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In the summer of 1930, farmer/rancher and large landowner Jake Kurtz set aside four acres of his property on the west side of the newly-paved Texas State Highway 95 between Shiner and Moulton to build a large concrete swimming pool and recreational area. He named it “Sulphur Park” after the rich sulphur-laced mineral water coming from a newly dug 73-foot well adjacent to the property on the north bank of the nearby Ponton Creek. The pool was excavated that summer by George Jassen using horse and mule-drawn scrapers and heavy equipment. The Shiner Light Plant worked for two months that summer to extend the electrical line out to Mr. Kurtz’s Property. Measuring 120 feet long by 40 feet wide, the pool featured a deep side for diving and shallow side for wading. Outdoor wooden picnic tables were added under large trees for shade as well as bath houses, a concession stand, adjoining baseball field, a covered concrete dance floor and country store. The pool’s grand opening, or “Splash Day,” was Sunday, August 31, 1930. Hundreds attended the opening and feasted on barbeque and enjoyed a turkey shoot sponsored by the Shiner Gun Club, baseball tournament, and music provided by Schultz Band. The pool was open in the summer months and the park area continuously in good weather and attracted thousands of people, sometimes in one day. As the only pool in the area and with family atmosphere, Sulphur Park became a haven for the community, especially during hard times. For more than sixty years, Sulphur Park was an oasis in the country for the Shiner and Moulton communities and contributed to the recreational history of the area. |
