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Salt Air and Carnival of Souls RETIRED Dec 2007 LbNA #27812 (ARCHIVED)

Owner:Adoptable
Plant date:Dec 16, 2006
Location:
City:Salt Lake City/West Valley
County:Salt Lake
State:Utah
Boxes:0
Planted by:paranoid jc
Found by: Pet Lover
Last found:Oct 26, 2007
Status:FFFFFFa
Last edited:Dec 16, 2006
RETIRED: Looks like it wasn't meant to be for these boxes; a very faithful member informed me that this box too is missing. I am forced to retire the box as I am much too far away to replace it. THANKS and SORRY. (paranoid jc, dec 18)

NOTE: Logbook was replaced July 2007. There used to be two boxes placed, however I have moved to the other side of the country and am unable to replace the second box as it was reported missing June 2007. Now, only the first box is still active.

These boxes were placed in homage to the film “Carnival of Souls” and the Salt Air Pavilion at which part of the film was shot. In the early sixties, film director Herk Harvey saw the haunting but beautiful structure of the abandoned amusement park along the Great Salt Lake while passing through Utah. Harvey asked writer John Clifford to come up with a story that utilized Salt Air. The film, shot in Kansas and in Salt Lake City, features other landmarks familiar to SLC locals such as Temple Square and Union Station which is now Gateway Mall.

The Salt Air that is seen in the film is actually the second structure to have that name. The first Salt Air, built in the late 1800’s, was to be a “Coney Island of the West” and indeed it was. However, a fire broke out and damaged a large amount of the structure. Salt Air II was built only to suffer financial strains, receding lake levels and another fire which completely destroyed the park about 10 years after “Carnival” was shot there. The current building, Salt Air III, is no where near as large as the other two and has also suffered from the curse. Shortly after the building was erected, the lake reached the highest recorded levels in over a hundred years and the main dance floor was under water for about five years. The building has now been restored and hosts a variety of music concerts during the summer. A more concise history of Salt Air can be found on the internet and at the Salt Lake City Library. “Carnival of Souls” is also in circulation in the library system. A viewing of the film will give you an idea why I became obsessed with Salt Air in the first place.

CLUES: Take I-80 West towards Wendover from Salt Lake City. You will go well past the airport then take exit 104 to Salt Air Drive. Take a right off the exit. The lone building with the Moorish cones on the top is the Salt Air Pavilion, or Salt Air III. During the summer time the gates are open and you can park next to the pavilion. During the wintertime the gates are closed and you’ll have to park outside one of the gates. Go to the northeast corner of the building. East of this spot you can see a large strip of rocks and dirt built up. Near this build up are three metal posts sticking out of the sand that go out to the lake. Make your way towards these poles. You will soon see what looks like a small cement pier or sidewalk. Go about half way up the pier and underneath the side that faces the Salt Air Pavilion you will find the “Salt Air Box.” Please make sure both the log book and stamp are in the thick zip lock bag so as not to get wet.