Cedar Point became a popular beach resort in the late 1870s, when visitors traveled to the peninsula by steamboat from Sandusky. The Grand Pavilion, built in 1888 and the oldest building in the park, dates from this era. In 1897, promoter George Boeckling formed the Cedar Point Pleasure Resort Company and vastly expanded the resort’s attractions. During the first decade of the 1900's, he built the lagoons, an amusement circle, and several hotels, including the landmark Breakers in 1905. The Coliseum opened in 1906, became the centerpiece of the park, and hosted many famous big bands through the Depression and World War II years. In the late 1950s, Cedar Point began its transformation into a modern amusement park.