A dastardly act at the city pool cut short the cooling-off time of the facility, with hopes those responsible would hopefully pay for their misdeed.

That facility was important to the people, especially during hot weather, just as those of the past served water lovers. Some of those pools of years gone by served their purposes until regulations arrived that those without treatment facilities could no longer exist in rural communities.

Two of those facilities popular many years ago were Brock Swimming Pool and the Roaring River State Park pool.

Brock Pool, located at the southeast edge of Cassville on Mineral Springs Road, got its water source by a free-flowing spring of the same name. It was a concrete structure with diving facilities and a tower at the deep end. There were dressing rooms provided.

Being spring fed, the water took a little getting used to when first entering, but in the hottest part of a summer day, mostly young people used the facility, making the water temperature of little consequence.

Roaring River pool, located near the Old Lodge, although small, was also spring-fed the water coming off Trout rearing pools on the opposite side of a walkway.

Here too, the spring source of water never let temperatures get warm enough to be comfortable. This didn’t seem to bother those having access to the pool.

Both the Brock and Park pools suffered a demise being caught in modernization toward treated pools.

Roaring River provided another swimming and wading source in Bass Lake, formed by an earthen dam at the lower portion of the developed park. Here too, the water was cold, not having much of a chance to warm during its travel from the park’s huge spring.

Provided at the lake was a swimming dock, that also gave access to wooden John Boats that could be rented for a tour around the lake or to accompany those wanting to swim the length of the small lake.

A fast flowing spillway was a favorite of those choosing to wade the waters for a cooling experience.

A pair of nearby rivers were sources of swimming, wading and general cooling most of the time in an outing that included a picnic adventure by families or groups of friends. Those days always provided advice that swimmers did not enter the water until an hour had passed from their eating from a well-filled table or pallet.

On the Kings, a spot known as the Jim Couch hole had a good gravel bar, water deep enough for swimming and a long rapid that gave a ride for tubers. Toward the end of this ride was a challenge to climb a bluff and sample some cool spring water.

This location is at one side of the present Green Shores Subdivision.

A White River location was in the vicinity of the Farwell Bridge that didn’t survive the processes of Table Rock Lake. Gatherings of all types during the summer months used the waters of the White for cooling.

At each of the river locations, it wasn’t unusual to find ardent fishermen wading away from the gatherings.

Roaring River near Eagle Rock, the swinging bridge and then close to a log dam further downstream, got a little warmer in this area and were popular spots.

Then there were always the good spots on Flat Creek, easily reached for the town kids without transportation. At that particular time, the creek was free flowing and water temperatures were much more acceptable.

The lone problem with Flat Creek came during the Dog Days of Summer when many parents were not all that happy about youngsters using those waters. There was even the problem with some fearing there might be some possibility of polio being contracted in the waters during this time.

Putting a stop to walking across fields to access Flat Creek was usually the existence of tumble bugs, which had a nasty habit of rolling cattle waste in a ball and rolling same down the path. It wasn’t very pleasant to have one squashed between your toes.

Thus, shoes usually didn’t come off until reaching the creek.

Would you believe there are more lawn care people in Cassville than there are banks? Five banks are available to provide their services. Count the number of trailers with mowers aboard them sometime. The mowers continue to be busy even though grass isn’t growing all that much this time of the year. The machines of today cover even the larger lawns in quick order.

The area might not be out of thunderstorm threat yet, says the Almanac.

Best fishing dates include the 7th through 10th, 18th, 19. Good fishing on the 1st, 6th, 13th, 28th and 29th.

Bob Mitchell is the former editor and publisher of the Cassville Democrat. He is a 2017 inductee to both the Missouri Press Association Hall of Fame and Missouri Southern State University’s Regional Media Hall of Fame.