What happened to Utah's Saltair Resort?

In 1893, the Mormon church built a state-of-the-art resort called the Saltair. It was to be a “Coney Island of the West” and a “wholesome place of recreation” for Mormons and their families. Saltair’s success peaked during the 1920’s, averaging nearly a half-million visitors per year. After multiple devastating fires, developers attempted to rebuild the Saltair bigger and better.
I discovered the story of the Saltair when my dad gave me a box of dry plate negatives that were found in my great-great aunt’s attic in the 1960’s. One of the negatives was of the original Saltair resort, taken during the late 1890’s. A second Saltair resort was built on the site of the original in 1926, but the resort’s glory days seemed to go up in smoke after the first fire in 1925. Saltair II was completely abandoned by 1958 and destroyed by arson fire on November 12, 1970.
A third Saltair was built in 1981 roughly one mile west of the original site, but it never came close to the popularity of its predecessors. It sat vacant from the 1990s to mid 2000s until being purchased by music industry investors in 2005. Saltair III has been hosting regular concerts ever since.
If you’d like to visit the original Saltair resort site for yourself, plug these coordinates into Google Maps: 40.769739, -112.154298. Park your car in the little dirt area by the green gate, or in the patch of dirt alongside N Temple Frontage Road. There’s a small hiking entrance to the left of the green gate. Once through, you will walk diagonally to the west to get to the remains of the original Saltair pier, which start at 40.770876, -112.159875.
Historical images of the Saltair Resort used in this video were used by permission, Utah State Historical Society.
#Saltair #SaltairResort #UtahHistory #GreatSaltLake #ExploreAlways #HistoricPlaces #Travel #NeverStopExploring #travelblogging #tourism #wanderlust #inspiredtravels #exploringtheglobe #getaway #adventuretime #adventureseeker #getoutstayout
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[@geng8667]

Wow! I love old photos! What a treasure you came upon. Glad you appreciated it and treated it with care.

[@treysonmcgrady4750]

Most of the music festivals there now are EDM shows, it’s an incredible venue, and the history adds to the allure.

[@mitchellbarnow1709]

I am so sad that you are no longer adding videos to this unique and fantastic channel. I just hope that these videos will remain public for us all to enjoy as I have many more to watch!

[@TWOCOWS1]

Wonderful filming, subject choice, the most suitable music background, and information--just as you did on Salton Sea. Totally great.

[@briang70]

I liked the footage from the cult classic, Carnival of Souls which is of the woman wondering the ruins of Saltair II. I didn't know the current Saltair is west of the original and that explains the twin rows of pylons extending out toward the Lake to the east. Thank you!

[@donaldvandeusen9892]

I expected the narrator to mention Carnival of Souls since Saltair was such a factor in that film.

[@char1737]

That film also made usebof another Mormon creation ZCMI department store

[@tinplater]

Great video! I visited II circa 1950 when I would have been 7 years old on a visit from Logan to Salt Lake City to visit my aunt. I recall riding on the train out to the resort and remarkably a large bank of games called (I think) ski ball...you roll a wooden croquet size ball up a platform into an array of circular targets. The smaller the hole, the more points you earned. You then received a string of tickets that could be used to purchase "prizes". I don't remember riding the roller coaster, but may have tried the merry go round.

[@wlemmon]

I remember riding the old open air train to Saltair to and from Saltair about 1956. My little brother was in dipers and I was fascinated by the seats and that you could flip the backs over to change the direction you were facing. I can only remember bits and pieces of the rides in the resort.

[@kurtmiller3760]

Great movie Carnival of Souls one of my favorite movies 🎬

[@ansel111]

Visited this site by accident a few years ago on a road trip. We saw Saltair III and some of the pilings, and had no idea what we were looking it. The next leg of the trip in the car was spent googling its history. Fascinating story.

[@LarryEldredge]

I had a memorable experience riding the open train car from Salt Lake City to Saltair around 1956! Saltair was a popular amusement park located on the shores of the Great Salt Lake in Utah. The open train car ride and the rollercoaster were undoubtedly thrilling experiences. It's interesting to hear that after each ride on the rollercoaster, they had to walk the tracks to check for breakage before the next ride. Safety checks like these are crucial to ensure the well-being of the riders. Seeing the Saltair open train car displayed at the Heber Creeper in Heber Valley, Utah was nostalgic for me. Preserving and exhibiting historic train cars like this allows future generations to appreciate the region's rich transportation and amusement park history.

