Jessie Carter: Where Women Made History
Utah women are everywhere – shaping our communities, our past, and our future. In this “Where Women Made History” series, learn about women from across Utah and the places they...
Published October 14, 2026
UPAN
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.
Lois Hideko Niiya: the Force Behind the Japanese Church of Christ
Utah women are everywhere – shaping our communities, our past, and our future. In this “Where Women Made History” series, learn about women from across Utah and the places they...
Published September 29, 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...
Published 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...
Published 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...
Published 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...
Published July 8, 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...
Published June 16, 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...
Published June 16, 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....
Published 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...
Published 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...
Published May 21, 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...
Published March 24, 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...
Published March 24, 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...
Published March 24, 2026
Are there really whales in the Great Salt Lake?
Visit the Museum of Utah, opening June 27 on the Utah Capitol Complex. If you grew up in Utah, you might have heard the legendary rumor of two whales living...
Published March 24, 2026
The Utah Historical Society announces generous $1 million gift from prominent foundation in support of the Museum of Utah
The Utah Historical Society announces a generous $1 million gift from the George S. and Dolores Doré Eccles Foundation in support of the Museum of Utah. The Museum is set...
Published March 3, 2026
Utah Historical Society 2026 Annual Awards Ceremony Recap
The Utah Historical Society’s annual awards recognize individuals and organizations that have made a significant contribution to history, historic preservation, community history and scholarship in Utah. Whether these efforts are...
Published February 2, 2026
Preserving Utah’s Legacy: Utah Historical Society Announces 2025 Award Recipients
Updated: 12/9/25 The Utah Historical Society, a division of the Utah Department of Cultural & Community Engagement, is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2025 Annual Awards. These awards...
Published November 3, 2025
Utah History Explorers Additional Resources
Updated: 11/13/2025 Thank you for being a member of Utah History Explorers! Below are a few additional resources and materials to help enhance your experience. Please note: there are resources...
Published November 2, 2025
Utah History Explorers Adventure Kit Download
Updated: 11/13/2025 Welcome to Utah History Explorers! Did you know Utah is getting its first-ever state history museum? This adventure kit is going to give you a sneak peek at...
Published November 2, 2025
2025 Perspectives Speaker Series: Utah’s WWII Experience
Updated: Oct. 31, 2025 What was Utah’s World War II experience? The Utah Historical Society’s 2025 Perspectives Speaker Series will explore this question from a variety of viewpoints, linking past...
Published September 24, 2025
Help Us Update Utah’s Markers and Monuments Database
The Utah Historical Society takes seriously its legislative mandate under Utah Code 9-8-203(3) to maintain a record of the state’s monuments and markers. We manage a public-facing database that provides...
Published September 4, 2025
Driving History Forward: Utah Historical Society Acquires The Mormon Meteor III For State Collection
Press advisorySept. 3, 2025 The Utah Historical Society announces its largest artifact for display in the Museum of Utah — the iconic Mormon Meteor III land speed racer. The custom-built...
Published September 3, 2025
Amplifying Utah’s Literary Voices: A Legacy of Creativity and Community
By Camille Critchfield, Utah Historical Society Oral History and Women’s History Ambassador Utah’s literary history is rich with the voices of women who have shaped both culture and community through...
Published July 29, 2025
The First Utahns
A curated reading list. Last updated July 7, 2025. Archeological evidence suggests that Utah has been home to human beings since 11,000 BC. Utah’s first people, the Paleoindians, lived in...
Published July 7, 2025
Utah During The Great Depression
A curated reading list. Last updated July 7, 2025. To understand Utah during the Great Depression, we must understand how individuals, businesses, and government responded to the most severe economic...
Published July 7, 2025
Economics In Utah
A curated reading list. Last updated July 7, 2025. Arrington, Leonard F. “Utah and the Depression of the 1890’s.” Utah Historical Quarterly 29, no. 1 (January 1961): 2–18. During the...
Published July 7, 2025
The Asian American Experience In Utah
A curated reading list. Last updated July 7, 2025. The Asian American experience in Utah is a complex one. Much of the scholarship dedicated to Asian American histories in Utah,...
Published July 7, 2025
Film In Utah
A curated reading list. Last updated July 7, 2025. First invented in the late nineteenth century as silent “moving pictures,” movies became popular in the world of entertainment in the...
Published July 7, 2025
Welcome To The Utah Pin Quest – History That Sticks With You
Updated 3/23/26: There are still pins left! We recommend visiting each location’s channels, or calling ahead, before your visit. Follow @Uthistoricalsociety on Facebook and Instagram to stay in-the-know about all...
Published June 27, 2025
National History Day Contest | 2025 Recap
On June 6-13, 2025, 63 students represented Utah at the 2025 National History Day contest, competing alongside 3,000 students from 58 state and international affiliate programs. The rigorous academic competition...
Published June 26, 2025
Bridging Worlds: Beth Ann Stewart Campbell and Interpreting for the Deaf | Civic Season 2025
Based on the work of Jodi Becker Beth Ann Stewart Campbell was bilingual from the start. Her parents, Zelma and Arnold Moon, grew up together, attending the Utah School for...
Published May 28, 2025
Pioneer Day: Celebrating the State of Utah | Civic Season 2025
July 24 is celebrated annually in Utah as Pioneer Day, an official state holiday. Though the holiday is often understood as commemorating one specific moment in Utah’s history, the celebration...
Published May 28, 2025
Sparks of Celebration: A look at Utah’s firework traditions | Civic Season 2025
One of the most iconic ways to end a full day of Fourth of July activities is a good old-fashioned firework show. The flashes, booms, and whiffs of smoke have...
Published May 28, 2025
Civil Rights Act and Desegregation in Utah | Civic Season 2025
On July 2, 1964, Martin Luther King Jr. stood slightly to the right of Lyndon B. Johnson watching the president sign into law civil rights legislation that he and many...
