Utah History Happenings Blog

See what’s happening with Utah history! Explore the past and get excited about the present through historical stories, highlights, program updates, and more. This digital resource serves as your window into the captivating stories, perspectives, and significant events that have helped shape the Beehive State. With meticulous research and insightful analysis, we aim to contextualize and breathe life into Utah's most cherished narratives, ensuring that the legacies of the past continue to resonate in the present.

Aumento del reconocimiento de la comunidad y los lugares latinos de Utah

Por Christopher Merritt, oficial de Preservación Histórica del Estado de Utah División de Historia del Estado de Utah Read in English. El rico legado histórico de los residentes latinos de...

Last updated: March 13, 2026

Raising Recognition of Utah’s Latino Community & Places

Written by Christopher Merritt, State Historic Preservation Officer Leer in Español The rich historical legacy of Utah’s Latino residents can be difficult to find. Few of the Latino community’s physical...

Last updated: March 13, 2026

Call for Papers: Revisiting The Peoples of Utah

In anticipation of the 250th anniversary of 1776, the Utah State Historical Society is revisiting The Peoples of Utah, published in 1976. The original Peoples of Utah, which surveyed a...

Last updated: March 13, 2026

Peoples Online

By Jordan Kiyak When Helen Papanikolas and her team at the Utah Historical Society put together the Peoples of Utah, it was considered groundbreaking. Upon its publication in 1976, it...

Last updated: September 16, 2026

Back-to-School Learning Opportunities: Explore Utah History Through Museum Field Trips

Written by Kathryn Peterson, Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement As students return to classrooms across the state, teachers have a new opportunity to bring Utah history beyond the...

Last updated: August 3, 2026

The Past is Personal: Temporary Exhibit Gallery through June 2027

Written by Jami Van Huss, Guest Curator What do you remember? Why do you remember it? How do you remember it? The Museum of Utah’s inaugural temporary exhibition, The Past...

Last updated: July 15, 2026

NHD Utah National Contest Honors

College Park MD | 12-18 June 2026 In June, 47 Utah students, along with their teachers and family members, traveled to Washington, D.C., to compete at the National History Day...

Last updated: July 13, 2026

Food Truck Lineup | Museum of Utah Grand Opening Celebration

Updated 6/23/26 Check out the local food trucks that will be at our Community Grand Opening Celebration on June 27, 2026. Join us from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. for...

Last updated: June 23, 2026

Main Stage Performances | Museum of Utah Grand Opening Celebration

Updated 6/23/26 Check out the main stage perfomers who will be at our Community Grand Opening Celebration on June 27, 2026. Join us from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. for...

Last updated: June 23, 2026

Community Partner List | Museum of Utah Grand Opening Celebration

Updated 6/16/26 Check out the community partners and organizations who will be at our Community Grand Opening Celebration on June 27, 2026. Join us from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m....

Last updated: June 16, 2026

The Museum of Utah is a 2026 Blue Star Museum

Free admission for military personnel and their families from May 16 until September 7 The Museum of Utah is pleased to participate in Blue Star Museums, a program that provides...

Last updated: June 2, 2026

NATIONAL HISTORY DAY IN UTAH 2026 STATE CONTEST RESULTS AND RECAP

National History Day in Utah is proud to announce the results of the 2026 State Contest on April 24, 2026, at Westminster University. This year, more than 5,000 students across...

Last updated: May 26, 2026

What is Deseret currency?

Visit the Museum of Utah, opening June 27 on the Utah Capitol Complex. If you were to walk into a general store in 1850s Salt Lake City, standard U.S. dollars...

Last updated: May 9, 2026

Why is Utah’s state bird the California Gull?

Visit the Museum of Utah, opening June 27 on the Utah Capitol Complex. You may be asking yourself: Why would one of Utah’s official symbols be named after a different...

Last updated: May 9, 2026

What were boss bikes used for?

Visit the Museum of Utah, opening June 27 on the Utah Capitol Complex. If you’re not sure, you’re not alone! In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, a boss...

Last updated: June 2, 2026