The Natatorium, also known as The Nat, in Amarillo, Texas, will mark the 100th anniversary of its completion in July.
The approaching centennial first was flagged by Charlie, a Route 66 fan, at Mix94.1 radio in Amarillo.
Natatorium is just a fancy word for swimming pool. It opened up in the summer of 1922.
The Natatorium was an open-air, enclosed pool. Think of it as an indoor pool without a roof. Except a roof would later be added.
You could argue the addition of the roof made it easier for what came next…
The Nat – Dance Hall, Diner, Concert Venue
When you ask around about The Nat, pretty much no one talks about the days when it was a swimming pool. They always want to tell you stories about Elvis, Little Richard, Duke Ellington, James Dean, and Marilyn Monroe.
The legends just get more and more wild the more you ask around. It’s part of what makes The Nat so special.
According to the Historic Marker Database, a marker at The Nat states it opened to the public in July 1922. It’s on the National Register of Historic Places.
The Amarillo Globe-News a few years ago also dug into The Nat’s past. The venue’s downfall began in the mid-1950s:
Maddox permanently loses his beer license following an incident involving a 15-count charge at a Little Richard concert on Aug. 23, 1956. The charges included eight counts of selling beer to minors, one count of indecent acts by two audience members, one count of assaulting a Potter County sheriff and five more charges that Little Richard and members of his band engaged in conduct that was offensive to public decency.
The owner also tussled with the city over fire codes and back taxes. The number of live shows there dwindled.
More about The Nat’s history can be found on its website here.
The Nat reputedly was haunted. This video delves into more of that mythology:
The Nat now is a huge antique mall, which more than 100 vendors. It’s at 2705 Southwest 6th Ave., which is a prominent alignment of Route 66 in Amarillo.
(Image of The Natatorium in Amarillo, Texas, in 2011 by Ross Griff via Flickr)