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Saltair. Great Salt Lake's Most Famous Resort
Saltair, Great Salt Lake's Most Famous Resort
BY JOHN D. C. GADD
The name "Saltair" first became familiar to the people in Salt Lake City during the year 1888. The Inland Salt Company, realizing the possibilities for salt production in the Great Salt Lake area, constructed large evaporation ponds for that purpose. Two 150-horsepower engines were used to pump water from the lake into the ponds, and by 1889 over fifty tons of salt were being produced daily. The company was served by a railroad line running from Salt Lake City that not only transported salt but pleasure seekers who frequented the resorts on the south shore of the lake.
By 1893 resorts on the lake had become commonplace, with Garfield Beach enjoying most of the business. Plans for the construction of Saltair were not generally known, and so it was with a great deal of surprise that citizens read the following front page story in the Deseret Evening News on January 14, 1893.
Toward the end of February, the Salt Lake City Council made a trip to Saltair to view the work and reportedly were amazed at the progress. Pile driving had already commenced, with machinery for this work located on flat boats. The lake bed around the proposed resort is composed of hard sodium, and in order to sink pilings, steam first had to be forced into the lake bed to melt the sodium. The piles were then lowered into place, and after a few hours the sodium hardened again. Thus placed, a piling was virtually immovable. Following completion of this project, over three hundred men were employed in the construction of the main pavilion. The first steel span was ready for installation by the middle of April. All members of the Saltair Board of Directors were on hand to witness the placing of this 132-foot beam on top of supporting pillars, and construction of the roof was begun.
It had been planned originally that Saltair would open on the traditional opening day for all resorts on the lake — Memorial Day. Work was not sufficiently completed to allow the resort to open, however, and a postponement of one week was necessary. And so it was that on June 8, 1893, a new resort opened on the shores of Great Salt Lake that was destined to become one of the most famous resorts Utah would ever have.
The water under the pavilion at the time of opening was four-feet two-inches deep. The whole project had been completed in less than six months at a cost of about $250,000.
Special trains carried hundreds of people to Saltair from Ogden, Provo, and Salt Lake City for the dedicatory services. After a few stirring selections by Pederson's Band, Colonel Wendall Benson, master of ceremonies, introduced Governor Caleb W. West who made the following remarks:
The governor went on to say that the pavilion on which the throng had gathered was the greatest structure of its kind he had ever seen. He concluded saying "It was a triumph of architectural genius and those whose minds conceived it would have their names inscribed on the roll of honor by reason of their accomplishments . . . ."
After various dignitaries had spoken, a banquet was served on the second floor of the main pavilion which was also the dance floor. After the banquet the tables and chairs were cleared away and a dance was held. Over seven thousand people attended the opening day festivities.
Saltair would eventually be known for the excellent bands that would play for dancing, and as this first year moved along, the number of musicians in Pederson's Band were doubled in number. It was expressed editorially that the finest in the way of music, bands, concerts, and operas would be presented at Saltair in the future. As part of this policy, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir of Salt Lake City gave regular concerts.
The first year was occupied by various organizations conducting excursions to the resort. The season closed on Labor Day with a masquerade ball and carnival.
As opening approached the following year (1894), the water was shallower than the previous year, but the opening day throng exceeded all expectations and the railroad found itself in the position of borrowing rolling stock of all varieties to transport pleasure seekers to the lake shore.
The highlight of the second year of operation was the statehood celebration held on August 1. The featured attraction of the program was reading of a proclamation by Governor West calling a Utah Constitutional Convention. Music was provided by the Democratic and Republican Glee Clubs and such distinguished guests as George Q. Cannon, Delegate Joseph L. Rawlins, Judge C. C. Goodwin, Chief Justice Samuel A. Merritt, and the Honorable John T. Caine participated on the program. Over five thousand persons gathered at Saltair for this occasion.
Saltair soon became a popular place for political parties to hold their rallies and conventions. Almost immediately it was apparent that the size of the dance floor would allow for a wide variety of functions, and one of the first groups to test this was the YMCA, which conducted a gymnastic tournament. As the second year of operation came to a close, the net earnings of the resort amounted to $19,796.57. This did not include the money earned from the railroad, as this was a separate company, although the board of directors of both Saltair and the railroad was identical.
