Built in 1930 on what were then the rural shores of White Rock Lake, the “Old Bath House” was one of the first uses of Art Deco architecture in the southwest. The building provided lockers, changing rooms, rentable swimsuits, and concessions for the thousands of people that drove from all over North Texas to swim in the lake.
The Bath House remained a social and recreational hot spot for over two decades but was forced to close in 1953 when swimming in White Rock Lake was discontinued. The majestic building sat vacant until 1978 when, urged and supported by a dedicated group of neighborhood arts activists, the City of Dallas announced plans to restore the building. In August of 1981, the citizens of East Dallas celebrated the birth of the City’s first neighborhood cultural center.
The Bath House Cultural Center is a division of the City of Dallas Office of Arts and Culture.
