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89-602: The Lucin Cutoff is a 102-mile (164 km) railroad line in Utah , United States that runs from Ogden to its namesake in Lucin . The most prominent feature of the cutoff was a twelve-mile-long (19 km) railroad trestle crossing the Great Salt Lake , which was in use from 1904 until the late 1950s, when it was replaced by an earthen causeway . The cutoff was originally built by

178-650: A State of Deseret . The Mormon settlements provided pioneers for other settlements in the West. Salt Lake City became the hub of a "far-flung commonwealth" of Mormon settlements. With new church converts coming from the East and around the world, Church leaders often assigned groups of church members as missionaries to establish other settlements throughout the West. They developed irrigation to support fairly large pioneer populations along Utah's Wasatch front (Salt Lake City, Bountiful and Weber Valley, and Provo and Utah Valley). Throughout

267-645: A Mormon missionary for thirteen years, and a Salt Lake City newspaper owner, finally left Utah and wrote The Rocky Mountain Saints . His book gives a witnessed account of life in Utah, both the good and the bad. He finally left Utah and Mormonism after financial ruin occurred when Brigham Young sent Stenhouse to relocate to Ogden, Utah, according to Stenhouse, to take over his thriving pro-Mormon Salt Lake Telegraph newspaper. In addition to these testimonies, The Confessions of John D. Lee , written by John D. Lee—alleged "Scapegoat" for

356-505: A major railway hub through much of its history. The First transcontinental railroad was constructed between 1863 and 1869, with the tracks reaching Ogden on March 27, 1869. Trains heading east from Ogden must negotiate the highest reaches of eastern Utah, travelling through Weber and Echo Canyons and over the Wasatch Pass at an elevation of 6,792 feet. Union Pacific has operated the world's most powerful locomotives to haul freight over

445-451: A major reason for poor air quality in Utah . On March 18, 2020, Utah suffered a 5.7 magnitude earthquake originating 3.7 mi (6.0 km) northeast of Magna, near Salt Lake City. Utah is known for its natural diversity and is home to features ranging from arid deserts with dunes to thriving pine forests in mountain valleys. It is a rugged and geographically diverse state at the convergence of three distinct geological regions:

534-455: A project began to replace the trestle's deck and construct additional bracing. It was completed by 1927. In 1929, the eastern causeway was widened. Additionally, the Midlake station was closed after being effectively replaced by the bridge station. However, its buildings were kept in place to serve as living quarters for the signal operators. In 1932, two more piles were added to each bay next to

623-458: A regiment of California volunteers in 1862. Connor established Fort Douglas just 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Salt Lake City and encouraged his people to discover mineral deposits to bring more non-Mormons into the territory. Minerals were discovered in Tooele County and miners began to flock to the territory. Beginning in 1865, Utah's Black Hawk War developed into the deadliest conflict in

712-532: Is 120 miles (190 km) long and on average 5 miles (8 km) wide. Along its length, the Wasatch Front never exceeds a width of approximately 18 miles (29 km) because of the natural barriers of lakes and mountains. Sustained drought in Utah has more recently strained the region's water security , causing the Great Salt Lake to drop to record low levels, and affecting the state’s economy, of which

801-592: Is a landlocked state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States . It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona , Colorado , and New Mexico . It also borders Wyoming to its northeast, Idaho to its north, and Nevada to its west. In comparison to all the U.S. states and territories, Utah, with a population of just over three million, is the 13th largest by area ,

890-577: Is formed by Utah Lake in Utah County , the Oquirrh Mountains in Salt Lake County , and the Great Salt Lake in northwestern Salt Lake , Davis , Weber , southeastern Box Elder , and Cache counties. Though most residents of the area live between Ogden and Provo (a distance of 80 miles [130 km]), which includes Salt Lake City proper, the fullest built-out extent of the Wasatch Front

979-622: Is just over the Nevada state line in the southern Snake Range. One of western Utah's most impressive, but least visited attractions is Notch Peak , the tallest limestone cliff in North America, located west of Delta . Much of the scenic southern and southeastern landscape (specifically the Colorado Plateau region) is sandstone , specifically Kayenta sandstone and Navajo sandstone . The Colorado River and its tributaries wind their way through

