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Lost Treasures: Crystal Baths
| Wednesday, Nov 8 2006 12:16 PM
Last Updated: Wednesday, Nov 8 2006 11:58 AM
Crystal Baths (Vlasnik Natatorium)
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Crystal Baths
In the first month of 1910, Joe Vlasnik and his two sons purchased a lot facing 19th Street and adjacent to the Kern Island Canal to build a natatorium.
The father and sons built an expensive, glass ceiling bath house for $30,000, according to Bakersfield historian Chris Brewer.
Vlasnik sank wells on the site to fill the pools, creating controversy about the water quality.
Vlasnik calmed the citizenry by installing a heating system to help purify the water.
But water quality would turn out to be the least of the problems at Vlasknik’s public natatorium.
Nine months after opening, the pool burned down in a spectacular fire, apparently set by an arsonist.