text: The last private owner of the property, Andrew Jackson Zilker, deeded it to Austin in 1918. During the 1920s, the city undertook a construction project to create a larger swimming area by damming the springs and building sidewalks.  The bathhouse was designed in 1947 by Dan Driscoll, who also designed the bathhouse at Deep Eddy Pool.
  Operation of the pool
  The pool is usually open to the public everyday from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.  When open, the floodgates on the pool's dam are closed, and Main Barton Spring fills the pool to a maximum depth of more than 18 feet.  At the upper end of the pool, another dam prevents surface water from Barton Creek from entering the pool by diverting it through a tunnel under the sidewalks.
  Admission to the pool is free from November through mid-March. From mid-March to October, a fee ($1 to $8 for residents of Austin) is charged for entry from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. Summer passes, valid from Memorial Day to Labor Day, are also available.
  Lifeguards are usually present except before 8 a.m., when swimmers are cautioned to "swim at your own risk". The pool is surrounded by grassy slopes and shade trees. Items prohibited from entering the facility include coolers, food, non-resealable beverages other than water, glass containers, alcohol, loudspeakers, pets other than service animals, and bicycles. Flotation devices are permitted at either end of the pool, but not in the middle.