In the meantime Garfield Beach was still having its fair share of the resort patronage, but it was apparent Garfield would have trouble competing with the size of the productions Saltair planned staging. Toward the end of 1894, in an effort to outdo Saltair, Garfield Beach engaged both the Tabernacle Choir from Salt Lake City and the Logan Tabernacle Choir to present concerts.
Saltair recorded its first fatality on July 8, 1896, when Charles Manca died of apparent heart failure while swimming in the salt water. Despite an accident now and then, the general atmosphere at Saltair during these first few years was one of constant gaiety, but during the latter part of 1901 the first clouds of controversy started to swirl around the resort.
During August of 1901, both the Dcscrct News and the Salt Lake Tribune charged that the management of Saltair was selling beer openly. "Man that is born of women, for six days is full of trouble. On the seventh he goeth to Saltair and becometh full of liquid refreshments." The Salt Lake Tribune charged that on the previous Sunday, Saltair had would be no beer sold at Saltair during the following year (1902). Despite Langford's statement, notices often appeared in the local papers charging that the law was being violated at the resort. Research indicated to this writer that these were charges only, no evidence was discovered that any formal complaints were ever signed. It was becoming evident that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which had controlling interest in Saltair, was losing much of its influence at the resort. Following these initial charges, President Joseph F. Smith of the Mormon church issued an order that liquor would no longer be available at Saltair. Despite this order there continued to be repeated charges and denials.
It was rumored for some time that the church would like to relieve itself of the obligation of Saltair, and when the first reasonable offer was presented the church would be willing to accept. An offer was proposed on February 24, 1901, but this was turned down on the grounds the church did not want the resort to fall into the wrong hands. Although the church would be relieved of the responsibility of Saltair, the ideal condition for transfer of the resort would be to a private organization composed of church members. Such an agreement was finally signed on March 18, 1906. The controlling interests of both Saltair and the railroad were turned over to Colonel Nephi W. Clayton, C. W. Nibley, and J. E. Langford, who had been manager since 1902.
The illegal sale of liquor was not the only problem faced by Saltair during the early 1900's. As early as 1901 the water around the pavilion was receding, and the church authorized dredging of the area in order that deep water might be maintained. The wind also proved a constant problem, and in 1905 the dance floor was enclosed with windows, thus creating a more comfortable atmosphere for dancing. By 1907 the water had receded far enough from the resort that Mr. Langford was forced to build a continuous cable from the pavilion to deep water. Rafts could be attached to the cable and towed to deeper water; this operated much as does a modern-day ski lift.
These were the days when girls wore bathing suits of heavy woolen goods with long skirts below their knees. The blouses fit close around their necks and sleeves reached the elbow. No girl around the turn of the century would think of exposing her bare feet and ankles and, therefore, wore long black stockings to cover them. Even the men wore long-legged trunks that reached the knees and blouses with sleeves halfway below the elbows.
As the 1909 season opened it was announced Saltair would have a new attraction. This was a "ship cafe" built alongside the pier where the finest food anywhere in the West would be served. The ship cafe was over two hundred feet long, ninety feet wide, and seventy feet high. The kitchen was outfitted with brick ovens so bread could be baked on the scene. The biggest refrigerators Salt Lakers had seen were also installed in order to insure the freshness of all perishables. The first floor of the cafe contained the kitchen and associated facilities. The second floor was the cafe proper, and the roof was a promenade and general relaxation area.
During the first few weeks prior to the opening of the cafe, a contest was held to give the cafe an official name. Over twenty-seven hundred names were submitted and Mrs. W. S. Wallace, Salt Lake City, was selected as the winner with her name of "Leviathan." Various names were submitted such as "The Lambourne," "The Langford" (who was manager at the time), and the usual variety of comical names such as "The Barge Tavern," "The Splash Inn," "The Kumonin," "The Maneata," "The Grub Box," and "Noah's Ark."
June 23 was the grand opening and Alice Spry, daughter of the governor of Utah, properly dedicated the "Leviathan" in the way all ships should be christened, by breaking a bottle of champagne over its bow. Over 350 guests were invited to the ceremony after which a banquet was served in the second-floor cafe.