[@prairiedoggy1]

I remember Saltair from my 1967 visit to Utah. It looked very spooky!

[@sherreefrager869]

Loved the history of this and you did a great job sharing it. Thanks!

[@BlackdogADV]

Seems to me I was there in the early 1980s. Back then I wasn’t into pictures or history, all I remember is a huge building that was possibly abandoned. I could be wrong. Thanks for the video.

[@glocke380]

The closest I can come is seeing Saltair II in 1961 during a western vacation as a 6 year old. It was abandoned and looked quite neglected.

[@ExploreAlways]

Thanks for sharing!

[@michaelcummings1750]

The movie that was filmed there in 1962 a Carnival of Souls darn good movie

[@randyfrager5269]

This was awesome! Thanks for the history lesson!

[@josh8740]

Utah should develop a plan to bring back the glory days of The Great Saltair Resort and should try and rebuild,revive the first one

[@Raptorman0909]

The water quality is not healthy and its location is too isolated -- anyone investing in it would lose their money. Sad to say that but it really hasn't been a going operation since before the first Saltair burned to the ground in 1925 -- almost 100 years ago.

[@fleetsantiana2966]

Some one could build A pool large enough like the one in Chile and make the shape of the pool into the great salt lake and build the concert hall at the end of the pier, and also the pier would have rides like the ones on the Santa Monica pier if lagoon(local historical amusement park in northern Utah) or other companies invested in this project it could increase tourism and maybe economic growth.

[@kuzindwight950]

Happy to see a new video, I enjoy your content. Ever thought of looking into the Santa Clarita Valley? There is a lot of odd history that you would think in a small town (small for SoCal). It has a lot of film history from the Golden Oak Ranch (lots of films), to current shows like NCIS. The entire town is basically a movie set.

[@ExploreAlways]

Thanks for the recommendation! Will definitely keep Santa Clarita Valley on the radar. We traveled through the city of Santa Clarita a couple years ago to check out the ruins of St. Francis Dam for the LA Aqueduct video -kzbin.info/www/bejne/jpXLdo2QgLWkjdk.

[@gloomgaar7636]

I go raving here 🎉

[@Perfect1583]

Utah's little palace. ❤

[@lindalealphamale]

Please do more vids. You’re good

[@DougVandegrift]

I went out to the site with a metal detector and was SUPER excited to see what historical items I could find. BUT alas, the property is private now and there's rules against taking any objects from the location and anybody caught with a metal detector should be turned in. At least I had a good time walking the grounds.

[@jeebus022]

I don't think it's private property but state property. You *could* take stuff from there like broken glass and dinnerware but it's highly highly discouraged.

[@Radiogirl1931]

Are there any grand style structure from the late 1800s like Saltair 1?

[@char1737]

Saltaire two was in the movie carnival of souls a film by Mormons

[@JamesDavidWalley]

It wasn’t "made by Mormons." The filmmakers behind CoS were people working in industrial films in Kansas City, who pooled their funds to try to break into features. What makes CoS so distinctive is that it took the form of a B-movie horror film, but in the style of the European "art films" of that era. It might be the first instance of an American "indie" feature.

[@cordellvail4937]

I thought after the flood they buried Salt Air up to the 2nd floor level. I remember seeing it that way. It must have been #3???

[@yamaa6]

They still use the saltair plenty. For events

[@BlynkyLand]

3:08 That one woman was clearly showing some ankle. Alert the bishop! 🧙‍♂

[@georgei7877]

Successive Salt Lake City municipal governments have taken little interest in preserving their interesting historical buildings, destroying them with arson. Why? They could have turned the complex into a museum to see how their immediate ancestors had fun. It is a pity.

[@generalmotormaniac]

Bad bad

[@justinhall3243]

I was out there a while ago. Just stumps of the pylons is all that remains

[@maryfletcher9905]

Ill bet Russell M Nelson would have seen these things 😂