McBean Pool Turns 100: A Century of Lincoln Summers

McBean Pool celebrates its 100th anniversary on Sunday, June 21, 2026, and the City of Lincoln is throwing a free, old-fashioned family fun day from 10 AM to 2 PM to mark it. For a hundred years this pool has been where Lincoln learned to swim, cooled off in July, and spent long summer afternoons. Here is the story behind the landmark, and how the town is celebrating its centennial.

What is happening at the McBean Pool 100th celebration?

The McBean Pool 100th anniversary celebration runs Sunday, June 21 from 10 AM to 2 PM at McBean Pool, and admission is free for all ages. The day brings live music, food and refreshments, and the kind of old-fashioned fun the pool was built for, including a cardboard boat regatta and a cannonball contest. Historic artifacts and displays will trace the pool's hundred years, and there will be water-safety information for families. Bring the kids and a towel and come help one of Lincoln's most beloved landmarks blow out a hundred candles.

When did McBean Pool open?

McBean Pool was dedicated on May 22, 1925, and the opening was a genuine town-wide event. The day began with a parade at 10 AM featuring nearly 200 floats and around 100 riders on saddle horses. There were speeches, field events, and a football game between Lincoln and the Marysville Giants. A water pageant followed, a Lincoln High School student was crowned Miss Lincoln, and local swimmers competed in swimming races and diving contests. The celebration carried into the evening with an afternoon dance and a grand ball at 9 PM.

Who was McBean Pool named for?

McBean Pool is named in memory of Peter Miguel McBean, and a simple terracotta plaque on the front of the building still tells the story. The pool was a gift to the people of Lincoln from his wife, commemorating his life, service, and achievements in the community. A century later, that gift is still serving the town exactly as intended.

What made the pool special?

McBean Pool was one of the most state-of-the-art pools in California when it opened, built in a Spanish architectural style by the Sacramento firm Dean and Dean. The pool has been modernized and remodeled several times over the decades, but it still carries the essence of its original 1925 structure.

The pool measured 35 feet by 70 feet and included locker accommodations for 91 men and women. For generations of Lincoln kids, though, the details mattered less than the memories.

What else is at McBean Memorial Park today?

McBean Memorial Park has grown into one of Lincoln's busiest gathering places, with far more than the pool. The park is home to a community hall and pavilion, a Veterans Memorial, a dog park, basketball courts, and newly added pickleball courts that draw a crowd on weekends. There are horseshoe pits, a recently renovated shooting range, a bandstand popular for concerts, and a large playground and children's area. The baseball grandstands and field have had a major restoration in recent years, and the Lincoln Potters, who are celebrating their own 100th anniversary, play right here at McBean Memorial Park.

Imagine how proud the McBean family and Lincoln's early founders would be to know that something built a century ago is still packed with neighbors every weekend.

Come celebrate a Lincoln century

A hundred years is worth celebrating together. Stop by McBean Pool on Sunday, June 21 between 10 AM and 2 PM, take in the history, watch a cardboard boat or two, and toast a landmark that has cooled off this town since 1925.