This jubulant celebration was of such a nature most people forgot about the dismal opening day festivities of 1909. Arrangements had been made for the Paines Fireworks Company to provide shows on the first three nights of the new season. The contract called for barges to be towed out into the lake, and from these barges a brilliant fireworks display would usher in the new resort season. The contract was never fulfilled as the fireworks company experienced difficulties in transporting their goods from the East. The opening day at Saltair still outdrew all other resorts of the area, despite the fact that no fireworks were seen. This is evident from the following:
Saltair 11,000 people, Utah Jockey Club 7,000, The Salt Palace 6,000, Lagoon 5,000, Wandemere (Nibley Park) 5,000, Liberty Park 3,000, Other Places Everybody else. 22
During 1909 the dance floor of the pavilion was refinished and nonstop dancing was introduced. Orchestras were placed at both ends of the pavilion and when one orchestra stopped playing, the other started; thus, there was never a lull in the music. One attraction had been dropped since 1908 — the bicycle races held on a specially constructed track in the pavilion. This same type of activity was a regular feature of the Salt Palace, and attendance at Saltair did not warrant a continuation when it was obvious the Salt Palace drew the larger crowd.
Spectacular attractions did not end when the bicycle races were discontinued. The pavilion had generally become called the "Hippodrome" and during 1909 it saw such attractions as the Schuberts of New York, a team of flying ballerinas. Seats were set up on the dance floor and prices varied according to where a person sat. Over two thousand seats went on sale for fifteen cents each; fifteen hundred were available at twenty-five cents each; and there were a few hundred reserved seats for fifty cents each.
Saltan's reputation spread fast, and the San Francisco Examiner, in a lengthy article reporting on the excursion to Saltair of the American Civil War Veterans, told its readers that "Saltair is the Coney Island of the West."
During 1909 Saltair continued its policy of having well-known bands and orchestras appear regularly for dancing as well as concerts. McClellan's Symphony Orchestra of over fifty pieces, Ellery's Italian Band, and Innes' Orchestral Band were some of the bands featured.
Saltair wound up one of its most successful seasons amid reports that the President of the United States would visit the resort in conjunction with a planned trip to Salt Lake City. President William Howard Taft was to arrive in Salt Lake City about the twenty-fifth of September, and there was a rumor Saltair would stay open beyond the regular Labor Day closing. However, bad weather accompanied with a drop in attendance resulted in the resort closing as usual. When President Taft made his scheduled appearance in Salt Lake City, he took time to visit Saltair, but stayed only a few minutes and returned by train to the city.
Looking for bigger and better attractions, Saltair announced early in 1910 that a championship boxing match between Jack Johnson and Jim Jefferies would be staged in the Hippodrome on July 4. Jack Johnson agreed to the fight only if former President Theodore Roosevelt would be the referee. Opposition to the boxing match arose from Governor Spry and local law enforcement officials. Preliminary plans moved ahead smoothly, but opposition continued to mount and finally forced the postponement of the fight. A new location outside of Utah was sought to hold the fight. Local boxing matches were held, however, but they were a far cry from the bouts that are common in today's sporting world. The proposed Jefferies-Johnson championship fight would have been a forty-five round affair, standard in those days for a fight of championship calibre. Other matches lasted for only twenty rounds, and were staged successfully at the Hippodrome. The names of Frank Picate, Cyclone Johnny Thompson, and Pete Sullivan were common in the sport pages of the day. In early March a boxing match was staged between Cyclone Johnny Thompson and Pete Sullivan which ended in Sullivan being knocked out. Because of the rush of commutors to catch the 11:00 P.M. train from Saltair, one of the stairways leading from the pavilion collapsed. Although many people were hurt, no serious injury was sustained by any of the spectators.
When the 1910 season officially opened, more than ten thousand people who flocked to Saltair saw several improvements to the resort. New bathhouses had been constructed and all buildings repainted. From Saltair's inception a roller coaster had been featured and now was completely repaired and enlarged. The railroad track that ran to the main area of the pavilion had been supported previously by pillars similar in style to those supporting the resort. The track now was firmed-up by a dirt- and sand-fill in some places. Earlier in the year, in February, a freakish blast of wind, estimated at a velocity of sixty miles per hour, accounted for the destruction of two hundred bathhouses and a few yards of railroad trestle. In early April a violent gale struck the resort causing an estimated $10,000 damage. On the main pier 325 bathing houses were washed away, and a hundred yards of railroad track had been torn up. Custodians rushing from the premises reported to the news media that they had to cling to rocks and boulders or anything substantial in order to prevent themselves from being carried off by the wind. Incidents such as these were common and forced the owners to make needed repairs before the resort could open for the summer.