Published May 28, 2025
26th Amendment: Old Enough to Fight, Old Enough to Vote | Civic Season 2025
Jennings Randolph started a three-decade crusade as a West Virginia congressman to lower the voting age from 21 to 18. His first attempt at an amendment to the Constitution was...
Published May 28, 2025
The Stonewall Legacy in Utah | Civic Season 2025
Updated Sept. 19, 2025, with the help of Connell O’Donovan. The New York City police raid on the Stonewall Inn, located on Christopher Street, on June 28, 1969, ignited a...
Published May 28, 2025
Juneteenth Commemorations in Utah | Civic Season 2025
On Juneteenth, Americans remember the end of slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, the news of emancipation finally reached Galveston, Texas, where an estimated 250,000 enslaved Black...
Published May 28, 2025
Loving Day and the End of Utah’s Interracial Marriage Ban | Civic Season 2025
On the eve of the 1963 state legislative session, the Japanese American Citizens League (JACL) and Utah Citizens Organization for Civil Rights (UCOCR) hosted a chow mein dinner fundraiser at...
Published May 27, 2025
Utah’s Own Betsy Ross | Civic Season 2025
You may know the story of Betsy Ross, even though historians debate whether she was really the one to sew the first American flag as we know it today. What’s...
Published May 27, 2025
Zitkála-Šá: Creating Impact through Creativity | Civic Season 2025
On June 2, 1924, the United States Congress passed the Indian Citizenship Act. Many Americans lobbied and advocated for this legislation, which finally granted Native Americans United States citizenship. One...
Published May 27, 2025
Guest Blog | Canyon Connections: Linking History, Horticulture, and Community
Written by: Lynsey Nielson, interpretation and exhibits manager, Red Butte Garden and Arboretum Nestled at the mouth of the canyon that shares our name, Red Butte Garden and Arboretum is...
Published May 8, 2025
National History Day in Utah 2025 State Contest Results and Recap
On April 24-25, 2025, the Utah Historical Society was honored to host 457 students in grades 4-12 at the 44th annual National History Day in Utah State Contest, held at...
Published May 7, 2025
Guest Blog: Exploring the Japanese American stories in Brigham City Museum
Written by Wendy Ogata Utah’s hardscrabble Mormon pioneer history is a well-documented story. A new exhibit at the Brigham City Museum of Art & History delves into the lesser-known accounts...
Published May 5, 2025
Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation Announces Generous Gift to the Museum of Utah
A joint press release between the Larry H. & Gail Miller Family Foundation and The Utah Historical Society Salt Lake City, UT (Mar. 19, 2025) – The Larry H. &...
Published March 19, 2025
The Utah Historical Society Recognizes Women’s History Month in March
As Women’s History Month approaches, it’s a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the achievements and contributions of women in Utah and beyond who have made an impact on us in the...
Published February 19, 2025
Peoples of Utah Revisited Researcher Highlight | Mary Langworthy
Interview conducted by Jordan Kiyak, research outreach coordinator for the Utah Historical Society We are thrilled to start introducing various researchers who have spent the last two years working on...
Published February 4, 2025
Oral History Spotlight: Courtland Nelson and the 2002 Winter Olympics
Written by Carly Bagley, public historian, and Monique Davila, community engagement coordinator, for Utah Historical Society. In 2024, the International Olympic Committee announced that Utah would once again host the...
Published January 7, 2025
Behind the Scenes: The Researchers of Peoples of Utah Revisited
By: Jordan Kiyak, research outreach coordinator for the Utah Historical Society For the last year and a half, our team has been hard at work recruiting and facilitating research for...
Published December 10, 2024
Martha’s Journey To Washington
By Eliza Carr, public historian for the Utah Women’s History Initiative After a four-year delay, a statue of Dr. Martha Hughes Cannon has taken its place in the National Statuary...
Published December 3, 2024
The Power of Place: How the Nettie Gregory Center Brought a Community Together
By Monique Davila, community engagement coordinator for the Utah Historical Society. Through the Peoples of Utah Revisited, the Utah Historical Society seeks to widen the lens on Utah’s history and...
Published October 29, 2024
National History Day In Utah Recognizes Teachers Of The Year
National History Day in Utah is thrilled to announce two outstanding educators who have been named our 2024 Mike Johnson Teachers of the Year. James Romrell, from Lakeridge Junior High,...
Published August 12, 2024
Utah Civic Season Reflects On The 60th Anniversary Of The Civil Rights Act
Authored by: Tamara N. Stevenson, Ed.D. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 is an important example of how social, political, and economic differences may be examined to create beneficial outcomes...
Published June 28, 2024
National History Day In Utah: Highlights From The 50th Annual National Contest
On June 9–13, 59 Utah students competed in the 50th Annual National History Day Contest in Washington, D.C. During the week-long competition, Utah students presented their work to judges and...
Published June 21, 2024
Apply to Participate in a Salt Lake City Youth250 Workshop
Calling institutional leaders and Gen Z individuals: You are invited to apply to participate in our Youth250 workshop, to inform the Gen Z-driven strategy for how American institutions commemorate and observe...
Published June 21, 2024
UHS Launches Inaugural Member Month This Summer
Join The Utah Historical Society in August for our inaugural Member Month. We are hitting the road to host events across the state (see dates below) and everyone is invited!...
Published June 11, 2024
UHS Staff Favorites From Our Collection
Utah’s history comes to life in our collection through a vast array of treasures. At the core of our mission to foster curiosity about the past, inform the present, and...
Published May 3, 2024
Celebrate Women’s History Month In Utah
Women’s history matters all the time, but this March we’re highlighting the women who shape the Beehive State! We’re so excited to kick off a month full of history and...
Published February 8, 2024
UHS Launches Youth Advisory Council
Join the Youth Advisory Council for its inaugural year! The Utah Historical Society is looking to gather feedback from Utah’s Gen Z community in an effort to ensure our organization’s...
