Originally a quarry that supplied limestone for early Coral Gables homes, Venetian Pool was transformed in 1924 by Denman Fink, artist-architect and uncle of Coral Gables founder George Merrick, into a unique pool resembling a natural lagoon in a Venetian setting, with bridges, towers, a casino, and lush landscaping. During the 1920s, it promoted Coral Gables and highlighted the city's distinctive architecture. William Jennings Bryan lectured there on the merits of living in Coral Gables, Jan Garber and Paul Whiteman and their orchestras played for social functions, and Annette Kellerman and Jackie Ott, "the aqua tot," were among its famous visiting swimmers. The pool was drained in 1926 for a performance in the basin by the Miami Grand Opera Company, and George Merrick's Coral Gables Corporation sold it to the City of Coral Gables in 1927.