Archives West Finding Aid

Situated on the southern shore of the Great Salt Lake, the Saltair Beach Resort opened 8 June, 1893 after six months and over 250,000 dollars in construction costs. The resort was jointly owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and the Salt Lake and Los Angeles Railroad Company. Open from Memorial Day through Labor Day, Saltair was dubbed the "Coney Island of the West," and was a popular destination for tourists and locals. The pavilion burned down in April 1925, and was rebuilt in just four months. However, after this fire Saltair was never able to regain its popularity. The resort had a number of other accidents, including a fire in 1931, a windstorm in the 1950s that blew down a rollercoaster, and an arson fire in 1970. Saltair, now in its third incarnation, hosts concerts and other special events.