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In the late 1800's a lot of bathing resorts started dotting the shores of the Great Salt Lake. One of these resorts was known as Lake Park which opened in 1886. At the time it was known as "one of the most attractive watering places in the West". It featured dancing, swimming, boating, bowling, target shooting, roller skating, and a mule-drawn Merry-go-round. At the end of it's first year 53,000 people had visited the resort.
In 1893 the waters of the Great Salt Lake began to recede leaving the resort next to sticky mud and far from water. The resort continued to operate under these conditions focusing on other activities that visitor's could do. It was during this time that the Vice President of Lake park, Simon Bamberger - who held a 25% interest in the resort, started exploring options for his own resort.
Bamberger had been building a railroad to connect Salt Lake City with Ogden. 2.5 miles to the east of Lake park and near his railroad was a small 9-acre lagoon. Bamberger was a very smart businessman and knew people would ride his railroad if he built a resort right next to it. He decided to go forward with those plans and bought some of the original Lake Park buildings. He then relocated them to the lagoon and opened his resort in 1896. One of these buildings was the dancing pavilion designed by Richard Kletting, who is best known as the architect of the original Saltair and the Utah Capitol Building.
Coincidentally the Lake Park resort closed in 1895. It's not clear whether the resort was planning on closing and so Bamberger bought the buildings and opened Lagoon a year later, or if Bamberger offered to buy the buildings from the struggling Lake Park and then the decision was made to close the resort. Either way due to the fact that Lake Park resort closed in 1895 and Lagoon opened in 1896 with some of the Lake Park buildings, Lake Park is often viewed as the original Lagoon.
The name "Lagoon" was chosen to suit the the resort's home on the banks of the 9-acre lagoon. When Lagoon opened it advertised "Bowling, Elegant Dancing Pavilion, Fine Music, A Shady Bowery, and Good Restaurants." The Bamberger railway brought the crowds to enjoy Lagoon for only 25 cents.
Shortly after Lagoon's opening additional attractions were added. Some were typical of those found at other amusement parks around the country. The first "thrill ride" to grace the park was the "Shoot the Chutes" in 1899. This ride was a distant cousin of the log flume ride. And a year later swimming in the lake started. A merry-go-round was installed in 1906 and is still used today by the park. In 1921 the roaring sounds of Lagoon's first roller coaster could be heard. 1928 brought Lagoon's first swimming pool which was advertised as having "water fit to drink". In 1929 the first Fun House was installed.
The Bamberger family continued to run the park throughout the years. Leasing it once for 10 years to the Amusement Concession Company, from 1918 to 1927. When World War II started the park was closed until 1946 when the park was leased again to the Utah Amusement Corporation, with Ranch S. Kimball as general manager and Robert E. Freed as assistant manager.
In 1947 Lagoon installed a collection of new attractions to bring the crowds back once more including: The Ghost Train, Sky Ride, a new swim building and swim entrance, cafe and tavern, and the Streamliner. Lagoon continued to do well under the new management until 1953 when fire broke out at the park. It swept down the west side of the midway destroying everything in it's path. The front part of the roller coaster was consumed and fire fighters had to spray a constant stream of water over the merry-go-round to stop the blaze from taking it. Once the smoke cleared Robert Freed, then President of the Utah Amusement Corporation, vowed to rebuild a "new Lagoon" with new attractions and features to be built each year.
Lagoon quickly rebuilt and started to take the shape of the Lagoon that we know today. In 1954 the park opened with an abundance of new attractions and rides. The roller coaster's front section was rebuilt and new cars were installed. The Patio Gardens which soon became Utah's hot concert spot was installed. Later it became a roller rink and is now the Game Time Arcade.
In 1968 the Lagoon Opera House opened up and promoted summer theater in Utah. In 1976 Lagoon acquired a collection of old Pioneer Utah buildings and items. This 15-acre restoration came to be known as Pioneer Village and boasts one of the best horse drawn carriage and gun collections around.
Lagoon had always been know for it's swimming and water fun since it's opening. And in 1989 Lagoon continued that tradition with the addition of Lagoon-A-Beach which replaced the aging 50 year old pool. This wasn't just another swimming pool either, it was a full blown Water Park.
Additional attractions like the Colossus, Spider, Wild Mouse, Rocket, Catapult, and Rattlesnake Rapids continues to add on the entertainment that Lagoon's strives to add each year. But even with the new and exciting sometimes comes the removal of something old and memorable. At the end of 2004 the Lake Park Terrace was taken down due to the weakening structure. The cupola of this Terrace was the last remaining piece of the original Lake Park resort. In it's place will debut the new ride for 2005 -- The Bat.
Lagoon has had a very interesting history. The next time you visit the park, think back to what it must have been like to ride the Shoot the Chutes or hear the first sounds of the Roller Coaster. And as you are standing on the Midway think down the road 50 years to what some people might be saying about the park today.
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