Lagoon History Project
Imagine a time when the latest thrill at Lagoon was the park’s first tubular steel coaster. It was 1976 and Lagoon’s Midway didn’t extend beyond the new Jet Star 2 and the recently added Sky Ride. It was the northern bookend of the park, paired with the old Wild Mouse at the south end. Old-timers […]
The recent passing of Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys has once again brought attention to the band’s ties to Utah. Their first performance in Utah was at Lagoon’s Patio Gardens (the building which now houses Dracula’s Castle and the arcade). But the band’s popularity here started well before they played their first note in […]
There have been numerous ideas for Lagoon attractions, many of which never made it past the concept or planning stages. This article is part of a series about some of those plans that failed to become a reality. In 2025, Lagoon opened The District, which is the most ambitious development in Pioneer Village since the […]
This is the second in a two-part series about the 1953 fire and the “New Lagoon” that rose from the ashes. “We could see our entire business going down the drain that morning of the fire. But actually, it created a situation that forced us to remodel not only the burned out area but the […]
This is the first in a two-part series about the 1953 fire and the New Lagoon that rose from the ashes. Lagoon, just like any business that’s been around for over 135 years, has had to adapt in the face of unexpected events. Even in its first six or seven decades, Lagoon went through many […]
Only a handful of concerts at Lagoon’s Patio Gardens were recorded and made available, and of those few, most are Stan Kenton concerts. The earliest of which is this three-volume series on compact disc from the nights of the 16th & 17th of August in 1957. It was released in 1992 by the Magic label […]
Lagoon was featured as the cover story of the August 1961 issue of Ford Times – a monthly magazine by the Ford Motor Company that focused on travel and, of course, Ford automobiles. The article describes the hidden Utah treasure to outsiders and relates a bit of its history. In the 60 years since it […]
At the beginning of the 21st century, it wasn’t easy for someone to find historical information about Lagoon or even basic facts about the rides. Like many people, I was curious about how the park came together and how old some of the rides and buildings really were. There were a couple of websites at […]
It’s no secret that Utah has been the backdrop for a long list of movies and TV shows. Lagoon has also been the setting of shows that have been distributed nationally and beyond. This video shows clips from eight of the more widely known examples. Here’s a breakdown of some of the movies and TV […]
When entering Terroride and Dracula’s Castle guests are confronted with a collection of bizarre and mysterious images. Both rides were originally designed by Bill Tracy, who created haunted attractions across the country and knew the importance of making the outside of the building as impressive as what was inside. “The façade was the marketing and […]