Bitter Lake played a more prominent role in Seattle at mid-20th century—when it was not yet officially part of the city—than it does today. From May 24, 1930 to 1961, it was home to Playland, one of several amusement parks built by the Washington Amusement Company. It was purchased a year after it opened by Carl E. Phare, a designer and builder of roller coasters, who designed The Dipper, a roller coaster with 3,400 feet (1,000 m) of track and a maximum altitude of 85 feet (26 m). Other notable attractions included The Canals of Venice, 1,200 feet (370 m) of darkness that may have been Seattle's most famous makeout spot for two generations, and a 9,600-square-foot (890 m2) hardwood floor dance pavilion. During the Great Depression, it was home to dance marathons and flagpole sitting contes