Published February 2, 2024
See your memorabilia in the forthcoming Museum of Utah
Jan. 31, 2024 – The Utah Historical Society requests donations to the Celebrations gallery. The Museum of Utah is slated to open in 2026 on Utah’s Capitol Complex under the...
Published January 31, 2024
Utah museums partnership receives prestigious NEH grant
We are thrilled to share that, in a competitive process, the Utah Historical Society has received a grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) in partnership with the...
Published January 17, 2024
The Utah Historical Society Recognizes 2023 History Award Winners
Congratulations to our 2023 History Award recipients. The Utah Historical Society’s annual awards recognize individuals and organizations that have made a significant contribution to history, historic preservation, community history and...
Published January 12, 2024
UHS Ambassador Helps Audit Markers And Monuments Database
This blog was written by Kyler, a UHS Ambassador who has been working closely with the Women’s History Initiative. In our task of auditing the Utah Monuments and Markers Database,...
Published December 4, 2023
Rio Tinto Kennecott donates $10 million to Museum of Utah
SALT LAKE CITY, Nov. 10, 2023—As part of its 120th-anniversary celebration, Rio Tinto Kennecott announced a donation of $10 million for the Museum of Utah, which is currently being built...
Published November 12, 2023
Dr. Cynthia Furse: Inventor & Engineer
This blog post is based on an interview between Dr. Cynthia Furse and Carly Bagley, a state employee for the Utah Historical Society. We’ve included additional resources at the end...
Published November 2, 2023
Digitally Translating History: My Utah Historical Society Internship
By: Maddison Tenney, Women’s History Initiative Intern for Winter 2023. Tenney is a graduate from BYU who is now attending Harvard Divinity School. She loves women’s history, throwing ceramics, and...
Published October 10, 2023
State History’s New Look And Feel
A note from Director Jennifer Ortiz After six months of design research and working with our Marketing & Communications team, we are delighted to reveal the Utah Historical Society’s (formerly...
Published August 7, 2023
Meet Our History Ambassadors
Interested in public history, but aren’t sure where to start? Consider an internship or career shadowing opportunity with us! Whether you are looking for a one-year commitment, career shadowing, or...
Published August 3, 2023
Happy Birthday Utah Division of State History
Happy 126th birthday to the Utah Division of History! We know, we look great for our age. Throughout the past several decades of preserving and sharing Utah’s past, our division...
Published July 22, 2023
Utah History Conference Changes
Why We Are Changing the Utah History Conference By Jennifer Ortiz, Director, Utah Division of State History After lengthy discussions with our board, staff, and community members, we’ve decided to...
Published May 17, 2023
Award Nominations
2023 Outstanding Achievement Awards Now Being Accepted! The Utah Division of State History’s annual awards recognize individuals and organizations that have made a significant contribution to history, prehistory or historic...
Published May 11, 2023
History Ambassador
The History Ambassador program is designed to be a cohorted experience geared towards current university and college students, or those transitioning careers. The Ambassador program is a year-long program for...
Published March 16, 2023
Latina Legislators Make History
By Katherine Kitterman Women’s representation in politics continued to increase in the latest midterm elections, and Utah’s state legislative session is now underway with a record number of 27 female...
Published January 30, 2023
Remembering Olivia and Juanita, Me, You, and the UHQ
By David Rich Lewis Olivia Coombs was dead. George Wood shot her and her daughter, Emily, on July 28, 1862, in Cedar City, Utah Territory, and then beat them with...
Published December 21, 2022
Call for Proposals: Public Health in Utah and the American West
Special Issue of Utah Historical Quarterly Guest Editor: Dr. Benjamin Cater, Associate Dean, Foundational Explorations, and Associate Professor of History, Point Loma Nazarene University Utah Historical Quarterly is planning a roundtable conversation for...
Published August 18, 2022
Utah History: Building Connections Throughout the State
Founded in 1897, July 2022 marked the 55th anniversary of the Utah Division of State History and the 125th year since the organization’s creation. Approaching these milestones, we at the...
Published August 10, 2022
Pintura Ditch
Prepared by Lindsey M. Evenson, Jennifer Bannick, and Everett Bassett of Transcon Environmental, Inc. for Washington County Water Conservancy District. This discussion of the Pintura Ditch and Washington County irrigation,...
Published August 3, 2022
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...
Published July 26, 2022
Don’t Squish the Cake
Or Why to Avoid Hardware Store Mortar While Repairing Historic Masonry By Jansen Bennett, Historical Architect Like any good blog on historic mortar, I’m going to start by discussing cake. ...
Published July 23, 2022
Yee Yen: The Most Famous Embezzler of Salt Lake City’s Old Chinatown
Jackson Keys, Undergraduate Student at Brigham Young University, Department of History Wanted: Yee Yen On February 22, 1897, an etching of a Chinese man named Yee Yen appeared in the...
Published July 14, 2022
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...
Published July 13, 2022
Papers
2018 Theme – Conflict and Compromise in History The 1936 Olympics: From a Spark to a FlameHannah Dooley – Senior Nancy Wake: The White Mouse – Heroine of WWIIRemington Minor...
Published July 6, 2022
Don’t Burn Down History!
As we enter yet another fire season, we all know the destruction that fires can have on air quality, watersheds, and even personal property and sadly human life and safety....
Published June 30, 2022
The Uranium Boom and Free Enterprise
By Nate Housley During the uranium boom of the 1950s, thousands of would-be prospectors flooded into the “four corners” region of the Colorado Plateau hoping to strike it rich. The...
Published June 27, 2022
Welcome our new UCSS Assistant Coordinator!
Matthew (he/him) joins the SHPO team as the new Assistant Coordinator for the Utah Cultural Site Stewardship (UCSS) program. He comes into this job with extensive experience in public relations,...
