A Glimpse into the Past: The Historical Significance of the Esther Williams Pool

(Print collections, State Archives of Florida, Image PR24583.)

Here’s a bird’s-eye view of the Esther Williams Swimming Pool at Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven, around 1950. The pool’s shaped like Florida, and if you look close, you can spot mossy cypress trees reflecting on Lake Eloise.

"Easy to Love" (1953) throws Esther Williams right into the heart of Florida’s Cypress Gardens, where she dazzles as a star performer. Busby Berkeley choreographs those wild, over-the-top water ballets, and honestly, the whole thing feels like a love letter to Williams’s swimming and water-skiing talent. She’s caught in a messy triangle—her boss, played by Van Johnson, has her heart, but Tony Martin keeps turning up as a rival suitor.

The real star, though, is all that aquatic spectacle, especially the big finish: Williams swoops in with a hang glider, landing in a pool shaped like the state of Florida. It’s classic, campy, and completely unforgettable.

Esther Williams in "Easy to Love"

MGM built this pool for their technicolor film “Easy to Love” (1953), which they shot partly at the park. These days, people call it the Florida Pool, and you’ll find it inside the botanical gardens at LegoLand.