Barton Springs Pool, whose cool, natural waters have created summer memories for generations in Austin, Texas, has become an important refuge during the current heat wave.
When Austinites talk about Barton Springs, they do so in almost spiritual terms. “It’s very much a sacred place,” said Kim McKnight, manager of historic preservation and tourism for the city’s Parks and Recreation Department. “I recognize not everybody goes there, but for those who do they can’t imagine life without it.”
A part of the Austin landscape since the early 20th century, the pool is so beloved that residents resorted to near rebellion to save it from developers in the 1990s. Ceremonies are regularly held on its grassy banks.
In Austin, where temperatures as high as 41^C were forecast to persist through much of the week, the cars kept pulling into the parking lot at the springs, where the water temperature — winter or summer — averages a comfortable 20 to 21^C.
