2500 BC: Egyptian hieroglyphics depicting swimming.
36 BC: Japanese historic records describe swimming competitions.
78 AD: Romans introduced swimming as a social event to Britain.
1400s: The Catholic Church objects to naked bathing on moral grounds.
1800s: Acrobatic diving is developed in Germany and Sweden.
1830s: Swimming clubs are established in England.
1844: The Breaststroke loses popularity after Britain is introduced to the Native American "Crawl."
1862: The First documented indoor swimming pool is built in England.
1885: The first diving competition is held in Germany. Briton Matthew Webb is the first documented person to swim the English Channel.
1900: The Paris Olympics feature an obstacle swimming event in the Seine River.
1907: The White star line installs a swimming pool on its ocean liner, The Adriatic.
1908: The international governing body of swimming, FINA (Federation Internationale de Nataion de Amateur), is founded.
1912: Women's swimming events are added to Olympic Games in Stockholm.
1924: Johnny Weissmuller sets 67 world swimming records before becoming a Hollywood movie star.
1943: Two-piece swimsuits are introduced after wartime shortages prompt a 10% reduction in the amount of fabric used to create swimsuits.
1972: Mark Spitz wins seven gold medals in the Summer Olympics.
2008: American Michael Phelps becomes the world's most decorated Olympic swimming with a career total of 14 gold medals.
Today: The National Swimming Pool Foundation estimates there are more than 10 million swimming pools across the USA, including more than 360,000 public pools that are open year round.