According to Angi.com, Arizona has more than 500,000 private swimming pools, more than all but two other states. However, backyard pools did not become popular until the 1940s and 1950s, after World War II.

Previously, generations had flocked to the numerous swimming pools throughout the city, many of which were well-fed and had sandy bottoms.

Here you will find information about the history of Phoenix's historic swimming pools and their locations.

The first swimming pools in Phoenix

Older residents of the Phoenix metropolitan area may remember swimming in canals, but that wasn't the safest option.

Over time, more and more swimming pools were built, offering a safer alternative to the canals.

The Cottonwood Pool, which opened in 1946, was located on Seventh Street by the Grand Canal. The pool was fed by fountains, which made it ice cold. The Broadway Pool was another swimming pool in the area, located roughly at 20th Avenue and Broadway.