DUTCHTOWN BATHHOUSE

I miss the summer band concerts at the Albion Band Shell in Victory Park by the Albion Community Band. Don’t you?

Every summer I try and feature a summer activity historical article, and many times it leads me to the Dutchtown swimming area on S. Hannah St. This was in existence from 1915 through 1957. The bathhouse was a focal point where swimmers changed into their swimsuits. The attendant at the bathhouse would give each person a basket to put their street clothes in when they changed inside. They would then return the basket when they were finished.

A closeup photo of the bathhouse has always been challenging to obtain, as photographers usually took photos of the swimming area instead.

The aging bathhouse eventually fell into disrepair, and was demolished in 1959 two years after Dutchtown closed. From our Historical Notebook this week we present a rare unpublished close-up photo of the Dutchtown bathhouse, circa 1955. Here we see a girl receiving a basket for her clothes from the teenage attendant who is standing inside. A pile of boards lay on the ground in front. The pennants on the wall state, "Ballet Swimmers Sign up Right Away Please!" "No Smoking," "Remember Your Basket," "Pool Open 12 to 6," "No Running," and "Bikes Off Sidewalks."

	Frank Passic — Albion Historian An Albion native and 1971 graduate of Albion High School, Frank Passic has been researching and writing Albion history since 1976. He is the creator of the Albion Historical Notebook, with hundreds of articles appearing weekly in the Morning Star and The Recorder. Frank maintains an extensive personal archive including Riverside Cemetery records, family surname files, genealogies, photographs, city directories, and high school yearbooks. Support his 2026 research at the Historic Albion Michigan Facebook page. Historical Notebook \| From the Archives \| Subject List \| 100 Years Ago \| Alphabetical Index \| Frank Passic Home Page \| Albion History Books \| Contact Frank
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