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Public swimming pools in many cities were originally built in the late nineteenth century not primarily for recreation but for hygiene, offering working-class residents access to bathing facilities their cramped housing lacked. As indoor plumbing became standard in homes through the twentieth century, pools gradually shifted from utilitarian bathhouses into venues for sport, fitness, and leisure. This change in purpose also altered their architecture: early pools featured small, shallow basins and rows of individual bathing stalls, while later facilities incorporated diving areas, lane markings for swimming instruction, and spectator seating. Municipal budgets have not always kept pace with this shift, however, and many older pools now require costly retrofitting to meet modern safety and accessibility standards, leading some cities to close historic pools rather than fund their renovation.