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1068-533: Is the central feature of protected state and federal parks such as Arches , Bryce Canyon , Canyonlands , Capitol Reef , and Zion national parks, Cedar Breaks , Grand Staircase–Escalante , Hovenweep , and Natural Bridges national monuments, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (site of the popular tourist destination, Lake Powell ), Dead Horse Point and Goblin Valley state parks, and Monument Valley . The Navajo Nation also extends into southeastern Utah, and

1157-526: Is the lowest point in the state, at 2,000 feet (610 m). The northernmost portion of the Mojave Desert is also located in this area. Dixie is quickly becoming a popular recreational and retirement destination, and the population is growing rapidly. Although the Wasatch Mountains end at Mount Nebo near Nephi , a complex series of mountain ranges extends south from the southern end of the range down

1246-475: Is the only state where a majority of the population belongs to a single church. The LDS Church greatly influences Utahn culture, politics, and daily life, though since the 1990s the state has become more religiously diverse as well as secular. Utah has a highly diversified economy , with major sectors including transportation, education , information technology and research, government services, mining, multi-level marketing , and tourism. Utah has been one of

1335-565: Is the only state where every county contains some national forest. Utah features a dry, semi-arid to desert climate , although its many mountains feature a large variety of climates, with the highest points in the Uinta Mountains being above the timberline . The dry weather is a result of the state's location in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada in California. The eastern half of

1424-541: Is the primary rail transport leading in and out of the Wasatch Front, having a station in Salt Lake City and Provo . Salt Lake City International Airport serves as the primary airport for the region. Ogden-Hinckley Airport and Provo Municipal Airport also provide scheduled commercial air service. Because of the geographical barriers to the east and west, much of the land along the Wasatch Front has been developed. The region has experienced considerable growth since

1513-460: Is the variety of its terrain . Running down the middle of the state's northern third is the Wasatch Range , which rises to heights of almost 12,000 ft (3,700 m) above sea level. Utah is home to world-renowned ski resorts made popular by light, fluffy snow and winter storms that regularly dump up to three feet of it overnight. In the state's northeastern section, running east to west, are

1602-474: The 30th most populous , and the 11th least densely populated . Urban development is mostly concentrated in two regions: the Wasatch Front in the north-central part of the state, which includes the state capital, Salt Lake City , and is home to roughly two-thirds of the population; and Washington County in the southwest, which has somewhat more than 180,000 residents. Most of the western half of Utah lies in

1691-595: The Domínguez–Escalante expedition —left Santa Fe in 1776, hoping to find a route to the coast of California. The expedition traveled as far north as Utah Lake and encountered the native residents. The Spanish made further explorations in the region but were not interested in colonizing the area because of its desert nature. In 1821, the year Mexico achieved its independence from Spain, the region became known as part of its territory of Alta California . European trappers and fur traders explored some areas of Utah in

1780-613: The Great Basin . Utah has been inhabited for thousands of years by various indigenous groups , such as the ancient Puebloans , the Navajo, and the Ute. The first Europeans to arrive - in the mid-16th century - were the Spanish. Because of the region's challenging geography and harsh climate, it only became a peripheral part of New Spain (and later of Mexico). Even while it was Mexican territory, many of

1869-455: The I-15 corridor, including the densely populated Wasatch Front , receives approximately 15 inches (381 mm). The Great Salt Lake Desert is the driest area of the state, with less than 5 inches (127 mm). Snowfall is common in all but the far southern valleys. Although St. George receives only about 3 inches (76 mm) per year, Salt Lake City sees about 60 inches (1,524 mm), enhanced by

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1958-576: The Mountain Meadow Massacre —also came out in 1877. The corroborative testimonies coming out of Utah from Mormons and former Mormons influenced Congress and the people of the United States. In the 1890 Manifesto , the LDS Church banned polygamy. When Utah applied for statehood again , it was accepted. One of the conditions for granting Utah statehood was that a ban on polygamy be written into

2047-587: The Mountain Meadows massacre . Before troops led by Albert Sidney Johnston entered the territory, Brigham Young ordered all residents of Salt Lake City to evacuate southward to Utah Valley and sent out the Nauvoo Legion to delay the government's advance. Although wagons and supplies were burned, eventually the troops arrived in 1858, and Young surrendered official control to Cumming, although most subsequent commentators claim that Young retained true power in