The new season saw a continuation of the tradition of providing excellent bands and orchestras, and Ferullo's Band had been hired for the entire season. Just when it appeared all was running smoothly, the reoccurring liquor problem reared its head, and the controversy started anew.
The newspaper asked for repeal of Saltair's liquor license and gained strong support in their appeal from the Women's Christian Temperance Union.
Other incidents also started to mar the atmosphere of Saltair. An eighteen-year-old girl attempted suicide in the bathhouses at Saltair by swallowing an unidentified drug. A Negro was. ejected from Saltair because of his race and upon taking the case to court, which only helped bring more unfavorable publicity to the resort, the judge ruled that when he was ejected he should have been refunded his twenty-five-cent admission fee.
Following the wind storm earlier in April, another bad storm hit the resort on July 5. However, it did not do as much damage as the previous storm. Most damage was sustained by the two excursion boats Irene and Vista which were loaded with sightseers. They were torn from their moorings and blown over two miles from the resort. The stormy year was capped by the visit of the Grand Army Veterans, a Civil War organization, which held a convention in Salt Lake City. Because they were veterans Lagoon, Wandemere, and other resorts in Salt Lake City and the surrounding area invited them to visit their facilities free of charge. The idea of free admission was that a great deal of money would be spent once such a large group had arrived. For a month prior to the veterans' arrival, Saltair Company officials insisted that this group would have to pay full train fare and admittance fee if they wanted to visit the resort. Opposition in the daily newspapers and from other resorts became so intense a small boycott resulted, and in a last minute effort to save themselves from the rest of a dismal season, Saltair relented and admitted the veterans free of charge.
There were many interesting and varied events held in the Hippodrome, but perhaps the most unusual was a tribe of Shoshoni Indians from Pocatello. In the middle of the dance floor, an Indian village was constructed, and for a twenty-five- or fifteen-cent admission fee, a spectator could see any facet of Indian life. This ranged from sporting events to marriage ceremonies performed in full view of all attending.
While the resort season itself was happy and gay, the biggest problem faced by Saltair was not seen by the public. Each spring huge amounts of money had to be expended to restore many of the buildings damaged during the winter. Almost every year a fresh coat of paint had to be applied to every structure. By 1916 there were charges that the owners of the resort were allowing it to fall into disrepair. It was this year Saltair experienced her first major fire when hot coals spilled from one of the steam engines while stationed in the depot. Over $3,000 worth of damage was incurred. Despite such incidents as these and constant repair, over three hundred thousand people went to Saltair yearly, with the attendance on Labor Day usually around the ten thousand mark.
As early as 1909 there had been talk of replacing the steam engines with electric engines. Bids were taken, but at the time not enough money was available for the conversion. The company also seemed to be more interested in extending its lines from their termination at Fifth West and South Tempfe streets into the center of Salt Lake City. In spite of constant appeals to the city fathers, permission to extend the lines was not granted. By 1917 prices had risen considerably due to World War I, and the cost of electrifying the line had also increased. To allow funds for the work, the L.D.S. church agreed to take a second mortgage on the original sale, thus making the necessary funds available. To protect its financial interest in the railroad and resort, the church appointed Mr. Joel Richards secretary-treasurer of both the railroad company and the resort. After three years Mr. Richards was able to report to the church many discrepancies in the handling of the company's funds and upon confrontation of these facts, a Mr. Nelson, who was the resort manager, was forced to resign his post. Mr. Richards was appointed to fill his place.
By 1919 the lines were installed for the necessary conversion from steam to electricity, and by mid-July six electric cars had been received from the manufacturing point in Illinois. These proved very successful in transporting people to and from the resort much faster than was possible by steam and also without the inconvenience of smoke and ashes.
From 1917 through 1923 the most popular band at Saltair was Mr. R. Owen Sweeten. In an article in the Salt Lake Tribune in 1961, Mr. Sweeten recalled his days at Saltair and how he played for more than five thousand paid admissions each week. On special occasions upwards of nine thousand people crowded the dance floor. He had two bands, one, consisting of twenty-eight pieces, was mostly brass and played on weekday evenings through the summer. On Sundays Mr. Sweeten would supplement this group with twenty or more pieces to make a concert orchestra. Concerts were a very popular part of Sunday life at Saltair, and as many as two thousand people would take their lunches and listen to the music. In 1924 Owen Sweeten left Saltair and took his band to California, but this did not mean the end of music at the resort. He was replaced by Phil Fisher who had been playing for a number of years at Venice, California, and continued to draw large crowds when he played at Saltair.
