EXPLORE LAGOON: ATTRACTIONS: Lagoon Lake

 

Opened: 1896

Location: South Midway

 

HISTORY & INFO

Lagoon Lake is a shallow body of water that covers roughly two acres of the park. The main water source is Farmington Creek which begins near the east side of Bountiful Peak. Today, the lake is mainly an aesthetic feature and a historical reminder of the park's origins.

      In the late 19th Century, many bathing resorts opened along the shores of the Great Salt Lake. Lake Park opened in 1886 and Simon Bamberger had part-ownership in the resort. After a few years, the water receded and the shores became muddy and undesirable for swimming. Bamberger built another resort further inland with its own body of water that wasn't effected by the constantly changing levels of Great Salt Lake. According to Margeret Hess in her book, My Farmington:

 

      “He purchased swampy pastureland from farmers in our town and turned it into a place of beauty and fun. Many of us watched the grading and excavating at the Lagoon to form the two large ponds. He planted fish in them and had many boats for boat riding on the ponds. In the wintertime the ponds were frozen over and used for skating.”

 

      This "lagoon" became the park's namesake and was a main attraction. Over the next few years, Bamberger extended the lake until it eventually covered nearly nine acres. In the early days, the lake was used for swimming and row boating. Ice from the lake in the winter was also stored in the resort's ice house for use throughout the year. In 1900, the Rockets were built on the west bank and would swing riders out over the water. An island with walkways and gardens called Pleasure Island could be reached by a bridge on the north side. In 1927, the northern portion of the lake was turned into a filtered freshwater swimming pool.

      After World War II, the Freed Brothers began managing the park and soon miniature trains circled the lagoon. The Showboat was added in 1959 which "cruised Lagoon Lake in search of an elusive dragon". By then the row boats were long gone and the lake had been drastically reduced in size. Paddle boats were added in 1971 and provided guests with a new way to take a scenic trip around the lake, albeit on a guided path. The loading area for the Water Skeeter paddle boats was at the northwest corner until Tidal Wave was built there in 1980. At that point, the dock moved to the southwest corner and a bridge was built over the railroad track to access it.

      The last few decades has seen a large decline in activity on the lake. The classic Rockets ride was removed in 1986 and replaced by Turn Of The Century a year later. In 1989, a lot of the focus for water attractions was shifted to the new Lagoon-A-Beach. The Water Skeeters, the last attraction that directly utilized Lagoon Lake, closed in 1991.

      The park's plans for the lake's future were revealed in a 1989 Deseret News article:

 

      "The tenative plans for the lake in the center of the park include changes in the wild animal compounds, with many of the animals being moved into more natural settings, and construction of a boardwalk along part of the lagoon to make it more pedestrian oriented."

      "Other long-range plans include a tall-masted boat anchored toward the west side of the lagoon, where the high-divers and seals featured last season [at Sun & Fun Theater] would perform...Another possible attraction for 1990 would be a water-skiing exhibition on the lagoon."

 

PHOTOS

Lagoon Lake in 2006. Turn Of The Century, Tidal Wave and the tunnel used for the Wild Kingdom Train are seen along the west and north banks.

Photo: Rick

 

This pre-World War II postcard shows boaters in the lake. Looking north you see the swimming pool building and the Lake Park Pavilion beyond that. In the background on the left is the Dancing Pavilion.

Photo: Lagoon Postcard 

 

SOURCES

Lagoon

Deseret News

My Farmington by Margeret Hess

The Lagoon Resort: A Thrilling Urban Escape by Jacob Smith

 

Updated 19 May 2007