2136-584: The Rocky Mountains , the Great Basin , and the Colorado Plateau . Utah covers an area of 84,899 sq mi (219,890 km ). It is one of the Four Corners states and is bordered by Idaho in the north, Wyoming in the north and east, Colorado in the east, at a single point by New Mexico to the southeast, by Arizona in the south, and by Nevada in the west. Only three U.S. states (Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming) have exclusively latitude and longitude lines as boundaries. One of Utah's defining characteristics

2225-587: The Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. Over the next 22 years, more than 70,000 pioneers crossed the plains and settled in Utah. For the first few years, Brigham Young and the thousands of early settlers of Salt Lake City struggled to survive. The arid desert land was deemed desirable by the Mormons as a place where they could practice their religion without harassment. Settlers buried thirty-six Native Americans in one grave after an outbreak of measles occurred during

2314-827: The Southern Pacific Railroad as a means of shortening the First transcontinental railroad . Today the cutoff is owned and operated by the Union Pacific Railroad as a significant part of the Lakeside Subdivision , which runs from Ogden to Wells, Nevada , and is one of the many subdivisions of the Overland Route . Due to the obstruction of water flow caused by the Lucin Cutoff, the Great Salt Lake appears to be different colors in aerial photographs; water north of

2403-735: The U.S. government intensified due to the practice of plural marriage , or polygamy , among members of the LDS Church. The Mormons were still pushing for the establishment of a State of Deseret with the new borders of the Utah Territory. Most, if not all, of the members of the U.S. government opposed the polygamous practices of the Mormons. Members of the LDS Church were viewed as un-American and rebellious when news of their polygamous practices spread. In 1857, particularly heinous accusations of abdication of government and general immorality were leveled by former associate justice William W. Drummond, among others. The detailed reports of life in Utah caused

2492-536: The Uinta Mountains , which rise to heights of over 13,000 feet (4,000 m). The highest point in the state, Kings Peak , at 13,528 feet (4,123 m), lies within the Uinta Mountains. At the western base of the Wasatch Range is the Wasatch Front , a series of valleys and basins that are home to the most populous parts of the state. It stretches approximately from Brigham City at the north end to Nephi at

2581-599: The death of Joseph Smith in 1844, Brigham Young , as president of the Quorum of the Twelve , became the leader of the LDS Church in Nauvoo, Illinois . To address the growing conflicts between his people and their neighbors, Young agreed with Illinois Governor Thomas Ford in October 1845 that the Mormons would leave by the following year. Young and the first group of Mormon pioneers reached

2670-432: The lake-effect snow from the Great Salt Lake, which increases snowfall totals to the south, southeast, and east of the lake. Wasatch Front The Wasatch Front is long and narrow. To the east, the Wasatch Mountains rise abruptly several thousand feet above the valley floors, climbing to their highest elevation of 11,928 feet (3,636 m) at Mount Nebo (bordering southern Utah Valley ). The area's western boundary

2759-494: The least income inequality of any U.S. state. Over time and influenced by climate change , droughts in Utah have been increasing in frequency and severity, putting a further strain on Utah's water security and impacting the state's economy. The name Utah derives from the name of the Ute tribe , meaning 'people of the mountains'. However, no such word exists in the Utes' language, and

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2848-511: The urban heat island effect. Several downtown and commercial districts encompass the Wasatch Front, including the Salt Lake City metropolitan area , the Provo-Orem metropolitan area (south of Salt Lake), and the Ogden-Clearfield metropolitan area (north of Salt Lake). Nearly all of the cities within the region are connected by continuous suburban development. Ogden has served as

2937-497: The 1950s, with its population increasing 308% from 492,374 to 2,051,330. Much of the remaining undeveloped land is rapidly being developed, and local governments have grappled with problems of urban sprawl and other land-use concerns. The region on the other side of the Wasatch Range , including cities such as Park City , Morgan , Heber City , and Midway , is sometimes referred to as the Wasatch Back and has recently shared in