During the 1910 season when boxing matches were held at Saltair, it had been customary to open the resort as early as March for these contests, but it was generally the rule that the season opened on Memorial Day. Mr. Richards recognized the need to return to this policy when attendance at Saltair started to drop. If the weather was favorable, he often opened the Hippodrome for dancing on weekends as early as April and on a good weekend, the attendance figure would be around five thousand. Transportation costs had risen from twenty-five cents to thirty-five cents, but people still continued to ride the train.
Another innovation conducted under the supervision of Mr. Richards was the first automobile raffle in the State of Utah. Mr. Richards related how he was instrumental in obtaining a new Hupmobile which, it was announced, would be given away toward the end of the season. Every time a person paid to enter Saltair, he was given a ticket, half of which went into a large raffle box. The results of the first drawing attracted over fifteen thousand people to the resort. It proved to be so popular that this was a regular feature during the next four years.
39 Deseret News, July 14, 1919. 40 Salt Lake Tribune, June 18, 1961. 41 Joel Richards interview.
The roaring twenties are remembered as perhaps America's last wild fling before the gloomy days of the 1930's. Saltair had a large part to play in the gay time that was being had by all. Excursions stopped regularly in Salt Lake City from all over the United States in order that people could enjoy the uniqueness Saltair had to offer. The best known of these excursions were trains from Chicago run by the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad which sponsored trips all over the country.
Rudolph Valentino is a name that was almost synonomous with the 1920's. During this era Valentino and his dancing partner appeared at Saltair. Mr. Richards related how Mr. Valentino had been staying in a downtown hotel and was to be driven to the pavilion at night for his performance. When the car carrying him came within about three miles of the resort the traffic jam was so intense it was impossible to gain entrance. Word was relayed to Saltair to send a train toward Salt Lake and rescue Mr. Valentino, and he safely made his way into the pavilion that was jammed to capacity. Although he was an hour and a half late in arriving, no one had left Saltair.
As gay as the 1920's were, there were indications that darker days were coming. To Saltair every automobile was its own bearer of bad news. With each family owning a car, it became possible to find means of entertainment that heretofore were unknown. A trip to the canyons or resorts north of Salt Lake became possible, and the first to suffer from this new innovation was the railroad serving Saltair. A sharp decline was noted in passenger service as more and more people took their own cars to Saltair. This meant that parking facilities had to be provided. When the water was low enough, the cars could park under the pavilion.
As Mr. Richards looked back to the time when he was connected with Saltair, 1924 was the best year on record. Since that time Saltair has never been the same, and all attempts to pump new life into the resort for the most part have failed. During 1924 the lights burned brightly every night of the short resort season, and as Labor Day approached, no one realized they were enjoying the original Saltair for the last time.
Death came suddenly to Saltair. On April 22, 1925, fire, the most feared enemy of all the wooden buildings, was loosed and tore into the resort. Flames consumed the roller coaster, burned the "Leviathan" to the water line, and destroyed most of the pavilion. The midway was turned to charcoal along with the bathing piers and all the bathhouses. The railroad tracks and pier were consumed as heat buckled the steel rails. Smoke and ashes, characteristic of a disasterous fire, hung in the air for many days. Early estimates placed the damage at $750,000. In order to rebuild the resort to the point where it could function again, well over $350,000 would have to be invested. Fire insurance amounted to only $165,000 which meant a private investor would have to spend over $185,000 to restore the resort. The mourning period for the most famous resort Utah has ever seen, or will ever see, lasted almost five years as people tried to decide what should be done.
Several factors contributed to the indecision about Saltair. One was the amount of money needed for restoration. No investor was willing to invest $185,000 unless he were fairly certain of a good return, and this was not a sure thing. Another factor was the short season at the lake. Usually the resort opened for about one hundred days — from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Sometimes this was extended by opening on weekends early in April, but this was not the case generally. Labor Day was usually the last day of the season, and as many as ten thousand people or more would crowd the facilities; but if there were a cold spell in August, the rest of the season was doomed. Then there were the problems of upkeep. Each spring huge amounts of money were needed to repaint and repair after the winter's devastation. The heaviness of the salt brine and the lashing wind always caused extensive damage. Lastly were the problems involved in sewage disposal and fresh water supply. Ever since Saltan's conception, septic tanks had been used as a means of eliminating sewage from the resort. This was not a big problem, but the supply of fresh water proved more difficult. All fresh water had to be shipped from Salt Lake City to the resort in tank cars. Upon arriving at Saltair the water was pumped into huge tanks on top of the pavilion, and from there it would flow to all points on the resort by gravity; but the cost of processing the water and keeping it fresh was not a little amount.
