Spook House – Lagoon History Project

Opened: 1954
Closed: 1966
Location: Central Midway

Charred remains of the Roller Coaster’s station and the Ghost Train after a fire in November 1953. Photo courtesy of Deseret News

The Spook House was part of a long tradition of scary dark rides at Lagoon that began when the Ghost Train opened south of the Roller Coaster in 1947. That ride burned to the ground in the large fire of late 1953.

Part of the Spook House is visible on the left of this photo from a 1954 postcard, next to the Octopus, which was later moved when the Fun House was built.

As part of the massive reconstruction of the west half of the Midway in 1954, the Spook House was added as a replacement for the Ghost Train. A few years later, the Fun House was built on the north side of the Spook House. After a little more than a decade, Terroride claimed the old Spook House building and has operated there since 1967.

The front of the Spook House can be seen in the background of this photo from around 1965. Photo courtesy of Deseret News

Details and photos of the ride (especially of the interior) have been very hard to come by. But it’s assumed that the Spook House was a typical 1950s dark ride. Please contact me if you have any photos or information to share about the Spook House. You can also comment below if you have any memories you’d like to share.