Published June 21, 2022
Who is Edith Chapman? Utah’s early LGBTQ+ History in a Salt Lake City House
By Kelsey Neeley, Salt Lake Community College A charming yet unassuming house in Salt Lake City is just one historic property that contributes to the East Side Historic District, and...
Published June 6, 2022
Using Visual Art in Historical Research
By Jessica Breiman, Special Collections Digital Archives Librarian, University of Utah J. Willard Marriott Library The digital exhibition Mining the West: Primary Elements began as a loose collaborative experiment in...
Published May 20, 2022
Meeting Florence and Flo: History and Friendship in the Old and New Wests
By Richard L. Dana It was January 1, 2015, and Marianne Sezon, my wife, was taking the oath of office as the first female judge from a small rural county...
Published May 18, 2022
Bringing War Home: Object Stories and Community Memory of Modern War
By Susan Grayzel, Ph.D. and Molly Boeka Cannon, Ph.D. You decide to tackle that long-postponed task—going through the boxes of material moved from your grandparents’ home into your basement. When...
Published May 10, 2022
Arrowhead Trail (aka Old US-91 Highway)
Prepared by Lindsey M. Evenson, Jennifer Bannick, and Everett Bassett of Transcon Environmental, Inc. for Washington County Water Conservancy District. This discussion of the Old US-91/Arrowhead Trail through northeastern Washington...
Published April 20, 2022
Utah SHPO Leaves State History on May 4th
In 2022 the Utah legislature passed House Bill 350, which removes the Utah State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) from under the umbrella of the Utah Division of State History (UDSH)...
Published April 13, 2022
Fix Your Wood Windows Blog
Windows on historic buildings are an important mark of the architectural character. While this is obvious for decorative or stained glass windows, it can be equally true for buildings with...
Published April 6, 2022
Celebrate National Libraries Week 2022!
April 3 – 9 is National Libraries Week, and we’re celebrating by honoring Utah’s Carnegie Libraries! We often take for granted our local libraries and all the good things they...
Published March 23, 2022
Governor Cox Encourages Everyone To Pledge to Protect the Past
Every year beginning around Spring Break, the state kicks off the annual “archaeological vandalism” season with a bang. In 2021, we had at least two instances of archaeological resource crime...
Published March 17, 2022
Utah Women at Work in the Legal Field
by Cassie Clark, Public Historian Women in the United States have long overcome obstacles designed to prevent them from working in the public sphere. During the 1800s, men, and some...
Published March 16, 2022
Understanding Ancient Life At Utah Lake: The Culture-History of the Smith Family Archaeological Preserve
It can be hard to look at thousand year old artifacts and gather a sense of what life was like for people. But for archaeologist Elizabeth Hora, that’s the fun...
Published March 15, 2022
Thinking About Geographic Names in Utah
Editors’ note: This is part of a series of short essays designed to understand historical markers, monuments, and place names in historical and contemporary perspective. By Arie Leeflang The stories behind names...
Published March 15, 2022
Visit Sites with Respect
Written by Elizabeth Hora, Public Archaeologist Let me start off by saying thank you. You opened up this page to learn more about how you can protect the past, and...
Published March 10, 2022
Celebrate Archaeology and Historic Preservation with these great events
Welcome to Utah’s Archaeology and Historic Preservation Month! Every year the Utah State Historic Preservation Office rounds up the very best events so that YOU can get to know the...
Published March 9, 2022
Stewardship Updates January 2022
Moving into 2022 we have several goals to help direct the course of our program this year. One – Steward Retention and Appreciation Two – To continue to emphasize to the general...
Published March 7, 2022
Stewardship Updates December 2021
We gave out some fun awards in recognition of the fantastic first year of our program. Lucky Horseshoe Award – Tim Gittins During one of his site visits, Tim popped not...
Published March 7, 2022
Interdisciplinary Poster Session
2022 Utah History Conference Water at the Confluence of Past & Future The moment is ripe to bring interdisciplinary perspectives to bear on the place of water in our society—and...
Published March 7, 2022
Utah Women at Work: Introducing the Women’s History Month 2022 Theme
By Cassie Clark, Ph.D., Public Historian It is no surprise that the survival and growth of cultures are dependent on the efforts of all members of society. In Utah, women’s...
Published March 3, 2022
This Is My Story: Q&A with Pastor Henry McAllister
Editors’ Note: The latest issue of Utah Historical Quarterly (winter 2022) details the long history in Utah of the Church of God in Christ (COGIC), a predominantly African American Pentecostal...
Published February 18, 2022
Bettye Gillespie: A Civil Rights Leader
by Cassie Clark, Ph.D., Public Historian Feature photo of Bettye Gillespie from the Hill Top Times, 1979, Utah Digital Newspapers, Digital Library Services Department, J. Willard Marriot Library at the...
Published February 15, 2022
Let That Brick Breathe!
By Amber Anderson, SHPO Tax Credit Coordinator Did you know that historic masonry is meant to breathe? Whether it be brick, stone, or another type of masonry unit, masonry is...
Published February 9, 2022
Utah Cemetery Interactive Map
By Amy Barry, Utah Cemeteries Program Manager Cemeteries and burial sites are home to amazing histories. Each burial has a story of the individual. Each cemetery has a story about...
Published February 9, 2022
UCSS Forms Preview
Below you will find the forms we require to be signed when you start as an active site steward. Don’t worry about filling these out now, that will be taken...
Published January 31, 2022
Ash Creek County Wagon Road
Prepared by Lindsey M. Evenson, Jennifer Bannick, and Everett Bassett of Transcon Environmental, Inc. for Washington County Water Conservancy District. This discussion of Washington County’s historic wagon road through Ash...
Published January 26, 2022
FY23 Budget Requests for the Division of State History
By Jennifer Ortiz, Director As we start this new year, we are grateful for our funding requests included in Governor Cox’s Fiscal Year 2023 budget. If successful, these requests will...