Another factor that entered the picture was the success of Lagoon, a resort in Farmington, Davis County. During all these years Lagoon had been doing a fine business. The one big advantage of Lagoon over Saltair was that patrons could "swim in water fit to drink." Both Lagoon and Saltair were served by railroad lines and had big bands, but whereas Saltair featured nationally known bands like Owen Sweeten and Phil Fisher, Lagoon offered free Monday night dancing and concentrated on local bands that in the long run proved to be less expensive. With the end of Saltair, Lagoon enjoyed the distinction of being the only resort of its kind in the state. People who had enjoyed Saltair found themselves journeying to Lagoon and memories of Saltair grew dim.
It was not until 1929 that Saltair again opened its gates to the public. Plans had been announced to reopen immediately after the fire in 1925, but nothing materialized. In 1929 Willard T. Cannon, David R Howells, and Ashby Snow bought Saltair and rebuilt it along the lines of its original design. The newest innovation to greet pleasure seekers was a parking lot, indicating the impact of the automobile on the local entertainment scene.
In the meantime suggestions had come from Ogden to rebuild Saltair on the east shore of the lake where it would be in a favorable position to draw people not only from Salt Lake City, but also from Ogden and towns in the northern portion of the state. An offer was made by Heber J. Grant, president of the L.D.S. church, to give Saltair to the city of Salt Lake to be run by the city fathers, but this offer met with strong opposition and was dropped.
When Saltair reopened in 1929, the three new owners thought they had conquered the problems that had plagued Saltair. But in the interim Sunset and Black Rock beaches had opened on the south shore, and Saltair soon found itself wanting for patrons. Most of the people from Salt Lake preferred the new beaches and only tourists visited Saltair. To counter this Saltair opened its own Crystal Beach, but this was not enough to lure the public back.
Plans were laid to rebuild the giant racer, and work was started in 1931. However, all came to naught as fire swept the construction site on June 22, 1931. The following year work commenced again, but this time a freak gust of wind tore through the racer and toppled it killing two of the workers.
All during the 1930's Saltair operated, but each year found the resort losing money while the smaller beaches of Sunset and Black Rock made a profit. Willard T. Cannon and David P. Howells grew tired of attempting to make Saltair the proud lady she had once been and sold their shares to Ashby Snow. The Snow family held title to the resort until the 1960's.
Various communities surrounding the lake used the lake as a sewage disposal area, and the water became contaminated and unattractive. There were cleaner places to go for entertainment, such as Lagoon, and the canyons in the summer offered relief from the heat. With the outbreak of World War II, Saltair closed its gates and from all available information did not open again until the middle 1950's.
Following the end of World War II, rumors began circulating regarding the future of Saltair. Most young people had no desire to visit a resort that was dead. On the other hand Lagoon was lit brightly each night, and the younger set made nightly trips to this resort that was not operating under the threat of receding lake levels, fire, wind damage, and vandalism. Lagoon had everything that Saltair could offer except for the salt water, but not everyone enjoyed swimming in the unusual water that by this time was contaminated by sewage.
Even with Saltair closed to the public, she was not safe from the aforementioned hazards. In June of 1951 fire once again raced through the bathhouses at the resort and caused over $50,000 damage. During the war most of the rolling stock of the Saltair railroad not needed for the salt industry had been loaned to Hill Air Force Base to aid in the war effort. After the war, this rolling stock was returned, and nine trolley cars, an old electric locomotive, and a tank car used for hauling fresh water to Saltair were converted into two hundred tons of scrap metal in 1953. The open air rides to the resort were at an apparent end.
With the prosperity of the early fifties, people began recalling the "good old days" when Saltair was open, and in November of 1954 it was announced that a third attempt would be made to revive the resort and bring it back to its former prominence.
