Salt Palace Resort photograph collection, circa 1900-1910

The Salt Palace (1899-1916) was built in 1899 as an exhibition hall to highlight the unique aspects of Salt Lake City, Utah and the Great Salt Lake. It was located at 900 South between State and Main Streets in Salt Lake City, Utah. It was funded and run by a stock company which included W.A. Nelden, R.K. Thomas, and others. The property was owned by Frederick E. Health and J.R. Walker, and three years after the Salt Palace opened, Heath and Walker took over the company; later, Heath and his family became the sole owners and proprietors of the company (Salt Lake Tribune, 1910).

The Salt Palace structure was designed by architect Richard K.A. Kletting in the Beaux Arts Classicism style. The wood used to construct the pavilion was alternately sprayed with powdered rock salt and soaked in brine to deposit salt crystals; the structure also incorporated blocks of rock salt slabs. In addition to the exhibition hall, the Salt Palace Resort grounds housed various amusement park rides, such as a miniature railroad, steam-powered merry-go-round, and circular swing. It also had attractions such as a Midway Plaisance, with streets modeled after Cairo and a Temple of Isis, a palm garden, a dancing hall, and a baseball diamond (Thatcher, 1989). A popular attraction was the Salt Palace Saucer, a track for bicycle racers that accommodated approximately 4,000 viewers. The track was designed and constructed in 1899 by T.O. Angell and was promoted as one of the first of its kind in the world (Salt Lake Tribune, 1910). The Salt Palace Saucer hosted both amateur and professional racers.

On August 29, 1910, a fire broke out, destroying the Salt Palace structure and damaging the bicycle track. In 1912, an open-air theater was built on the site of the Salt Palace. In 1913, the name was changed to Majestic Park and an open-air pavilion replaced the theater. In 1914, a fire destroyed the Salt Palace Saucer. In 1916, the pavilion collapsed during a snowstorm, leading to the closure of the Salt Palace Resort (Thatcher 1989). In 1969, a sport and event arena constructed at 100 South West Temple reused the name the Salt Palace (1969-1994), as did the Calvin L. Rampton Salt Palace Convention Center on the same location (1996-present). As a result of the name's reuse, the Salt Palace resort at 900 South and Main is often called the First Salt Palace, the Original Salt Palace, or the Old Salt Palace.

Sources: Thatcher, L. (1989). The Old Salt Palace: The Temple of Amusement. Beehive History, 15, 12-15.

Salt Lake Tribune. (1910). Fierce flames attack Salt Palace Property. Utah Digital Newspapers.