Creek under the natatorium?

couch 'em · Post by **couch 'em** » Wed Nov 20, 2013 11:07 pm

If you look at old pictures of campus you can see a line of trees going NE to SW right through where the natatorium is now. The SE end is south of the god quad just north of the HPM church. In the really old pics there is what looks like a cattle stock pond somewhere near where McElveney is now.

Does anyone remember this tree line? Was it a creek? The tree line is still there in the 40s but mostly gone by the time the engineering school is built near it in the 50s.

GiddyUp · Post by **GiddyUp** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 12:34 am

um what?

CenTXpony · Post by **CenTXpony** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 12:38 am

Wish I could help out but I was born in 87.

Should be under Around the hilltop.

smumustang1980 · Post by **smumustang1980** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 12:40 am

Yes, I remember seeing a map with the creek clearly marked. Also you will notice the fault underneath the entrance to the old Mustang Band Hall where the concrete sags heavily. The ground gives over the old bed, and I suspect a natural spring. Legends of old hideout for outlaws nearby in late 19th Century. Check out old Dallas maps showing farms, creeks... I will see if i can find one.

ojaipony · Post by **ojaipony** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 12:57 am

I also remember when the dinosaurs used Meadows as their toilet. Probably some good fossilized feces under there. Ah, the good old days - I remember it just like it was yesterday.

BigT3x · Post by **BigT3x** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 1:11 am

Wait, those greedy swimmers are demanding a new natatorium when the current one is built on top of a creek?! Why don't they just swim in the creek?!

I just saved SMU millions. Do I get a fountain?

blackoutpony · Post by **blackoutpony** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 1:12 am

BigT3x wrote:Wait, those greedy swimmers are demanding a new natatorium when the current one is built on top of a creek?! Why don't they just swim in the creek?!

I just saved SMU millions. Do I get a fountain?

It's probably how they fill the pool up right now

Insane_Pony_Posse · Post by **Insane_Pony_Posse** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 2:04 am

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywjX9_og8dk

CenTXpony · Post by **CenTXpony** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 2:22 am

Insane_Pony_Posse wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ywjX9_og8dk

My how the times have changed.

smusic 00 · Post by **smusic 00** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 2:33 am

We've always had a great campus. That's one thing we managed not to eff up.

Note the massive storm drains just across from the natatorium now. That's obviously where the water flows to and would support the notion of a creek bed being there.

Related: If you go to the sub basement of the Wyly theater on Ross you can see a tributary of the Trinity flowing under the building. Dallas was built over dozens of small creeks which still flow.

couch 'em · Post by **couch 'em** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 8:44 am

This doesn't show any creeks but I found it pretty interesting and somewhat related.

Look at this 1920s era map. Daniel Ave. from Airline to what I am assuming became Greenville Ave., past a rail ROW that I am assuming became 75, is all owned by different members of the Daniel family.

Anyone know if any Daniels are still around?

couch 'em · Post by **couch 'em** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 9:08 am

MYSTERY SOLVED

If you look at this portion of an old county soil map you can see the creek going through campus, highlighted in yellow:

Note the orientation of streets southwest of campus. This arrangement still exists and should be familiar to all of us. It is the creek flowing between Drexel and St. Johns. A pretty substantial creek.

Also, here is a pic of campus with the creek/treeline visble. No idea when this pic is from, I found it online years ago and saved it.

Grant Carter · Post by **Grant Carter** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 9:10 am

Sometime in the mid to late 90s there was a big thunderstorm that flooded the basement of cox. Anyone who saw that knows there is a natural drainage around there.

SMUfrat · Post by **SMUfrat** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 9:31 am

This is honestly pretty interesting.

Think about how cool campus would be with this creek still there. Think Tx State style.

I can understand their thinking: This creek was probably pretty minor,and dry for the majority of the time (naturally flooded during rains). We see these alot of places in Texas. It was probably alot more convienent to just move dirt over this feature (I cant imagine it being more than 5 feet below grade at any point). This opened up the opportunity to have a much more formal situation of campus.

Today, we realize that working around this creek bed would of been really cool. Our campus is amazing - everyone knows, but having some natural features could of made it unbeatable. If we were to do it all over again, we could of really accentuated this feature on campus.

The GWB park in the back finally gives SMU some natural beauty again. It was much needed!

smusportspage · Post by **smusportspage** » Thu Nov 21, 2013 9:53 am

From the view point of a History major this is so cool! It is always smart to study and remember the past.

Creek under the natatorium?

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