Before Saltair could be reopened to the postwar public, a great deal of rennovation had to be done. A new parking lot was constructed capable of handling over twelve hundred cars. New entrance gates were built along with new midway rides and promenade areas. A new roof was placed over the dance pavilion, and the dance floor was refinished. The giant racer was rebuilt and because of the huge expense entailed in liability insurance and related costs, this was constructed under a separate company known as The Saltair Giant Racer Company.
In an attempt to create the illusion of being surrounded by water, an artificial lake was created around Saltair. Approximately six acres were diked off and water from the Great Salt Lake pumped into this area. The average depth was held at about four feet and for the first few weeks of operation of the resort in 1955, everything appeared it would work successfully. Various people had said that without a filtering system, brine shrimp and algae would enter the new lake and die thus causing cloudiness, discoloration, and odor. This did not happen, but the absence of any wave action did cause a clouding of the water due to the sodium bottom of the diked area.
A lot of work and preparation went into the rennovating of Saltair, and proudly it was once again opened to the public on May 27, 1955. Its life, however, was to be short-lived. The old problems of wind and fire had not been overcome, and in June of 1957 a fire, which apparently broke out in the boiler room, raced through the bathhouses and caused several thousand dollars damage. The pier on which these bathhouses stood was destroyed along with many of the pilings supporting the pier. The pavilion and the main amusement area were not damaged, although some of the concession buildings were slightly damaged. The damage was quickly repaired, the burned pier and bathhouses were cleaned away, and business went on as usual.
On Friday, August 30, 1957, a freakish blast of wind, estimated at a velocity of seventy-five miles per hour, tore into the resort and swept away most of the giant racer. At the time of the blast, the racer was not in operation as it had been shut down at 3:00 P.M. when the intensity of the wind started to increase and it started to rain. Approximately sixty per cent of the racer was destroyed and the rest of the structure was so badly shaken it had to be torn down. The racer's two highest peaks of 110 feet with eight lesser peaks came down while the north end of the racer was left wobbling. There were no immediate plans to rebuild it.
During this brief lease on life during the mid-1950's, an attempt was made to bring Saltair back to what it once was. A policy was announced to bring name bands to Saltair to play for one or two weeks. On the weekends big-name vocalists would be brought in to sing with the bands, and local radio stations carried live programs from the pavilion. Engagements were announced for Stan Kenton, Charlie Barnet, Tony Pastor, and Buddy Morrow. On the weekends such people as Gogi Grant, The Crew-Cuts, Frankie Laine, Nat "King" Cole, and The Ames Brothers had been booked.
Until the collapse of the giant racer, Saltair had regained some of its former brilliance. All concerned with the operation have stated it would have been better to close permanently at the end of 1957 rather than opening again in 1958. A picnic bowery was hurriedly constructed over the site of the racer and the gates opened on Memorial Day as usual, but it was a disastrous year financially.
On Labor Day 1958, the gates of Saltair swung shut and have remained closed since that time. Saltair has been uncared for and unattended since that day, and it slowly decays in the mud and slime where once the waters of Great Salt Lake lapped at its pillars. The winds and vandals have been tearing at the old buildings since it was closed.
Early in 1959 the Utah State Park and Recreation Commission agreed to accept title to the resort as a gift from the stockholders of the Saltair Company. This decision came after a long and fruitless search to find a lessee to take over the operation. Mr. Walt Disney was contacted to obtain his views on what lay ahead for Saltair. Mr. Disney reportedly said he would love to have something like Saltair if it were located in a metropolitan area of at least one million people in a climate where the resort could operate year around. Mr. Disney believed the stockholders of Saltair had seen their last tourist.
AH of Saltair was not a total loss, however. Early in 1960 all useable amusement equipment was removed from the midway and installed at Fairyland Park at American Fork for the enjoyment of retarded children at the Utah State Training School.
When the Utah State Park Commission finally came to grips with the problem of what to do with Saltair, their first recommendation was to raze and remove it from the shores of the lake. Before any final decision was reached, the Utah State Fair Board entered the picture in 1961. For some time criticism had been leveled at existing conditions of the Utah State Fairgrounds, and in an effort to alleviate the situation, the Fair Board considered moving several of the buildings at Saltair to the Fairgrounds. After tours of the buildings and estimates of the cost of removal, the Fair Board decided against this action and voted to move ahead with new construction.
