The very first Las Olas Beach Casino didn’t have slot machines, roulette wheels or even an all you can eat buffet. Not even a pool. Opened in 1915 it was a “casino” in an older sense of the word; a summerhouse, or social club. It had changing rooms and a boardwalk to the ocean and a dance hall upstairs. Folks had to boat from town for a beach outing until January 1917 when the first Las Olas bridge opened.
A new Las Olas Casino was dedicated on January 29, 1928 and this time the casino had a pool, an Olympic-sized saltwater pool. The Las Olas Casino, renamed along the was simply as the Municipal Pool, was the center of all things public and collegiate pool related in Fort Lauderdale until December 27, 1965 when CBS televised the new Hall of Fame pool swim meet and water show. In 1968 the International Swimming Hall of Fame was dedicated.
The Las Olas Casino, renamed along the way simply as the Casino Pool then Municipal Pool, was the center of all things public and collegiate pool related in Lauderdale until December 27, 1965 when CBS televised the new Hall of Fame pool swim meet and water show. In 1968 the International Swimming Hall of Fame was dedicated.
All the postcards shown are from my personal collection. The front and back message side of these cards may be viewed here.
Two interesting histories; Broward Legacy “Las Olas Boulevard Progress or Doom?” by Mary McGreevy and Where the Boys (and Girls) Were!: The Fun and Sun History of Fort Lauderdale Beach by Dan Santoro.
Fort Lauderdale Postcards 
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