A timeline of Lagoon's history along with other events that happened in the world around it.
1870 - Lake Side opens west of Syracuse as the first bathing resort on the Great Salt Lake. Several other resorts sprang up along the shore, not always finding success. 1886 - In mid-July, the Denver & Rio Grande Western R.R. opens Lake Park about 2 1/2 miles west of where Lagoon is today. - Grover Cleveland is President of the United States.
1887 - X-Rays first used.
1893 - The Church Of Jesus Christ Of Latter-day Saints (Mormons) complete Saltair & it opens on Memorial Day. - Radio invented.
1895 - The water level of the Great Salt Lake continues to recede, leaving a "sticky blue mud" at Lake Park, which closes for good at the end of the season.
1896 - Utah becomes the 45th state in January.
1896 - Lake Park’s Vice President, Simon A. Bamberger moved some of the Lake Park buildings inland next to the banks of a large lagoon. The new resort was named Lagoon and Bamberger used it to promote travel on his new Salt Lake & Ogden Railway which had just completed tracks to Farmington. - At its opening on July 12th, Lagoon featured gardens, a Fun House, restaurants, boating, a saloon and a large bowery.
1899 - Lagoon opens it’s first thrill ride, Shoot-The-Chutes, a fore-runner of today’s Log Flume.
1900 - Swimming & Row Boating in Lagoon Lake begins. Rockets over the lake is the park’s 2nd ride.
1901 - The end of Queen Victoria’s 64-year reign in Britain.
1906 - The authentic Herschell-Spillman Carousel is added to Lagoon’s Midway. Also new is Lagoon’s 1st roller coaster, the Scenic Railway.
1908 - Bamberger’s Salt Lake & Ogden Railway reaches Ogden.
1912 - Titanic sinks in April.
1914 - World War I begins.
1916 - Simon Bamberger becomes Governor of Utah. He was Utah’s 1st Democratic Governor, 1st non-Mormon governor as well as the nation’s 2nd Jewish governor.
1917 - The United States enters World War I.
1918 - The Prohibition begins, lasting until 1933.
1919 - World War I ends.
1921 - The new Giant Coaster opens about where the Scenic Railway stood. The John Miller designed coaster has been there ever since.
1926 - Simon Bamberger dies in October of an apparent heart attack.
- The first movie with sound debuts.
1928 - Television is invented.
1939 - World War II begins.
1941 - Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor brings U.S. into World War II.
1943 - After the season, Lagoon closes until after World War II.
1945 - World War II ends.
1946 - Lagoon is leased by the Utah Amusement Corporation & re-opens in the early summer.
1948 - 33 1/3 rpm vinyl records begin to be sold.
1950 - The Korean War begins. It lasts until 1953.
1952 - Trains stop bringing guests to Lagoon.
- A fire on the night of 14 November destroys the west side of the Midway, the Dance Pavilion & part of the Roller Coaster. The Carousel narrowly escapes damage.
1955 - Walt Disney makes amusement park history when he opens the world's 1st theme park, Disneyland, on July 17th in California.
1958 - The struggling Saltair finally closes. It is the last of the Great Salt Lake resorts.
- FM Stereo broadcasts begin.
- NASA is established.
1959 - Hawaii becomes the 50th state to enter the union.
1960 - The new Speedway opens on the South Midway. - Laser technology is discovered.
1963 - A memorial to Simon Bamberger, built by his son, Julian M. Bamberger, is placed inside the park.
1964 - The Hi-Land Playland opens in Mother Gooseland.
- Vietnam War begins.
