CAMAS — Camas kids seeking swimming lessons had to rough it before the Crown Park pool opened in May 1954.

“We used to have lessons in the Sandy swimming hole,” said Beverly Seagraves, who grew up in Washougal. “It would be raining, and we’d be in there. I remember dog paddling across the Sandy.”

Seagraves was a student at Washougal High School when the pool opened on May 22, 1954, and said she remembers biking to the pool for swim club. She later worked as a lifeguard there, and years later, took her own kids to the pool, like many other Camas and Washougal residents.

But it’s a tradition that won’t be passed down any longer, as the Crown Park pool — the county’s only outdoor public pool — hasn’t been used since summer 2017. On Thursday, the city hosted a farewell party for the pool at the Camas Community Center, allowing residents to view old photos, learn about the pool’s history and share their memories.

“It’s sad,” Seagraves said. “Everybody needs to learn how to swim. It should be mandatory in schools.”