Published January 20, 2022
Meet Bernard Augustine DeVoto
The Most Famous Ogdenite You’ve Probably Never Heard Of By Scott L. Greenwell “The chief glory of every people arises from its authors”[*] ~Samuel Johnson Ask anyone in Ogden...
Published January 10, 2022
USHS at 125 Speaker Series
In commemoration of the 125th anniversary of the Utah State Historical Society, we are offering a series of monthly presentations or roundtables beginning January and culminating in August 2022. The...
Published January 3, 2022
Utah History Month
We are kicking-off 2022 with Utah History Month, an opportunity to share ways in which you can engage with our team at State History and our partners through many resources. · ...
Published January 3, 2022
December Staff Spotlight: Cassie Clark
By Jason Carrillo, Communications Intern This month we are proud to introduce our newest public historian: Cassie Clark! Cassie grew up in Colorado’s San Luis Valley, a mountainous dune-decorated region...
Published December 15, 2021
November Staff Spotlight: Lisa Barr & Sabrina Sanders
By Jason Carrillo, Communications Intern Most Utahns know the Rio Grande Depot has a storied history. Since it was built in 1910, the building has passed hands from a train...
Published November 17, 2021
Happy GIS Day!
Written by Deb Miller, SHPO Records Manager What Is GIS? GIS stands for Geographic Information Systems, which is mapping software on a computer and is used both by everyday people...
Published November 16, 2021
Native Places: An Indigenous Atlas of Utah and the Intermountain West
Editors’ note: This is the first of a series of short essays designed to understand historical markers, monuments, and place names in historical and contemporary perspective. By John Flynn Place...
Published November 11, 2021
October Staff Spotlight: Savanna Agardy
By Jason Carrillo Hello and welcome history friends to October’s Staff Spotlight! This month we are more than excited to showcase and spotlight the one and only Savanna Agardy. If...
Published October 21, 2021
National Register Multiple Property Submissions: What are they and how can they help you nominate a building?
Written by Cory Jensen At the Utah State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) I’m frequently contacted by property owners curious about getting their building listed in the National Register of Historic...
Published October 15, 2021
Descriptive Updates Statement
The Utah Historical Society is conducting a review of the descriptions and terminology of our artifact catalog. We are working to update outdated descriptions and headings of works within the collections to...
Published October 5, 2021
Unshelving Our History
For the past academic year, Cathy Gilmore has served as the Editorial Fellow for Utah Historical Quarterly. Cathy is a graduate student of History at Utah State University. By Cathy...
Published September 2, 2021
History and Geology: Q&A with Rasoul Sorkhabi
Rasoul Sorkhabi is author of “From Edinburgh to Salt Lake City: Archibald Geikie’s Travels in the American West, 1879,” Utah Historical Quarterly 89 (Summer 2021) Introduce readers to your background...
Published August 19, 2021
The River Voyage of William Lewis Manly: Q&A with Michael D. Kane
Michael D. Kane is coauthor (with Nathan N. Waite) of “Avoiding Mormons, Running Rapids, Encountering Western Utes: William Lewis Manly’s Voyage Down the Green River and Across Utah in 1849,”...
Published August 19, 2021
Top 5 Reasons to Attend the 69th Annual USHS Conference
Looking for a reason to spend some time with us at our annual history conference? Here are our top 5: 5. Free, virtual, and lives online. Despite Zoom fatigue, we...
Published August 19, 2021
Lidar Site Exclusive
Public Archaeologist Elizabeth Hora shows us some really cool Lidar scans of recent excavations at Terrace on the Transcontinental Railroad, and explains what we are looking at....
Published July 14, 2021
Steward Spotlight July 2021 – Dennis Weder
If you have ever had the pleasure of traveling into the West Desert with Utah Cultural Site Steward Dennis Weder, you will be amazed at how quickly the barren landscape...
Published July 14, 2021
Teaming Up to Record Rock Imagery
Utah SHPO, URARA, and Logan Simpson Team Up to Record Rock Imagery in Central Utah Written by Tina Hart, archaeologist at Logan Simpson Design Robert Van Orden, a member of...
Published July 5, 2021
What is historic in West Valley City and Kearns?
By Langston Guettinger, Historic Preservation Specialist/Architectural Historian at Logan Simpson Design Only in the last twenty years has popular culture come to reevaluate midcentury American architecture with the advent of...
Published June 23, 2021
Week One: Let’s Learn About Utah’s Archaeology!
This is a collection of readings about Utah’s cultural history curated for the 2021 UPAN pledge drive...
Published May 28, 2021
UPAN Pledge 2021 Week 3 Resources
The following guides are just some of the amazing artifacts that are common to Utah! Each guide will show you some of the specific information an archaeologist can gain from...
Published May 24, 2021
UPAN Pledge 2021 Week 2 Resource
This interactive map has all sorts of sites that you can visit! You can filter by historic, prehistoric, or even museums! Or you can activate all layers to see just...
Published May 24, 2021
“I Have Shot My Betrayer”: Q&A with Lisa Tait
Editors’ Note: The SPRING 2021 UHQ opens with the story of Amanda Olson, the working-class daughter of Swedish immigrants whose story dominated local news in 1891. After Olson was either raped or...
Published May 17, 2021
Stewardship Updates May 2021
Updates for the stewardship program in May 2021 are highlighted by Coordinator Ian Wright....
Published May 17, 2021
Current Issue
Spring 2023 Utah Historical Quarterly To receive your copy, BECOME A MEMBER of the Utah State Historical Society Within the pages of this issue, women raise children, spin cloth, found...
Published May 16, 2021
A Colorful History: Black Rock’s History and Graffiti Woes
Christopher W. Merritt, Ph.D. Utah State Historic Preservation Officer It is unclear when the first human laid eyes upon the geological oddity now called “Black Rock” on the southern shores...
Published April 25, 2021
Release of New Salt Lake City & Ogden City Sanborn Maps
By Roger Roper, Deputy State Historic Preservation Officer Historians have long known about the value of Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps, but a new set of these maps for Utah has...