3026-414: The 2016 bridge. This berm slows the flow of saltier water from the northern arm of the lake into the southern arm, as the increased salinity was beginning to have effects on the ecology of the southern part of the lake. Even though the lake's elevation in the southern part remained slightly higher than the northern part, the saltier water in the northern arm (which is denser and heavier) was able to push along

3115-543: The Cutoff appears red or brown, while water south of the Cutoff is more green. Built by the Southern Pacific Company (SP) between February 1902 and March 1904, the cutoff bypassed the original Central Pacific Railroad route through Promontory Summit where the golden spike was driven in 1869. By going west across the lake from Ogden to Lucin, it cut 44 miles (71 km) off the original route and also significantly decreased curvature and grades. Built under

3204-659: The LDS Church's first three temples in Utah, each started after but finished many years before the larger and better-known temple built in Salt Lake City was completed in 1893), as well as Parowan, Cedar City, Bluff, Moab, Vernal, Fillmore (which served as the territorial capital between 1850 and 1856), Nephi, Levan, Spanish Fork, Springville, Provo Bench (now Orem ), Pleasant Grove, American Fork, Lehi, Sandy, Murray, Jordan, Centerville, Farmington, Huntsville, Kaysville, Grantsville, Tooele, Roy, Brigham City, and many other smaller towns and settlements. Young had an expansionist view of

3293-780: The Olympic venues built along the Wasatch Front continue to be used for sporting events. Preparation for the Olympics spurred the development of the light-rail system in the Salt Lake Valley , known as TRAX , and the reconstruction of the freeway system around the city. In 1957, Utah created the Utah State Parks Commission with four parks. Today, Utah State Parks manages 43 parks and several undeveloped areas totaling over 95,000 acres (380 km ) of land and more than 1,000,000 acres (4,000 km ) of water. Utah's state parks are scattered throughout Utah, from Bear Lake State Park at

3382-586: The Pacific Ocean; he subsequently learned this body of water was a giant salt lake . After the discovery of the lake, hundreds of American and Canadian traders and trappers established trading posts in the region. In the 1830s, thousands of migrants traveling from the Eastern United States to the American West began to make stops in the region of the Great Salt Lake, then known as Lake Youta. Following

3471-573: The United States had taken control of New Mexico and California. The entire Southwest became U.S. territory upon the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo , February 2, 1848. The treaty was ratified by the United States Senate on March 11. Learning that California and New Mexico were applying for statehood, the settlers of the Utah area (originally having planned to petition for territorial status) applied for statehood with an ambitious plan for

3560-531: The Utah region’s earliest European settlers were from the United States; notable among these were Mormons who were fleeing marginalization and persecution in the United States and arrived via the so-called Mormon Trail . In 1848, after the Mexican–American War , the region was annexed by the U.S. , becoming part of the Utah Territory , which included what later became Colorado and Nevada. Disputes between

3649-543: The Utah/Idaho border to Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum deep in the Four Corners region and everywhere in between. Utah State Parks is also home to the state's off highway vehicle office, state boating office, and the trails program. During the late 20th century, the state grew quickly. In the 1970s growth was phenomenal in the suburbs of the Wasatch Front. Sandy was one of the fastest-growing cities in

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3738-460: The Utes refer to themselves as Noochee . The meaning of Utes as 'the mountain people' has been attributed to the neighboring Pueblo Indians , as well as to the Apache word Yuttahih , which means 'one that is higher up' or 'those that are higher up'. In Spanish , it was pronounced Yuta ; subsequently, English-speaking people may have adapted the word as Utah . Thousands of years before

3827-451: The Wasatch Front constitutes 80%. The Wasatch Front is a semi-arid region at the eastern edge of the Great Basin . The urban corridor mainly lies in zone 7 with minimum average winter temperatures ranging between 0 and 20 °F (−18 and −7 °C) and daytime high temperatures ranging from the mid-30 °F to mid-40 °F range (-1 and 4 °C). Snowfall is common during winter but often melts rapidly. Inversions commonly occur along

3916-441: The Wasatch Front during mid-winter making for very cold temperatures and gloomy conditions lasting for several weeks at times in the valleys, while the higher mountain elevations will experience clear and warmer conditions. Localized lake-effect snowfall from the Great Salt Lake is common in the late Fall and early winter. The first freeze usually occurs in early October in the outlying areas but can occur as late as early November in

