Sloan Lake in Denver in Denver County, Colorado — The American Mountains (Southwest)
Manhattan Beach
Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 7, 2022
1. Manhattan Beach Marker
property of the State of Colorado
———
On the northwest shore
of Sloan’s Lake was
Manhattan Beach
popular amusement park of the Gay
Nineties, with a theater, boating,
dancing, and specialties.
Opened on June 27, 1891.
The theater burned Dec. 26, 1908
some amusement features
continued to 1914.
———
Erected by
The State Historical Society of Colorado
from the Mrs. J.N. Hall Foundation and by
The American Pioneer Trails Association
and the City Administration of Denver
1953
Erected 1953 by State Historical Society of Colorado; Mrs. J.N. Hall Foundation; American Pioneer Trails Association; and City Administration of Denver.
Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Entertainment • Parks & Recreational Areas • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Colorado - History Colorado series list. A significant historical date for this entry is June 27, 1891.
Location. 39° 45.125′ N, 105° 2.892′ W. Marker is in Denver, Colorado, in Denver County. It is in Sloan Lake. Marker can be reached from West Byron Place just east of Wolff Street, on the right when traveling east
this page online
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 3 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Theatre Alumni (approx. 1.1 miles away); Elitch Theatre (approx. 1.1 miles away); Roger W. Woodbury Branch - Denver Public Library (approx. 1.4 miles away); Manny's Bridge (approx. 2.4 miles away); Wynkoop Street RR Bridge (approx. 2.4 miles away); Site of the First Gathering of Freemasons in Colorado (approx. 2.4 miles away); The Auraria Townsite and Ninth Street Historic Park (approx. 2.4 miles away); The Edbrooke Lofts (approx. 2.4 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Denver.
Also see . . .
1. Sloan's Lake and its History (A Denver Landmark).
It’s 1861. You wake up early to get ready for a day’s work on the farm. First on the agenda is to finish digging the well, so you head that way. Upon digging, you notice something interesting—water trickling near your boot. This is the sensation Thomas Sloan must’ve felt before cracking into the vast underground water reserves that turned into Sloan’s Lake. Little did he realize that the small trickle near his boot would surge(Submitted on August 9, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)into an almost-200-acre lake. Some time later, the area now occasionally referred to as “Sloan’s Leak” burgeoned thanks to the plethora of activities that could be carried out on the large body of water. The area got so popular that an amusement park called Manhattan Beach was established, operating on the lake shores from 1881-1908.Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 7, 20222. Manhattan Beach Marker(marker is mounted on the southwest corner of the Sloan's Lake North Bathroom building)
2. Manhattan Beach.
Manhattan Beach was the first amusement park created west of the Mississippi River. Open to the public for the first time on 27 June 1881, it had a roller coaster, a dance hall, a Ferris wheel, boating attractions, hot air balloon rides, wrestling bears, contortionists, aerial acts (including a human cannonball), a man who walked on ceilings, and exhibits displaying more than 40 species of animals, but its primary draw was Roger the Elephant (real name: Rajah), who was a popular children's ride. Visitors reached the park by streetcar, boats, and wagons. A large theater at the park was opened on June 27, 1891. It featured everything from light opera to vaudeville. While Manhattan Beach was a popular destination, competition (from nearby Elitch Gardens and White City, the latter eventually becoming Lakeside Amusement Park) and mishaps marked its existence. In(Submitted on August 9, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)1908, Manhattan Beach was damaged by fire; later that year, it was rebuilt and reopened as Luna Park. It closed for the final time in 1914.Photographed By Cosmos Mariner, August 7, 20223. Sloan's Lake(looking southwest from near marker)
3. Sloan's Lake.
The true history of the creation of Sloan Lake may never be officially known, but during the settlement of the Denver area in the mid to late 19th century, the lake did not exist. A commonly accepted and incorrect legend states that Sloan dug a well on the land, inadvertently tapping into an underground aquifer, and that when he awoke the next morning, part of his farm land was covered in water. But, according to gold rush era stagecoach driver Bill Turner, the lake appeared sometime between when he left for Kansas in June 1861 and when he returned in early 1863. It is possible that Sloan occupied the land prior to patenting it. However, its unlikely Sloan would have applied for a patent to farm land that was under water and just as unlikely that the patent would have been granted under the Southern Homestead Act.(Submitted on August 9, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.)
Credits. This page was last revised on February 7, 2023. It was originally submitted on August 9, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida. This page has been viewed 335 times since then and 87 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on August 9, 2022, by Cosmos Mariner of Cape Canaveral, Florida.