Published April 21, 2021
Climbers and Archaeology
By Elizabeth Hora, Public Archaeologist at the Utah Division of State History Within the space of two weeks, I have heard reports of more than four sites (all rock imagery!)...
Published April 19, 2021
Sugar Beets and Religion: Q&A with Matthew C. Godfrey
Editors’ note: The winter 2021 edition of Utah Historical Quarterly features an article on the sugar beet industry, labor organizing, and business interests of LDS officials. We asked the author,...
Published April 6, 2021
Archaeology and Historic Preservation Month 2021
Welcome to Utah’s Archaeology and Historic Preservation Month! Every year the Utah State Historic Preservation Office rounds up the very best events so that YOU can get to know the...
Published March 23, 2021
Descriptive Updates Statement
The Utah Historical Society is conducting a review of the descriptions and terminology of our archives and special collections catalog. We are working to update outdated descriptions and headings of works...
Published February 26, 2021
Teach Your Content with a Utah Twist
By Wendy Rex-Atzet, Utah Division of State History In my work with the National History Day (NHD) program, I have witnessed the transformative power of relevancy in student learning. So...
Published February 1, 2021
Steward Spotlight: Darrell and Marty Thomas
For this, our first ever Site Steward Spotlight, we will be spotlighting not one, but two dedicated Site Stewards. Marty and Darrell Thomas are a dynamic stewarding duo with 20...
Published January 26, 2021
Calling All Students!
The Utah Professional Archaeological Council is having it’s winter meeting, and Saturday is a special presentation just for Utah’s students! If you want to learn more about what it takes...
Published January 11, 2021
Blog Series on Historical Memorials
The Utah Historical Society is launching a blog series on historical memorials in Utah. We seek proposals for short historical essays that place historical markers, monuments, and place names in...
Published January 6, 2021
Utah Committee on Geographic Names
Originally created and defined by two Utah governors’ executive orders, in 2024 the Utah Committee on Geographic Names (UCGN) became a committee of the Board of State History, which serves...
Published January 5, 2021
Manuscripts Collection
Researchers wishing to cite a collection should include the following information :(title of work), Utah Historical Society. For example : The Allan Kent Powell Research Collection, circa 1850-2012, Utah Historical Society....
Published January 5, 2021
Architectural Drawings Collection
Researchers wishing to cite a collection should include the following information :(title of work), Utah Historical Society. For example : Sullivan-Tallon House, Restoration and Remodel, Utah Historical Society. Rights Statement Unless...
Published January 5, 2021
Audio Visual Collection
Researchers wishing to cite a collection should include the following information :(title of work), Utah Historical Society. For example : The Shiplers Commercial Photographers Collection, 1903-1980, Utah Historical Society. Rights Statement...
Published January 5, 2021
Utah at 125: A Bibliography
In January 4, 1896, after decades of struggle, Utah became the 45th state to enter the Union. Utah’s path to statehood was complicated and often controversial, which makes its journey...
Published December 31, 2020
Grant Announcement for the Utah Cultural Site Stewardship Grant
What is the Utah Cultural Site Stewardship Grant?The Utah State Historic Preservation Office (UT-SHPO) will be offering grants to organizations that can help qualified organizations to conduct Cultural Site Stewardship...
Published December 15, 2020
Call for Papers: Public Health & the Common Good
The Utah State Historical Society announces the focus of its 69th annual conference to be held September 20-24, 2021. Beginning January 1 we are accepting proposals for papers, sessions, and...
Published December 10, 2020
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...
Published November 12, 2020
Choices Matter: Complicity and Action During the Holocaust
By Heidi Chudy, Program Assistant, Utah History Day “A man wearing a star stood on the outside platform- the only place where Jews were allowed to ride. He was eager...
Published November 10, 2020
Site Visitation and Sustainability in Southeast Utah
By Allison Aakre, Manti-La Sal National Forest, Shanna Diederichs, Woods Canyon Archaeological Consultants, and Donald C. Irwin, Manti-La Sal National Forest Introduction The landscape of Southeast Utah, with its deep...
Published October 22, 2020
Utah Cemeteries & Burials
Genealogy research is a booming industry, and Utah is a leader in resources. In 1997, the state legislature created a mandate for the Utah Division of State History to be...
Published September 28, 2020
Tour of Utah’s National Historic Districts
Written by Cory Jensen, NRHP Coordinator and Chris Merritt, Utah SHPO Many Utahs and tourists do not know the depth and breadth of Utah’s architectural history, and the preserved building...
Published September 23, 2020
Nine Mile Canyon Stewardship Day – but Virtual!
Every year Project Discovery, the Nine Mile Canyon Coalition, the Bureau of Land Management, the Utah SHPO and many, many others have gathered in Nine Mile Canyon for a day-long...
Published September 18, 2020
Have You Completed Our Student Covid-19 Survey?
By Lisa Barr, Historical Collections Curator Recognizing that we were living in historic times, in April, State History staff developed The Covid-19 Memory Project, which is geared towards K-12 students...
Published September 14, 2020
Power Up! The Columbus Power Plant in Little Cottonwood Canyon
Since at least the 1860s, entrepreneurs used the ample water supply found at the confluence of Little Cottonwood and Maybird and Hogum Creeks for industrial purposes, whether timber mills or...
Published September 11, 2020
The Architecture of Hunkering Down in the 1950s & ‘60s
We have all experienced our own “hunkering down” during this pandemic year of 2020. Some 60 years ago, other Utahns were preparing to hunker down, but for a very different...
Published September 7, 2020
Saber Rattling in Strawberry Valley: The 1888 Encampment of the US Army in Utah
Written by Christopher W. Merritt, Ph.D., Utah State Historic Preservation Officer Over 900 soldiers from the Infantry, Cavalry, and Artillery branches of the United States Army descended on Strawberry Valley...
