{"id":4647,"date":"2020-06-20T18:16:09","date_gmt":"2020-06-21T00:16:09","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/lagoonhistory.com\/project\/?page_id=4647"},"modified":"2026-03-30T21:13:59","modified_gmt":"2026-03-31T03:13:59","slug":"interactive-fountain","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/lagoonhistory.com\/project\/interactive-fountain\/","title":{"rendered":"Interactive Fountain"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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a.k.a. Interactive Water Attraction, Robert E. Freed Fountain
Opened: 2004
Closed: 9 Nov 2025
Location: Central Midway<\/a>
Designed By: Water Design, Inc. – Salt Lake City, UT
Number Of Pumps: 18
Pump Capacity: 350,000 gallons per hour<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Interactive Fountain at night. Photo: Water Design Inc.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Greeting guests at the center of Lagoon’s Midway is a fountain with elements from around the world. To the west of the main fountain is a 60-inch ring made of Verde-Candeias granite from Brazil. The stone paving and 80 lineal feet of walls of the main fountain are from India. The 36-inch sphere to the west is made from colored Meerfelsen granite from Sweden. The stone for the sphere and ring were shipped to Germany to be cut to fit with Furstensteiner granite stone bases and each of them float on a thin cushion of water.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Stone ring and sphere on each side of the main fountain. Photos: Water Design Inc.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Early features included a 60-foot leaping water tunnel and a 30-foot-diameter water cage formed using 190 nozzles. Guests could create an opening in the water cage by placing their hand in one of the carved hand or paw print in one of four portals. Once inside, someone on the outside would have to open the portal for you to get out without getting wet. The stone walls around the perimeter also used to have water pouring down the inside.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Interactive Fountain nearing completion in April 2004. Photo: B. Miskin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For the first few years, there were regular water and light shows set to music, like Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody, with jets that reached 35 feet high. During the shows, the entryways were roped off and no one was allowed inside. Speakers for the show were mounted atop nearby buildings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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South fountains. Photo: B. Miskin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

There are two “memorial gardens” on the north and south of the fountain. The north features 15 custom wave nozzles to create the effect of crashing waves. The south portion has several pillar fountains and a plaque dedicating the fountain to Robert E. Freed, former president and general manager of Lagoon. Even though it was never officially named the Freed Fountain, some employees refer to it as such, or as the Memorial Fountain or REF Fountain, because it was dedicated to Robert E. Freed, former park manager. The plaque states…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“This plaza celebrates the life of Robert E. Freed, under whose vision and innovation Lagoon operated from 1946 until 1974. A man of integrity, he was a leader in the international amusement industry and a pioneer in Utah civil rights. Robert E. Freed loved and contributed to the world of art and entertainment, his family, his community, and his country. From his loving family, this beautiful attraction is provided for Lagoon guests to enjoy in his memory.”<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

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Part of the memorial plaque. Photo: B. Miskin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For many years a weather webcam was pointed at the fountain from the top of the old Fun House building, providing a look at weather and crowd conditions at the park. The webcam ceased transmission in September 2020.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Time lapse of the fountain from the webcam in 2005.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Time lapse of webcam images during the 2015-2016 off-season.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

The main fountain was upgraded in 2018 with new LED lights in each nozzle. The lights mounted above the fountain in the north and south were no longer needed and were completely removed in 2025.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Repairs were needed in 2022, causing the fountain to be closed for most of the season, finally re-opening in August of that year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This was the biggest fountain at Lagoon since the Bamberger Fountain was built in 1965 as part of a northward expansion of the park. The interactive aspect of the fountain was unique at a time when neighborhood splash pads were not as ubiquitous as they are now. It also provides a quick, easy way to cool off without waiting in line for water rides like Rattlesnake Rapids or OdySea.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Interactive Fountain from the Sky Ride in 2007. Photo: B. Miskin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In March 2026, the park opened for the year with a completely new fountain in place of the interactive fountain. All of the features surrounding the fountain including the walls and smaller fountains on every side. The stone tiles have been replaced by concrete. The new fountain is unnamed, but is flanked by the new Peacock Patio on the north and south with new peacock fountains on each side.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Center of the new fountain in 2026. Photo: B. Miskin<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

BEFORE THE FOUNTAIN<\/h4>\n\n\n\n

Before the fountain, the area was just another wide, asphalt walkway, but various things have been located in the space at different times.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Added some time in the late 1940s or early ’50s, there was a small round structure that could’ve been used as some kind of information booth, ticket kiosk or for other similar uses.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The Midway, ca. 1953. Photo: Janice Staker Brown<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

During the park’s biggest fire in November 1953, photographs show firefighters attempting to save the little building. It may have been too damaged to remain in use because it doesn’t appear in any photos from 1954 or thereafter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Firefighters douse a building in water to help keep the fire from spreading. Photo: The Salt Lake Tribune<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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Looking south down the Midway from the top of the Ferris Wheel as shown on a 1954 postcard.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In 1967, an advertising column like those commonly found in parts of Europe (such as a Litfa\u00dfs\u00e4ule in Germany or colonne Morris in France) was added with park announcements posted on it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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“Lagoon employe tapes ad sheet to new kiosk at Davis County resort which opens Saturday.” Photo: Deseret News<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

In the 1980s another structure with a large, decorative roof was placed in the middle of this area. It was called Made In The Shade and it sold hats, sunglasses and other small souvenirs. Beginning in 1998, various shows were held in this central location with the venue labeled as Made In The Shade Stage on park maps. Different vehicles were parked in the area for different shows such as a ’57 Chevy for Pep Rallies<\/em> and Hot Rods<\/em>, an army truck for G.I. Jam On Patrol<\/em> and a Volkswagen bus for Flower Power<\/em>. After years in storage, the VW found a new home at the entrance of Bombora.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Made In The Shade souvenir stand as shown on the 1989 park guide map.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
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MORE LAGOON HISTORY<\/h5>\n\n\n\n
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\"The<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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\"Lagoon<\/a><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n
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REFERENCES<\/h6>\n\n\n\n

Lagoon press kit, 2004.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Lagoon Interactive Fountain<\/a>. Water Design Inc.<\/em>, accessed 15 Sep 2024.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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a.k.a. Interactive Water Attraction, Robert E. Freed FountainOpened: 2004Closed: 9 Nov 2025Location: Central MidwayDesigned By: Water Design, Inc. – Salt Lake City, UTNumber Of Pumps: 18Pump Capacity: 350,000 gallons per hour Greeting guests at the center of Lagoon’s Midway is a fountain with elements from around the world. To the west of the main fountain […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-4647","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/lagoonhistory.com\/project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4647","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/lagoonhistory.com\/project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/lagoonhistory.com\/project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lagoonhistory.com\/project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/lagoonhistory.com\/project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4647"}],"version-history":[{"count":29,"href":"https:\/\/lagoonhistory.com\/project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4647\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20368,"href":"https:\/\/lagoonhistory.com\/project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/4647\/revisions\/20368"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/lagoonhistory.com\/project\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4647"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}