4005-577: The Wasatch Front. Such transportation routes include Interstate 84 in the Ogden area; the Legacy Parkway ( State Route 67 ) running north–south through western Davis County; Interstate 80 running east–west through Salt Lake City; Interstate 215 (I‑215) circling the inner Salt Lake Valley; the Mountain View Corridor ( State Route 85 ), Bangerter Highway ( State Route 154 ), and State Route 201 to

4094-417: The Wasatch Mountains between Cheyenne and Ogden, including American Locomotive Company 's famous "Big Boys" , the world's largest steam locomotive; GE's Gas Turbines known as the "Big Blows" (because of their distinctive sound), the world's most powerful internal combustion locomotive; and GM's "Big Jacks" , the most powerful single-unit diesel locomotive type ever built. Transportation issues within

4183-676: The administration of James Buchanan to send a secret military "expedition" to Utah. When the supposed rebellion should be quelled, Alfred Cumming would take the place of Brigham Young as territorial governor. The resulting conflict is known as the Utah War , nicknamed "Buchanan's Blunder" by the Mormon leaders. In September 1857, about 120 American settlers of the Baker–Fancher wagon train, en route to California from Arkansas, were murdered by Utah Territorial Militia and some Paiute Native Americans in

4272-474: The arms of the lake has begun to equalize. As of April 30, 2017, the level of the lake in the northern arm is within a foot of the southern arm. Due to the Southwestern North American megadrought , the amount of fresh water flowing into the southern arm of the lake had dropped significantly enough that, during the summer of 2022, a 4-foot-high (1.2 m) berm was constructed in the breach beneath

4361-678: The arrival of Europeans, the Ancestral Puebloans and the Fremont people lived in what is now known as Utah, some of which spoke languages of the Uto-Aztecan group. Ancestral Pueblo peoples built their homes through excavations in mountains, and the Fremont people built houses of straw before disappearing from the region around the 15th century. Another group of Native Americans, the Navajo , settled in

4450-501: The back of a slower moving passenger train in thick fog. In 1945, the Midlake station was razed and demolished as part of an upgrade to centralized traffic control . By the 1940s it had become apparent that the old trestle was functionally obsolete, a choke point due to only having one track, and deteriorated to the point where much more money was spent on it than deemed acceptable. Because of this, construction on earthen causeway to bypass

4539-555: The bottom of the breach into the southern arm of the lake. The berm was raised higher in 2023, but then lowered in 2024 as the level changed. As of 2024, it is the policy of the Office of the Great Salt Lake Commissioner to raise the berm anytime the southern arm's level falls to 4,190 feet (1,280 m) or lower. Utah Utah ( / ˈ juː t ɑː / YOO -tah , / ˈ juː t ɔː / YOO -taw )

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4628-399: The causeway was raised to prevent flood damage. The causeway prevented lake water from flowing as freely as the open trestle had, and to help mitigate effects, two culverts were included in the original causeway construction. The culverts allowed for boat traffic and a limited amount of water to flow from the lake's southern arm (where surrounding freshwater rivers emptied into the lake) into

4717-405: The causeway. The state breached the causeway under the new bridge on August 1, 1984, allowing pent-up water from the southern arm to flow into the northern arm. The continual slow sinking of the causeway has on occasion required more material to raise its height above the lake level. In 1986, the causeway was almost entirely rebuilt after flooding caused its filling to sink into the water. During

4806-401: The country at that time. Today, many areas of Utah continue to see boom-time growth. Northern Davis , southern and western Salt Lake , Summit , eastern Tooele , Utah , Wasatch , and Washington counties are all growing very quickly. Management of transportation and urbanization are major issues in politics, as development consumes agricultural land and wilderness areas and transportation is

4895-413: The direction of SP chief engineer William Hood, a team of 3,000 SP workers worked seven days a week to build the line. When the line opened, it included short causeways extending from the western shore of the lake and the edge of Promontory Point , connected with a nearly twelve-mile-long (19 km) wooden trestle . The cutoff also included a causeway which spanned Bear River Bay from the eastern shore of

