By Heidi Glaus
ST. LOUIS COUNTY, Mo.(KSDK) - It is 105 acres of pretty awesome art. A place probably best known for this big red sculpture known as The Way, but there's so much more hidden at Laumeier Sculpture Park that's sort of out of the way.
"Some of the really most evocative, most shocking, surprising pieces are along this nature trail," says Marilu Knode, executive director of the Laumeier Sculpture Park.
Like the site specific piece known as Pool Complex: Orchard Valley.
"When Laumeier was founded we had 78 acres, the county in 1980 bought 20 more acres. This was this adjacent piece of property and they started uncovering this swimming pool," Knode says.
Not too terribly much is known about the pool other than it was converted from a pond in the early 30's.
"They had orchards in this area, it was the Heidenkamp family who owned it and there was actually a spring that used to feed this pool," says Knode.
It was a private pool occasionally used by the Boy Scouts and YMCA, according to the St. Louis Globe-Democrat.
"I've actually had a colleague say to me he used to go swimming here up until they built the Sunset Hills pool," Knode says.
It was quite massive. Of course, these days kids can still play in it thanks to an artist by the name of Mary Miss.
"The pool is original, the stone area up here, the stairs are original. What she did is sort of revitalize this area here and add all the wooden construction," Knode points out.
So the sounds of splashing might be missing, but it's a perfect place to see and hear nature as well as look at the landscape around you a little differently.
