TEN FOOT: Let the memories roll …

Sonny Grill of New Philadelphia, Ohio, writes: “Growing up on
Rochester Street in the ’40s and ’50s the swimming hole known as
Ten Foot was part of our wonder years.”

“The water was always coated with runoff from the oil industry
and you would go home smelling like the Kendall and with spots of
oil on your skin and in your hair. Our mother would ask, have you
two (my brother) been swimming in that creek and we would answer
‘no,’ like she did not know better and we thought we got away with
something.

“I remember also in the west branch of the mighty Tuna Creek
there were two swimming holes one near the Harri Emery airport
called Maple Deep and one upstream that we called Anderson’s below
the Crooker House crossroads.”

Tony Pascale writes, “Don Carlson has a good memory. The
swimming hole on the Tuna Creek was called Ten Foot among other
names. We ‘Fifth Ward’ guys usually called it ‘BAB — Bare A—
Beach.’ Most girls would not dare to go down there since most of us
swam sans clothes (some shy guys would strip to their shorts). Over
the years I can only remember one girl who joined us and she kept
most of her cloths on. Ten Foot had a bull rope tied to a tree on
the bank which we would swing on over the deepest part of the hole
and let go. You might not want to visualize what that looked
like.

“The creek was polluted with oil scum but we were young, dumb,
and looking for fun. Most of us couldn’t afford to go up to the
‘Rec’ (which is now the pool at Callahan Park) so this was a quick,
cheap way to cool off. The good old days.”

Gus Gocella writes, “I recall Ten Foot and the fun we 5th
Warders would have taunting those from across the creek. If you
arrived first you had control of the rope hanging from the tree. It
was a territorial thing and no real problems.”

“Yes, as you came up from the depths you would have to wave your
arm and hand to skim the crude oil crud from the water so your face
and head stayed ‘clean.’”