4984-478: The dominant Mormon community and the federal government delayed Utah's admission as a state: in 1896, after it agreed to outlaw polygamy, it was admitted as the 45th state . People from Utah are known as Utahns. Slightly over half of all Utahns are Mormons , the vast majority of whom are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), which has its world headquarters in Salt Lake City; Utah

5073-502: The early 19th century from Canada and the United States. The city of Provo, Utah , was named for one Étienne Provost , who visited the area in 1825. The city of Ogden, Utah , was named after Peter Skene Ogden , a Canadian explorer who traded furs in the Weber Valley. In late 1824, Jim Bridger became the first known English-speaking person to sight the Great Salt Lake . Due to the high salinity of its waters, he thought he had found

5162-516: The eastern Great Basin. West of the Great Salt Lake , stretching to the Nevada border, lies the arid Great Salt Lake Desert . One exception to this aridity is Snake Valley , which is (relatively) lush due to large springs and wetlands fed from groundwater derived from snow melt in the Snake Range , Deep Creek Range , and other tall mountains to the west of Snake Valley. Great Basin National Park

5251-400: The fastest growing states since 2000, with the 2020 U.S. census confirming the fastest population growth in the nation since 2010. St. George was the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States from 2000 to 2005. Utah ranks among the overall best states in metrics such as healthcare , governance, education, and infrastructure. It has the 12th-highest median average income and

5340-405: The flooding of the 1980s, this buildup included placing 1,430 surplus railcars along the northern edge of the causeway and filling them with rock to act as gabions (this feature is known as the "Boxcar Seawall.") In 1993, the railroad sold salvage rights to the trestle and Cannon Structures, Inc., through its Trestlewood division, and began to dismantle it. Work on demolishing the trestle itself

5429-549: The happiness of the very early Church members before polygamy. They independently published their books in 1875. These books and the lectures of Ann Eliza Young have been credited with the United States Congress's passage of anti-polygamy laws by newspapers throughout the United States, as recorded in "The Ann Eliza Young Vindicator", a pamphlet which detailed Ms. Young's travels and warm reception throughout her lecture tour. T. B. H. Stenhouse, former Utah Mormon polygamist,

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5518-516: The inner urban areas. The last freeze can occur broadly between early April and late May. Summers are generally hot and dry, with the exception of the summer thunderstorm seasonal pattern which usually runs from early July through early September, when often intense thunderstorms occur due to mid-latitude weather patterns including the Pacific storm track. Daytime high temperatures are around 95 °F (35 °C), with higher temperatures often created by

5607-434: The lake to Promontory Point. This section included a 600-foot-long (180 m) trestle to allow Bear River water to flow into the lake. By 1908, five passenger trains and seven freight trains were using the Lucin Cutoff in each direction daily. The cutoff received its first modification a few months after opening. Fill was placed underneath the tracks to reduce their sagging. This was completed six months later. In 1920,

5696-462: The lake's northern arm. In the early 1980s, Utah experienced heavy flooding, and much of the extra water along the Wasatch Front flowed into the Great Salt Lake. This resulted in the lake experiencing historic high water levels and flooding nearby landowners. To aid the two culverts in channeling water to the northern arm, the State of Utah constructed a 300-foot-long (90 m) bridge at the western end of

5785-527: The majority of eastern Utah's population lives. Economies are dominated by mining, oil shale , oil , and natural gas-drilling, ranching , and recreation . Much of eastern Utah is part of the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation . The most popular destination within northeastern Utah is Dinosaur National Monument near Vernal . Southwestern Utah is the lowest and hottest spot in Utah. It is known as Utah's Dixie because early settlers were able to grow some cotton there. Beaverdam Wash in far southwestern Utah

5874-480: The metropolitan area have been complicated by the narrow north–south orientation of the valley, constrained by the natural barriers on both sides, and the rapid growth of the region. The primary modes of transport for the area are Interstate 15 (I‑15) and U.S. Route 89 (US‑89), both of which run down its center from north to south for the full length of about 120 miles (190 km). Other interstates and highways provide transportation routes to local areas within

5963-437: The popular mid-century western film genre. From such films, most US residents recognize such natural landmarks as Delicate Arch and "the Mittens" of Monument Valley . During the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, with the construction of the Interstate highway system, accessibility to the southern scenic areas was made easier. Since the establishment of Alta Ski Area in 1939 and the subsequent development of several ski resorts in

