Our Background
Fact Sheet
Utah State History, 300 S. Rio Grande Street, Salt Lake City, Utah
Contact us
The Utah Division of State History is divided into five main areas: the Utah State Historical Society, the Research Center and Collections, historic building preservation, archaelogy, and compliance.
Philip F. Notarianni, Jr. (801-533-3515) is the current director of the Utah Division of State History.
State History was originally known as the Utah State Historical Society when it was founded in 1897 by decree of Governor Heber H. Wells. In 1967, it was renamed the Utah Division of State History.
Franklin D. Richards served as the first president of the Society from 1897-1890.
Other early presidents included John T. Caine (1900-1902), Orson F. Whitney (1902-8), Joseph T. Kingsbury (1908-9), James E. Talmage (1909-12), and Spencer Clawson, Sr. (1912-17), Andrew Jenson (1917-1921), John A. Widtsoe (1921-22), D. W. Parratt (1922-23), Levi Edgar Young (1923-24), and Hugh Ryan (1924-26).
J. Cecil Alter published the first edition of the Utah Historical Quarterly in 1927.
From 1916 to 1957, the Society was headquartered in various rooms in the State Capitol. In February 1957, headquarters was finally moved to more spacious quarters at the Kearns Mansion on 603 East South Temple (now the Governor’s Mansion). Finally, in 1977, the Society moved into the historic Rio Grande Depot, where it is today.
Who We Are
Programs:
Utah State Historical Society
Publishes the Utah Historical Quarterly and manages a membership program.
Research Center and Collections
Offers resources on state, county, city and family history. The Center is home to millions of documents: original manuscripts, photos, books, maps, and much more.
Historic Buildings
Offers information and help on historic preservation: National Register, tax credits, and community preservation endeavors.
Archaeology
Provides information for professionals and others interested in Utah’s ancient peoples
State Historic Preservation Office—Compliance
Provides guidance on preservation laws and the review process for historic and prehistoric resources.
Online Resources:
Research Collections Catalog
Research what manuscripts and books are available at our Research Center.
Photos
Search, browse and order any of our 25,000 images relating to Utah history.
Cemetery Records
Find information on more than 556,000 people buried in Utah cemeteries.
Markers and Monuments
Search locations and texts of historical markers in Utah.
Manuscript and Photograph Collections Descriptions
Get detailed information on collections held in the Research Center.
Contractor Directory
Find a contractor for building rehab projects.
Mission
We help people with historical research, building and community preservation issues, cultural resource management, archaeology, and teaching and learning history.
Increase public awareness, appreciation, and knowledge of Utah's past.
Cultivate partnerships that initiate and enhance quality heritage programs.
Develop and foster activities that stimulate research in and study of Utah history and prehistory.
Undertake and promote the responsible collecting, preservation, and presentation of documentary materials and artifacts.
Encourage and support the preservation of historic and prehistoric sites.