In an effort to see if any other branch of state government could do anything with Saltair, the Park and Recreation Commission attempted to give title of the resort to the Board of Examiners. This was refused on the grounds the Board had no legal right to accept such a gift.
In the meantime the Salt Lake Yacht Club under the leadership of Dr. Thomas C. Adams came up with a proposal to restore Saltair, and any further action by the state was withheld. Although the Salt Lake Yacht Club published a number of bulletins regarding what should be done in the way of restoration, no work was ever started. All efforts to accomplish anything faded and came to an abrupt end with the death of Dr. Adams on November 7, 1965.
Saltair lay dormant until March 1965 when an agreement was signed by the Utah Park and Recreation Commission and the Board of Examiners whereby title of the resort passed into the latter's hands. The Board finally agreed to accept title to Saltair and the actual transaction took place July 7, 1965.
Soon after Saltair became the responsibility of the Board of Examiners, members of the Salt Lake Yacht Club joined forces with a group interested in the restoration of Saltair under the leadership of Sheldon Brewster. The purpose of this merger was to fulfill the plans of the late Dr. Thomas Adams. After several meetings with the Board of Examiners, it was agreed that title of Saltair would temporarily pass into the hands of this group which was now known as Saltair, Incorporated. Terms of the contract were that Saltair, Incorporated, would raise and have on deposit the sum of $250,000 by December 1, 1966, in order that some meaningful restoration could take place. If this provision were not met, title to the resort would revert back to the State of Utah.
From August to December of 1966, Mr. Brewster and his organization conducted a campaign to collect needed funds. Volunteers were requested and some cleanup work was done at Saltair. When December 1 arrived, Saltair, Incorporated, fell far short of the needed $250,000 required in the contract. It was Mr. Brewster's opinion that if a few thousand dollars could be raised, the Board of Examiners would extend the terms of the contract, but this was not to be and title reverted back to the Board.
Secretary of State Clyde L. Miller then turned the problem of Saltair over to the Utah State Legislature. The Thirty-Seventh Legislature failed to make any decision regarding the future of the resort, and the problem is now resting with the Board of Examiners.
Along with Saltair, other beaches along the south shore of the lake are run down and deserted. Black Rock Beach has not operated for a number of years, and the road to the beach is blocked by a barricade. A short distance east of Black Rock Beach lies Sunset Beach, which is almost deserted. A lady is on hand to sell potato chips and soft drinks, but the buildings are closed, locked, and falling into disrepair.
The one bright spot on the shores of Great Salt Lake is Silver Sands Beach, located between Saltair and Sunset beaches. It is the only place visitors can enjoy the lake in any measure at all. Contrary to popular belief the sand is clean, free of insects, and very pleasant. Shower facilities are provided as well as cabanas where bathers can change into swimming attire.
Future prospects look good for the establishment of a state park on the northern end of Antelope Island, which possesses sandy shores and deep water. The State of Utah recently signed an agreement with the Island Ranching Corporation, owners of Antelope Island, for a ten-year lease to the area. The Great Salt Lake Authority has some well-developed plans for utilizing the island, but until this project is completed, Silver Sands Beach is the only operating resort on the lake and, therefore, is assured of a prosperous future at least for the next few years.
In the meantime Saltair continues to rot and decay and little is being done either to improve or remove it. From all indications it appears that the "good old days" will be just that, and that the memories a few old-timers have of open-air train rides to the pavilion and splashing in the salty brine will die with them, never to be experienced at Saltair again.
FIRE CONSUMES CONCOURSE AT SALTAIR RESORT
Saltair — Great Salt Lake's tired but once proud old lady — had her skirts charred early Friday Morning.
Fire swept through much of the elevated apron leading to the resort but firemen were able to prevent the flames from destroying the main pavilion with its large ballroom. . . .
Flames from the fire lighted the sky over the lake and the glare against clouds could be seen all over Salt Lake and Davis and portions of Weber and Tooele counties.
Sheldon R. Brewster, who heads a group seeking restoration of Saltair, said, "Whoever started this saved us thousands of dollars and speeded up the restoration."
He explained that the area burned was to be demolished and made into a parking lot. . . .
Secretary of State Clyde L. Miller, under whose jurisdiction Saltair now rests, said the state will not take any action to restore the resort. He made the statement after a survey of the area Friday morning. . . .
(Salt Lake Tribune, September 2, 1967)
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