6052-463: The region around the 18th century. In the mid-18th century, other Uto-Aztecan tribes, including the Goshute , the Paiute , the Shoshone , and the Ute people, also settled in the region. These five groups were present when the first European explorers arrived. The southern Utah region was explored by the Spanish in 1540, led by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado while looking for the legendary Cíbola . A group led by two Catholic priests—sometimes called

6141-475: The remainder of the 19th century, Mormon pioneers established hundreds of other settlements in Utah, Idaho , Nevada , Arizona , Wyoming , California , Canada , and Mexico —including in Las Vegas, Nevada ; Franklin, Idaho (the first European settlement in Idaho); San Bernardino, California ; Mesa, Arizona ; Star Valley, Wyoming ; and Carson Valley, Nevada . Prominent settlements in Utah included St. George , Logan , and Manti (where settlers completed

6230-414: The sandstone, creating some of the world's most striking and wild terrain (the area around the confluence of the Colorado and Green Rivers was the last to be mapped in the lower 48 United States). Wind and rain have also sculpted the soft sandstone over millions of years. Canyons, gullies, arches, pinnacles, buttes, bluffs, and mesas are common sights throughout south-central and southeast Utah. This terrain

6319-539: The south end. Approximately 75 percent of the state's population lives in this corridor, and population growth is rapid. Western Utah is a mostly arid desert with a basin and range topography. Small mountain ranges and rugged terrain punctuate the landscape. The Bonneville Salt Flats are an exception, being comparatively flat as a result of once forming the bed of ancient Lake Bonneville . Great Salt Lake, Utah Lake , Sevier Lake , and Rush Lake are all remnants of this ancient freshwater lake, which once covered most of

6408-433: The spine of Utah. Just north of Dixie and east of Cedar City is the state's highest ski resort, Brian Head . Like most of the western and southwestern states, the federal government owns much of the land in Utah. Over 70 percent of the land is either BLM land , Utah State Trustland, or U.S. National Forest , U.S. National Park , U.S. National Monument , National Recreation Area or U.S. Wilderness Area . Utah

6497-484: The state constitution. This was a condition required of other western states that were admitted into the Union later. Statehood was officially granted on January 4, 1896. Beginning in the early 20th century, with the establishment of such national parks as Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park , Utah became known for its natural beauty. Southern Utah became a popular filming spot for arid, rugged scenes featured in

6586-560: The state lies in the rain shadow of the Wasatch Mountains . The primary source of precipitation for the state is the Pacific Ocean, with the state usually lying in the path of large Pacific storms from October to May. In summer, the state, especially southern and eastern Utah, lies in the path of monsoon moisture from the Gulf of California . Most of the lowland areas receive less than 12 inches (305 mm) of precipitation annually, although

6675-457: The state's mountains, Utah's skiing has become world-renowned. The dry, powdery snow of the Wasatch Range is considered some of the best skiing in the world (the state license plate once claimed "the Greatest Snow on Earth"). Salt Lake City won the bid for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games , and this served as a great boost to the economy. The ski resorts have increased in popularity, and many of

6764-447: The structure began in 1955. It would be a parallel dirt and rock causeway that connected to the existing ones. It was built under contract by Morrison-Knudsen of Boise, Idaho . The new construction was opened to use by freight by late 1959, at which point the old trestle was restricted and improvements ceased. In the mid-1970s, the trestle was abandoned after it had become too deteriorated for continued use. Throughout 1983 and 1984,

6853-716: The territorial legislature passed the Act in Relation to Service and the Act for the relief of Indian Slaves and Prisoners formally legalizing slavery in the territory. Slavery was abolished in the territory during the Civil War. In 1850, Salt Lake City sent out a force known as the Nauvoo Legion and engaged the Timpanogos in the Battle at Fort Utah . Disputes between the Mormon inhabitants and

6942-487: The territory that he and the Mormon pioneers were settling, calling it Deseret—which according to the Book of Mormon was an ancient word for "honeybee". This is symbolized by the beehive on the Utah flag, and the state's motto, "Industry". The Utah Territory was much smaller than the proposed state of Deseret, but it still contained all of the present states of Nevada and Utah as well as pieces of modern Wyoming and Colorado . It

