The Morony Natatorium
In 1915, Great Falls saw the death of one of its prominent citizens, John G. Morony. He was the president of the First National Bank and was incredibly successful. As one of the many tributes following his passing, his wife donated $25,000 for a brand-new natatorium. Mrs. Morony’s gift to the people of Great Falls was one close to her husband’s heart, as swimming was one of the recreations in which he took special delight. He often talked with his companions about the need for a swimming pool for the boys and emphasized that every boy should know how to swim. When Mrs. Morony made her donation, it came with plans already prepared by engineer Frank Scotte and architect George H. Shanley.
The chosen location for the pool was the newly christened Morony Park between 1st and 2nd Ave North and 12th and 13th Streets. The building was 63 feet by 93 feet with the front of the building facing First Ave North. The main floor of the building was 5 feet above the grade to make excavation as shallow as possible and to provide good light and ventilation for the basement. The boiler room, fuel room, dry room, and living quarters for the attendant were located in the basement. On the main floor were several lockers and shower rooms for boys and girls. Sixteen private dressing rooms were also provided for adults. The swimming pool was 30 ft by 60 feet in size with a water depth of at the shallow end of 2 feet 6 inches and at the springboard end of 8 feet 6 inches.
A model of the Morony Natatorium on display at Electric City Conservatory, March 15- June 1, 1916. [CCHS 106.0001]
Construction began in April of 1916. Charles A. Burrell of the Electric City Conservatory had a model of the coming building built by P. K. Knudsen’s woodwork factory for a beautiful display in one of the display windows at the flower shop for several weeks.
The model is now here with us at The History Museum, donated by P.K. Knudsen’s granddaughter. [CCHS 106.3]
The Morony Natatorium was the first free public natatorium to be built in Montana. The walls and partitions were all made of pressed brick manufactured by the Great Falls Sewer Pipe and Fireproofing company. The ceilings of the bath house part of the structure were plastered. All of the trim work, such as doors and casings, were of natural-finish quartered oak. The swimming pool was lined with ceramic mosaic tile or hexagon white tile. The floors were all terrazzo, which is made of marble chips and cement. The walls were tinted a light yellow to harmonize with the brick of the building.
Weather caused delays and the pool finally opened to the public in June of 1917. “Safety First” was the motto that governed the children. The Natatorium was truly a welcome respite for many parents, as children in years past had taken to soaking in Gibson Pond and the Missouri River during summers and lost their lives. There was now a safe, monitored place where the children could have healthy fun.
The brand new Morony Natatorium, 1917. [CCHS 227.0001D]
The Natatorium was hugely popular, drawing thousands of swimmers each season. Improvements were made over the years with a big renovation done in 1940. The entire interior was cleaned, repainted, and redecorated, including the brickwork and the pool itself. During the summer of 1944, a recorded 22,000 swimmers patronized the Natatorium. That same year, the Park Board approved the Natatorium to be open year-round. Great Falls citizens loved the pool, and it was in continual use, but it would not last forever. In 1964, after several months of issues, the Park board accepted 2 engineer’s reports that condemned the building. The reports spoke of cracking in the foundation and the walls, far too costly to repair. The building was torn down not long after and a new Natatorium was built in its place, opening in 1967.
Great Falls Tribune Clipping, Wednesday October 1, 1941.
Sadly, maintenance issues and repair needs plagued the 1967 pool. In 2011, a structural assessment found failures within the building’s masonry, water leaking through the basement foundation wall, a roof needing complete replacement, and the whole structure sinking to the north due to groundwater continually seeping and destabilizing the foundation. In 2018, once again, the Morony Natatorium was deemed unsafe and was condemned. In December of 2023, the Morony Natatorium was torn down.