relating to the construction of a public pool in the Meyersdale area had been active since the 1940s. The earliest project funding came in October 1947, when Mrs. Anna Conn’s fourth-grade class raised $4 through the sale of oil cloth Christmas bells. Together with a Park and Pool Association formed in 1955, Meyersdale’s Junior Women’s and Lions clubs worked to spearhead a vast community effort resulting in the July 22, 1962 dedication of the Maple Valley swimming pool. Over three decades later, after years of speculation, the pool closed to the public in May 1994, leaving behind a legacy of summertime fun. Though the large swimming area was later filled in and covered, members of the Meyersdale Lions Club still operate and maintain Maple Valley Park – a popular site for picnics, family reunions, and other local get-togethers.