For many families growing up in the Somerset Hills and surrounding communities, summer meant one thing: the local swim club. From the 1950s through the 1980s, private clubs, lakes, beaches, and municipal pools became summertime gathering places where generations of kids learned to swim, competed on swim teams, played tennis, worked their first summer jobs, and spent long days with friends.
We’ve started researching and documenting these nearly forgotten places, including Mill Ridge, Clover Hill, Copper Springs, Noe Pond, Mt. Kemble, Pleasant Valley Pool, and others, but we know there are more stories waiting to be rediscovered. That’s where you come in. Do you remember one of these clubs, or another one we haven’t found yet? Were you a member, lifeguard, coach, counselor, or part of a swim team? Post your memories in the comments, and please dig through those old photo albums and shoeboxes.
We’re especially looking for photographs, membership cards, patches, advertisements, postcards, swim team pictures, and other memorabilia from the 1950s through the 1980s. Help us identify the clubs, the people who made them special, and preserve another great piece of our local summer history before those memories disappear.
Maybe we’re missing a club you belonged to? Let us know below.
Have an old Swim Club Pic?
Have a Pic from the 50s-70s you can share to help preserve these great old swim clubs. Drop us a note now. Just name the club and the year. We’re creating a fun online photo album to save the history.
Your submissions are being gathered.
Please come back as we begin uploading your submitted classic photos.
