There’s a charming story that people have shared for generations, especially among kids who grew up near water. Nowadays, with younger kids often glued to their screens, this tale might not be as well-known.
The story is set in the late 1950s, probably in July. A group of friends from Mercer gathered at the railroad bridge over Burnt Mill Creek, specifically at the trestle between Forest Hills Drive and Mercer Avenue. Feeling a bit bored with their usual antics, they decided to have some fun by building a dam across the creek. Once they finished their project, it created a lovely swimming hole about five or six feet deep. They splashed around and had a great time swimming before venturing off to play with some nearby mosquito vines until dusk.
The next day, a few of them returned to the creek, eager for another swim. To their surprise, they heard voices coming from their swimming hole! It turned out that some boys from Delgado had decided to join in on the fun without asking and had even left their clothes behind to go skinny dipping. Not wanting to share their special spot, the Mercer kids decided to play a little prank. They sneakily crossed the railroad trestle, grabbed the boys’ clothes, and playfully dropped them along the way as they ran toward Forest Hills Drive. From that day on, the Delgado boys never returned to their swimming hole!
