Harlan County Swimming Hole

My grandaughter just invited me to her 12th birthday party. It's going to be a swimming party at a local motel. This invitation brought back precious memories of our old swimming hole on Little Creek in Harlan County. My House was built on a high embankment above a large creek. My sister lived next door. My oldest nephew was just five years younger than me, the next nephew was a year younger, and my niece was a year and a half younger than him. So I always had playmates.

In late spring, Mother told us to dam up our swimming hole, so we could swim in the summer. We carried rocks, tree branches, and pieces of wood, which had been deposited by fall and spring rains. When other kids saw us, they jumped in and helped. Before long, every kid in the small community helped dam up our swimming hole. Everyone who helped called it "their" swimming hole. We each believed it was our property, and there was never a quarrel about it.

When the weather was hot, we were in our swimming hole. Every day, different moms would come sit on the porch with Mom or my sister to watch us kids. Different parents, along with Mom and Sis, would bring us a snack down to the creek. I remember my favorite was a bologna sandwich, a slice of Mom's pie, and a RC to drink. Sometimes Mom and the ladies would bring a watermelon and a tablecloth down to the creek-bank. I never tasted watermelon as good as these were.

My oldest nephew, Bill, had a July birthday. We sang happy birthday to him, and Bill blew out the candles. We then took our cake and drinks down to the creek bank to eat.

The only arguement I remember taking place at the swimming hole was between our minister's son and daughter. The boy threw a small rock and hit his sister on the big toe. Mom sent them both home, but they were back the next day. I think they were ashamed of themselves, because they brought a bag of candy for us all to eat.

Mother told us, in her last days, that the swimming hole was a link to friends, because she just couldn't find the time to get out and visit everyone. She said it also helped her and Sis keep an eye on us. To children, it was just pure summer joy.

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