Published September 4, 2020
101 Anniversary of the End of World War I
By Valerie Jacobson, Information Specialist Late June 1919 was a day for many to rejoice. The Treaty of Paris was signed, bringing an official end to the Great War. How...
Published September 1, 2020
The Peculiar Historical and Archaeological Journey of Utah’s First House: The Devereaux Mansion
Written by Christopher W. Merritt, Ph.D. State Historic Preservation Officer How many times have you traveled South Temple in downtown Salt Lake City and noticed the lone red sandstone House...
Published August 28, 2020
Relevance, Rights & Responsibilities
By Kevin Fayles, Acting Director When you see the photo above, did you think it was a historic image? Could you tell it was actually taken just a few days...
Published August 26, 2020
B-Limey! Historic Kilns in the Foothills
Written by Christopher W. Merritt, Ph.D., State Historic Preservation Officer You can see the knife-like scar in the foothills near the brightly shining white “U” near the University of Utah...
Published August 19, 2020
Outlaws and Artifacts: A Daggett County Partnership at the John Jarvie Ranch
Written by Chase Roberts Utah Division of State History and Christopher W. Merritt Utah State Historic Preservation Officer If you ask most Utahns where Daggett County is, and you might get...
Published August 14, 2020
Q&A with J. Michael Hunter on Bees and Beekeeping
Editors’ note: J. Michael Hunter’s article “Laying the Foundation for Utah’s Beekeeping Success” appears in the summer 2020 issue of Utah Historical Quarterly. In this Q&A Hunter offers a fascinating...
Published August 6, 2020
Guest Blog: URARA
We have a guest blog from the Utah Rock Art Research Association (URARA) this week! If you haven’t already heard of this organization, they are a fantastic group of people...
Published July 29, 2020
Milestones: Utah’s History of Equal Access Rights for People with (Dis)abilities
By T. Michelle Tucker, Utah State History Volunteer On July 26, 2020, our nation remembers the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), signed into law by President George...
Published July 22, 2020
What’s in a Name: Rock Imagery
You may have noticed that we at UPAN and in the wider State Historic Preservation Office, we refer to “rock imagery” when discussing prehistoric/Indigenous petroglyphs, pictographs, and other culturally meaningful...
Published July 20, 2020
“Race Riot” Fears in Salt Lake City: September 1965
By Christopher James Blythe In September 1965, many people in northern Utah were convinced that the NAACP had planned a “riot” for the following month’s general conference of the Church...
Published July 7, 2020
Utah’s Prehistory in Artifacts
Written by Erin Haycock Editor’s note: The artifacts you are about to see have all been looted, or stolen. Looting is the illegal removal of archaeological materials from archaeological sites....
Published July 6, 2020
Some of My Favorite Photographs
By Doug Misner, Research & Collections Manager The Utah Division of State History has over a million photographs in our holdings with almost 300,000 digitized and accessible online. These images...
Published June 16, 2020
Iosepa: Utah’s Pacific Islander Pioneers
Benjamin C. Pykles, Historic Sites Curator Church History Department, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints “Hawaiians in the Utah desert! What?” This was my initial reaction when I...
Published June 10, 2020
The Diminishing Pando Clone: History and Forest Management
By Jedediah Rogers It’s rare that a grove of aspen trees enjoys world renown, but this is the case for a stand known as the Pando clone on Fishlake National...
Published June 2, 2020
A Little Tale of One City: The Salisbury Building and the Lens of Clifton Bray and the Salt Lake Telegram
By Greg Walz, Research Center Manager How might one analyze older photographs of Utah — downtown Salt Lake City in particular — to gain some knowledge about little moments in...
Published May 29, 2020
Utah’s Universal Heritage
Savanna Agardy, Utah SHPO Compliance Archaeologist World heritage is defined as cultural or natural heritage that has outstanding universal value. Universal value in heritage essentially means that world heritage belongs...
Published May 18, 2020
Disease & Healthcare in Utah History: A Resource Guide
By Shavauna Munster & Holly George When considering the history of illness, signpost pandemics such as the Justinianic plague, black death, and Spanish influenza often come to mind. However, intermittent...
Published May 8, 2020
Archaeological Site Etiquette
If you’ve hiked, biked, rafted, or traveled anywhere in Utah, chances are you’ve found ancient ruins and artifacts, also called “archaeological sites”. An archaeological site is anything left by...
Published May 5, 2020
COVID 19 Memory Project
The Covid-19 Memory Project is designed for K-12 students to share their experiences during this unique time in our history. Student responses will become part of a permanent historical collection...
Published April 30, 2020
Celebrate Archaeology and Historic Preservation Month with us!
Welcome to May, and welcome to Archaeology and Historic Preservation Month! This year we’re hosting online events perfect for history-lovers of all stripes! Is archaeology your passion? Or maybe historic...
Published April 28, 2020
Utah’s Biggest Earthquake In History: And You Don’t Even Probably Know About It!
By Christopher W. Merritt, Ph.D., State Historic Preservation Officer With trembles strong enough to shake “the dignity out of all judicial procedures,” [i] at Salt Lake City’s courts, the 6.6...
Published April 13, 2020
Utah’s Biggest Earthquake In History: And you don’t even probably know about it!
Christopher W. Merritt, Ph.D., State Historic Preservation Officer With trembles strong enough to shake “the dignity out of all judicial procedures,” [i] at Salt Lake City’s courts, the 6.6 magnitude...
Published April 3, 2020
Preserving Textiles: A Glimpse into Collections Care
By Sabrina Sanders, Artifacts Collections Manager The collections held by the Utah Division of State History are as diverse as the stories of a State at the crossroads of the...
Published March 31, 2020
This Is the Place for Us: Somali Settlement in the Salt Lake Valley
By Haden Griggs The This Is the Place monument in Salt Lake City commemorates and evokes the struggle nineteenth-century Latter-day Saints faced in settling a land new to them....
