Bathing Beach and Natatorium, Electric Park, Kansas City, Mo. pictures a popular spot for local water lovers at the turn of the century. The Heim brothers opened the park May 19, 1907, to a crowd of 53,000. The park was located at the south city limits, then 46th and the Paseo, and extended east to Woodland. Transportation was no problem since street cars arrived every few minutes from all parts of Kansas City and Kansas City, Kan. A fare of 5 cents included transfers. Open air street cars, used in summer by the Metropolitan Street Car Co., added to the pleasure of a beach visit. Pictured is the Steam Room sign and one at the bathhouse door entrance Special: Natatorium every Wednesday night. A section of the roller coaster and neighboring homes are seen in the background. Admittance to the park, at the street car entrance, was 10 cents, Natatorium tickets extra, and bathing suits in any size could be rented if needed. Swimmers dot the lake and some occupy a stationary raft in the deep water. During afternoons and evenings, strains of find band music floated down from the nearby band shell, which John Phillip Sousa once said was the best he had ever played in. Hall Brothers published this postcard in color about 1910, at a time when Hallmark Cards did not exist, and the brothers were busily occupied procuring and publishing postcard scenes and their sale to drug and time stores, and some to department stores. The card was furnished by Don Dessen, who found it in St. Louis. Kansas City Times, May 9, 1986.
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