Sloan(s) Lake
1861, West Denver. A farmer digs a well. He hits an aquifer, and the next morning he wakes up to 200 acres of flooded land. In general, people marvel at the new body of water Thomas Sloan unwittingly created. Some call it Sloan’s LEAK. At the turn of the 20th century, its north shore becomes the site of Manhattan Beach – biggest amusement park west of the Mississippi. Thousands come for the roller coaster, zoo and skating rink. They watch acrobats shoot out of cannons while hot air balloons float above. Ostriches pull a Cinderella coach through the grounds. But after a huge fire, popularity wanes at Manhattan Beach. New attractions are just not enough to bring crowds back, and so it closes in 1923 becomes a public park. Today, Sloan or Sloan’s Lake is popular once again, with Denverites who recreate on and around Denver’s biggest body of water.
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Colorado Postcards are snapshots of our colorful state in sound. They give brief insights into our people and places, our flora and fauna, and our past and present, from every corner of Colorado. See more postcards.
