{"id":11565,"date":"2021-01-23T13:50:55","date_gmt":"2021-01-23T20:50:55","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lagoonhistory.com\/project\/?page_id=11565"},"modified":"2026-02-20T22:47:02","modified_gmt":"2026-02-21T05:47:02","slug":"the-mother-gooseland-story","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/lagoonhistory.com\/project\/attractions\/mother-gooseland-kiddieland\/the-mother-gooseland-story\/","title":{"rendered":"The Mother Gooseland Story"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

In the wake of the post-World War II baby boom, kiddie parks were springing up all over the country in the 1950s. These parks were often simply a collection of rides, for kids only, placed near major highways or added to existing parks, swimming resorts and even drive-in movie theaters. The introduction of Disneyland in 1955 challenged the way amusement parks had been designed up to that time and park owners were quick to adapt to the trend of creating a more inviting atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Of course, children were nothing new at Lagoon. A few smaller rides were available for them to ride since the park’s early years. In the 1920s, a free playground was added with swings, teeter-totters, slides and even a small wading pool.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Illustration of Mother Gooseland from a 1956 Lagoon ad.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

More children’s rides were added around the late ’40s and early ’50s such as the Baby Boats and Autos (a small carousel with cars instead of horses). Then, Lagoon created an entire area for kids between the Midway and the Swimming Pool. A few pre-existing rides were accompanied by several new children’s rides and decorated with signage and displays depicting familiar nursery rhymes. It opened as Mother Gooseland in 1956.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Mother Gooseland sign, circa 1956. Photo: Janice Staker Brown<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Initially, even the food offerings were geared toward kids. An article in the trade publication, The Billboard<\/em>, explained how manager Robert Freed found a way to cater to smaller patrons in Mother Gooseland.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“…when it was decided to build the children’s section of the park for this season, he began looking around for appropriate sized refreshments for toddlers. He had noted that often parents had to split portions with the youngsters or give them ‘man-sized’ amounts that over-filled the kiddies.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

His search was rewarded.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Drinks…were a simple problem. Bob purchases six-ounce cups and fills them from regular bulk dispensers. Price: 6 cents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The No. 40-size cone, with a small dipper, provides midget-sized ice cream cones that allows each toddler to have his own, but not too much. Price: 6 cents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The hot dogs were the main problem. He talked to his regular meat distributor and found that they could -f or large enough orders – adjust the hot-dog-making machine to turn out dogs about the size of sausages. They come about 14 ‘dogs’ to the pound.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Only one problem remained. Small dog on large bun was no solution, so Bob contacted the baker that sells him regular size buns. The baker said he could provide special buns to fit the dogs, and Bob was in business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Hot dogs sell in Mother Gooseland for 14 cents, allowing a youngster to have a dog and a drink, or a dog and a cone for a total of 20 cents.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Bob said, ‘Percentage-wise, we are as well off as on the big stuff after figuring our costs. The kids are happy, the parents are even happier.’ “<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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1956 postcard of Peter Peter’s Pumpkin Shell.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

At the end of its first season, Mother Gooseland was featured in a national television series called Wide, Wide World<\/em>. This was a documentary series on NBC that featured a variety of scenes from around the world, usually broadcast live. One of the segments in this particular episode was a performance by dancers from the McCune School Of Music And Art in Salt Lake City. According to a synopsis, they enacted a dream sequence where Mother Gooseland magically came to life. It was filmed by local affiliate KTVT and transmitted to NBC to be included in the national broadcast.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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KTVT cameraman shooting a scene for Wide World in 1956.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Creative Playthings, a toy company which had entered into the playground industry not long before, was reportedly involved in the layout of Mother Gooseland. Messmore & Damon, a company specializing in stage and film props, store displays and dark ride features, was also in the business of making “kiddieland figures”. They provided many of the original props found in Lagoon’s dark rides. It’s very likely they also built elements used in Mother Gooseland such as Peter’s Pumpkin Shell, the Old Woman’s Shoe or Humpty Dumpty.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Humpty Dumpty, circa 1956. Photo: Janice Staker Brown<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There were said to be fifteen Mother Goose displays introduced in 1956. Aside from those mentioned above, other nursery rhymes represented included Ding Dong Bell, Little Boy Blue, Old King Cole, Rock-A-Bye Baby, Baa Baa Black Sheep and Old Mother Hubbard. Photos from the ’70s show a large mushroom similar to the new one built at the entrance of Ladybug Bop in 2006.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Ding Dong Bell Well in 1961. Photo courtesy of Deseret News<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Mother Gooseland was introduced to television viewers across the United States on 16 September 1956. A segment on the show Wide, Wide World<\/em> featured 100 dancers from the McCune School portraying a dream in which the park magically came to life. A couple of months later, park manager Robert Freed shared the segment at the annual convention of the National Association Of Amusement Parks, Pools And Beaches.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

MOTHER GOOSELAND RIDES IN 1956<\/h4>\n\n\n\n