7031-462: The territory's history. Chief Antonga Black Hawk died in 1870, but fights continued to break out until additional federal troops were sent in to suppress the Ghost Dance of 1872. The war is unique among Indian Wars because it was a three-way conflict, with mounted Timpanogos Utes led by Antonga Black Hawk fighting federal and LDS authorities. On May 10, 1869, the First transcontinental railroad

7120-477: The territory. A steady stream of governors appointed by the president quit the position, often citing the traditions of their supposed territorial government. By agreement with Young, Johnston established Camp Floyd , 40 miles (60 km) away from Salt Lake City to the southwest. Salt Lake City was the last link of the First Transcontinental Telegraph , completed in October 1861. Brigham Young

7209-484: The trestles, and 2,038 bracing piles were added. In 1941, the telegraph building at the Midlake station was reopened as part of World War II related military operations. In 1942, the original track between Lucin and Corinne, Utah was removed, including the remaining spikes on Promontory Point, and the scrap metal was donated to the war effort. In late 1944, the Cutoff was the site of a train wreck in which 48 people were killed. A westbound mail express train ran into

7298-520: The tribe is part of the coalition that manages Bears Ears National Monument . Southeastern Utah is also punctuated by the remote, but lofty La Sal , Abajo , and Henry mountain ranges. Eastern (northern quarter) Utah is a high-elevation area covered mostly by plateaus and basins, particularly the Tavaputs Plateau and San Rafael Swell , which remain mostly inaccessible, and the Uinta Basin , where

7387-402: The west of Salt Lake City; U.S. Route 189 through Provo, and U.S. Route 6 in southern Utah County. The Utah Transit Authority provides bus and light rail (TRAX) service to most of the urban areas within the Wasatch Front. Additionally, a double-decker commuter rail line FrontRunner , running from North Ogden to Provo, is in full operation. The California Zephyr of Amtrak

7476-406: The winter of 1847. The first group of settlers brought three African slaves with them, making Utah the only place in the western United States to have African slavery. The three slaves, Green Flake, Hark Lay, and Oscar Crosby, came west with the first group of settlers in 1847. Utah was a Mexican territory when the first pioneers arrived in 1847. Early in the Mexican–American War in late 1846,

7565-513: Was among the first to send a message, along with Abraham Lincoln and other officials. Because of the American Civil War , federal troops were pulled out of Utah Territory in 1861. This was a boon to the local economy as the army sold everything in camp for pennies on the dollar before marching back east to join the war. The territory was then left in LDS hands until Patrick E. Connor arrived with

7654-592: Was completed at Promontory Summit , north of the Great Salt Lake. The railroad brought increasing numbers of people into the territory and several influential businesspeople made fortunes there. During the 1870s and 1880s laws were passed to punish polygamists due, in part, to stories from Utah. Notably, Ann Eliza Young —tenth wife to divorce Brigham Young, women's advocate, national lecturer, and author of Wife No.   19 or My Life of Bondage —and Fanny Stenhouse, author of Tell It All: My Life in Mormonism , testified to

7743-459: Was completed by 2000. Trestlewood continues to market and sell the salvaged trestle wood. In March 2011, Union Pacific Railroad (UP), the successor to the Southern Pacific,-requested permission to close the two 1950s-era culverts because of damage related to age and a sinking of the causeway into the lake bed; the two culverts were closed in 2012 and 2013. To mitigate the effects, the railroad

7832-482: Was created with the Compromise of 1850 , and Fillmore , named after President Millard Fillmore , was designated the capital. The territory was given the name Utah after the Ute tribe of Native Americans. Salt Lake City replaced Fillmore as the territorial capital in 1856. By 1850, there were around 100 black people in the territory, the majority of whom were slaves. In Salt Lake County, 26 slaves were counted. In 1852,

7921-409: Was required to build a bridge and breach the causeway under that bridge. Construction of a 180-foot-long (55 m) bridge was completed in fall 2016, although the railroad agreed to delay opening the breach for a few months, due to environmental and water level concerns. The causeway was breached beneath the 180-foot bridge on December 1, 2016. Since the opening of the causeway the level of the water in

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