Product Description
Austintown Township was first inhabited by Native Americans. In 1788, it became Range 3, Township 2, of the Connecticut Western Reserve and was named for Calvin Austin, a land agent for the Connecticut Land Company. In 1794, John McCollum was the first settler. In 1820, the population was 718. By 1880, coal miners and families increased the population to 2,502. The damming of Meander Creek creating Meander Reservoir put Ohltown underwater and flooded some of West Austintown. After World War II, Austintown grew tremendously. Throughout this growth, one constant remained--the schools. Moving from 12 one-room schoolhouses to one large consolidated school to 8 school buildings, the schools remain central to the community and preserve Austintown's identity. ... Read more

Product Description
As sites of race riots, shrinking swimsuits, and conspicuous leisure, swimming pools reflect the tensions and transformations that have given rise to modern America. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (6)

Good to the last drop
I'm not sure how this book ended up on my reading list, but I'm so glad it did.As a child, I remember wondering why I never saw a black swimmer.Now I better understand the history that led to the de facto segregation of my suburban pool. Wiltse's narrative is compelling and readable and the archival photos are a nice touch.I only wish there was a little more information on how pools came to be gender desegregated and how religious exclusion played into the swim club landscape.

Awesome book!
I needed this book for school and I wanted it for personal reasons. I am glad that I finally found it. It is very informative and well written.

Great
It was sent on time and arrived in good condition - as described.When the post office seemed to have lost my book (no fault of the seller), the seller was prompt in forwarding shipping confirmation info.

Bringing History Alive
This is a must read for every teen or adult that believes history is simply about boring dead white people and inconsequential dates.Can you write a "real" history book that has valid arguments about.....SWIMMING POOLS?Dr. Wiltse has caught the attention of the young people of this nation who believed that history, real history, has to be about a President, King, or a General, and has taught us all that seemingly mundane events in the lives of common people, often overlooked, are history too!

Repetitive
So far I am a quarter of the way through this book and it has repeated the same information several times.As soon as the author progresses into the 1900s he quickly shifts back to the 1890s and then up to the 1900s and then back again.The information could have been a little more carefully strung together and not so repetitive.I look forward to finishing this book to see if this gets any better.Despite the irritating repetition the information presented is interesting. ... Read more