Soaking in the Salt Lake

At the turn of the century and for decades to follow, Saltair was the place to go for good wholesome recreation near Salt Lake City. It was a great place to escape from the city heat, and the high salt content of the water allowed swimmers to float effortlessly. There was also a lot of oversight by the Mormon church, so young singles could go there without endangering their reputations. In addition to  swimming, there was a huge dance floor and live music.

The Saltair Pavilion shown on this postcard is the second one. The first one was built in 1893 and burned down in 1925. A second pavilion was built, but it also suffered fire damage in 1931. That was just the beginning of more troubles to come. In 1933, the waters receded, leaving Saltair on dry ground. This postcard was printed in 1933, but seems to show a photo from earlier times.

Saltair also had new competition, including movie theaters, automobiles, and then television, which presented people with additional entertainment and travel options. The Great Depression and World War II also drew people away. The Saltair Pavilion finally closed during World War II. In the meantime it was used as a set for the horror flick, A Carnival of Souls. The second Saltair shown above burned to the ground from an arson fire in 1970.

Hope springs eternal, and a third Saltair Pavilion was built in 1981. This one was also plagued by problems including flooding and then receding waters. Today, Saltair Pavilion III is used as a venue for rock concerts.

Here's an earlier postcard from Salt Lake, during the era of Saltair I.

And here are the backs of the postcards in the same order:

Zion and Bryce

This is a continuation of the exotic Utah post from yesterday.  Utah truly has some of the most breathtaking landscapes I have ever seen.  I have a few linen postcards that show Bryce Canyon. Generally, linen postcards add color and make the scenes more appealing. In the case of Bryce Canyon, the opposite is true. Here's a postcard view:

In reality, the colors are much more brilliant. Here's a photo of Bryce Canyon from last week:

Bryce, Zion, and the other parks in Utah are all amazing in their own ways. There are some incredible views and amazing hiking opportunities for all levels. Here's a picture of me with my mother during a hike in Cedar Breaks last week:

And here's a view of a trail that the architect who steals my covers went on without us. My mother and I stayed in because it was raining heavily. I would have been terrified if I had known what this trail looked like, especially considering the slippery conditions. There was a sign at the beginning of the trail that urged caution and stated that people had died from falling off the edge. Arghhh! I feel sick just looking at this, especially knowing that it is a two-way trail and people coming from the opposite direction may need to pass by you somehow.

Exotic Utah

Utah may not be exotic for people who live in the Southwest, but if you live in Portland, Oregon, it doesn't get much more exotic.  We just returned from a week in Utah, visiting Zion National Park, Bryce Canyon, Escalante, Capitol Reef, and Salt Lake City. The flight from Portland, Oregon to Salt Lake City is only an hour and twenty minutes, but the differences are striking.

Portland is wet and rainy. Moss grows on everything.  Utah is arid and very hot in the summer.  Oregonians are of many different religions, and a high percentage are not affiliated with any church at all. Utah is predominantly Mormon - approximately 60% of residents statewide, with a much higher percentage in rural areas. We have children here in Oregon, but at a rate below the national average. Utah has the highest birthrate by far in the United States.

We were attracted to Utah by visions of this dry landscape and bright blue skies. The Mormon presence is very strong and you get the sense that the focus is on families and children. Although I have a certain appreciation for the grungy, tattooed and pierced Portland youth, I have to admit that I really enjoyed seeing so many clean-cut young men and women in Salt Lake City.

We did have a bit of culture shock, as we are accustomed to having at least one coffee establishment on every block in Portland. You never know when you might be overcome by caffeine deprivation. Here in Oregon, we also have a strong appreciation for beer and wine. In Utah, you may have difficulty finding a cup of coffee or a glass of wine, because the Mormon church forbids its followers from consuming alcohol, coffee or tea. In fact, you have to go to a special State liquor store to buy a bottle of wine. That may not sound like a big deal, but there are 243 incorporated municipalities in Utah and only 67 liquor stores in a state that covers 84,899 sq mi (219,899 sq km.)

I would like to explore Salt Lake City a bit more some day. We enjoyed visiting the Mormon Temple square and the Mormon Church History Museum.  For some reason I felt compelled to buy these souvenirs from the museum gift shop.  If you are amazed that anyone is making missionary action figures, you will be doubly amazed that there were four different sets to choose from. They all look equally wholesome, but have different stances and facial features.
It was a difficult decision, but I finally picked these guys: