Davis Swimming Pool and Airstrip

Front: Built by Wilbur Davis on an artesian well in 1916, this private swimming pool was a popular picnic and party venue for Georgia and South Carolina residents for much of the twentieth century. In 1925, Davis jacked the dance pavilion onto piers, creating the shaded picnic area underneath. When Davis died in 1926, his son Emory carried on the business until his death in 1971. Reverse: In 1945, Emory Davis put in an airstrip in the field across the road to attract private pilots flying past the venue. Thereafter, the South Carolina Breakfast Club, a group of pilots, stopped here for brunches and annual meetings. Often a stop on the stump speech circuit, the pool was host to U.S. Sen. Strom Thurmond in 1966 for the pool’s 50th anniversary celebration.