23 January 2013

Carbon Canyon Historical Artifact #30: Hot Mineral Water Pool at La Vida Mineral Springs, ca. 1960s

Here is a cool ca. 1960s postcard of the "hot mineral water pool at La Vida Mineral Springs / Carbon Canyon / Brea, Californa," published by Escondido's Amescolor Publishers.  Click on the image to see a larger view in a new window.

Here is yet another ca. 1960s color postcard of La Vida Mineral Springs, this one showing the "Hot mineral water pool." 

Note that there are changing rooms in a long structure off to the right, while in the lawn area at the left and at the far end are "hip" yellow lawn chairs with tubular steel frames and multi-colored umbrellas scattered on the grass. 

The view looks east and it appears the photo was taken on a nice sunny dat in the Spring, but not long after some rain, as the hills sport a carpet of green.  A few people can be spotted in the pool enjoying what must have been a relaxing soak in the hot water.

It seems to this viewer that there might even be a path or roadway climbing the hill on the right, though it may just be a change in the topography.

Incidentally, a short notice in the Los Angeles Times from 17 February 1957 stated that "R. L. Dickenson, manager of La Vida Mineral Springs in Carbon Canyon, stated that a new swimming pool will be completed by April 1, supplementing the present pool open to the public.  The Fiesta Pool Co. is handling the construction."  It would appear that this is the pool shown in the card.

The reverse of the unused card.
 
As with many other postcards from the period that have appeared in this blog, this one, which was not used, was manufactured by Amescolor Publishers of Escondido.  There is some staining on the ridge of the hill at the upper left, on the grass at the lower left, and at the upper right towards the top of a hill, but otherwise the condition is pretty good.

2 comments:

Chris Farren said...

I remember this well. I was a lifegurad at the pools from 1968 through the summer of 1970. My first paycheck job, making $2.00/hr.. I was over paid. I also did pool maintenance, handyman work and ran the snack bar and cage swings, for anyone that remembers them.. I especially liked Sundays went the Hungarians from LA came in large groups.. Lots of fun and boy could some of them swim and dive... but most just soaked in the hot mineral pool and complained it wasn't hot enough, at 102*.... Great times...

prs said...

Hi Chris, thanks for the comment. Any of these recollections adds to the history of La Vida, so appreciate your remembrances.