Published March 31, 2020
March 2020 Newsletter
Click here to check out March’s Utah Public Archaeology Network Newsletter! Want to get Utah Public Archaeology Network’s newsletter delivered directly to your email inbox? Click here and never miss another cool...
Published March 10, 2020
Researching Segregation in Utah
By Christine Cooper-Rompato My forthcoming article in Utah Historical Quarterly, “Utah in the Green Book,” explores the history of hotels where African Americans could spend the night in Utah during...
Published March 2, 2020
What’s going on with the Moab Rock Art Nomination to the National Register?
Here at the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) one of our main duties is to identify and nominate properties to the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) program. We take...
Published March 2, 2020
“Utah History Day on the Hill” Showcases Young Historians
By Dr. Wendy Rex-Atzet, State Coordinator, Utah History Day Each year during the legislative session, the Division of State History hosts Utah History Day on the Hill at the State...
Published February 24, 2020
February 2020 Newsletter
Click this link to view the February 2020 Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/0c2c6c8ae9fd/utah-public-archaeology-network-newsletter-november-3694181 Want to get Utah Public Archaeology Network’s newsletter delivered directly to your email inbox? Click here and never miss another cool story or...
Published February 11, 2020
January 2020 Newsletter
Click this link to view the January 2020 Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/5e84bf55d25a/utah-public-archaeology-network-newsletter-november-3835077 Want to get Utah Public Archaeology Network’s newsletter delivered directly to your email inbox? Click here and never miss another cool story or...
Published February 11, 2020
December 2019 Newsletter
Click this link to view the December 2019 Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/0c2c6c8ae9fd/utah-public-archaeology-network-newsletter-november-3694181 Want to get Utah Public Archaeology Network’s newsletter delivered directly to your email inbox? Click here and never miss another cool story or...
Published February 11, 2020
November 2019 Newsletter
November marks Native American History Month! Click this link to view the November 2019 Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/0c2c6c8ae9fd/utah-public-archaeology-network-newsletter-november-3694181 Want to get Utah Public Archaeology Network’s newsletter delivered directly to your email inbox?...
Published February 11, 2020
Industry & Immigrants in Turn-of-the-Century Utah
Holly George This week alone, I ordered stuff from China, searched the app of a certain giant retailer several times, happily opened a new package, and listened to a podcast...
Published February 10, 2020
Utah Commits to Combat Archaeological Vandalism!
On Friday, January 24 over 80 people from 44 organizations participated in person or on a webinar in Utah Public Archaeology Network’s (UtahPAN’s) inaugural meeting! Everyone brought incredible energy and...
Published February 3, 2020
Jacob Simmons: Young Utah Historian Making History
By Dr. Wendy Rex-Atzet, State Coordinator, Utah History Day Brighton High School senior Jacob Simmons has stories to tell. Since middle school he has honed his skills as a historian...
Published January 29, 2020
Front Row Seat to Atomic Age
Editors’ note (by UHQ editorial fellow Haden Griggs): The Diablo nuclear test was part of a larger series of tests known as Operation Plumbbob that took place at the Nevada...
Published January 23, 2020
How to Order Historic Images from Our Research Center
By Gregory Walz Research Center Manager Two photographs: one of Ezra Taft Benson taken on February 22, 1953, and one of James and Margaret Reed of the Donner Party fame,...
Published January 21, 2020
Working in the Research Center
By Valerie Jacobson, Information Specialist How often do you have a Utah History question and don’t know where to find the answer? The Research Center is able to help facilitate...
Published January 14, 2020
UtahPAN 2020: Combat Vandalism
[Note: We are re-posting this excellent post from a few weeks ago that was originally shared primarily with archaeologists.]It’s December already! Your mysterious narrator has spent the last week snowed...
Published December 31, 2019
Urban Revitilization in Utah’s “Rural” Downtowns
By Steve Cornell, Historical Architect, Division of State History Let’s look at Lehi. I happen to reside here so I’m looking closely, perhaps a little too closely. Lehi was an...
Published December 24, 2019
In Search of the Spanish Trail: Santa Fe to Los Angeles, 1829-1948 – Steven K. Madsen’s Research and Photographing The Old Spanish Trail
By Lisa Barr, Museum & Historical Collections Curator As a historical collections curator for Utah Division of State History, I recently processed and arranged Steven K. Madsen’s research and photograph...
Published December 12, 2019
What is the National Register and How do I Nominate a Building? (Part 2)
By Cory Jensen, National Register Coordinator In a previous post, I gave some background on what the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) is and what it does/does not do....
Published December 2, 2019
From Obscurity into the Light: Master Surveyor Henry G. Sherwood
By Kristine Shorey Forbes The recent discovery of a sheepskin map purported to be the original plat of Salt Lake City created by LDS surveyor savant Henry G. Sherwood fewer...
Published November 27, 2019
The Utah Historical Quarterly: Over 90 Years of Amazing Research
By Lisa Buckmiller, Program Support Specialist What do Sanpete Oolite Limestone, Taylor A. Woolley, Hollywood, World War I, and a skeleton in grandpa’s barn all have in common? All of...
Published November 26, 2019
Juvenile Joyriding
By Melissa Coy, Digitization Program Specialist On the night of October 23, 1909, “boys with aspirations for a joy ride” stole a car, drove it around for “a few hours...
Published November 19, 2019
“Recent Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit Projects – More Exciting Than It Sounds!”
By Amber Anderson, Tax Credit Coordinator Two properties in Salt Lake City were recently awarded historic rehabilitation tax credits! Both properties received the federal income tax credit, while one also...
Published November 4, 2019
Women’s Suffrage: 100th Anniversary of the 19th Amendment
By Christina Epperson, GIS Analyst, Utah Division of State History As a woman today, it is easy to take for granted the ability to stand in line and cast a...
Published October 28, 2019
Design Through Time: A History of Military Gravestone Design
By Amy Barry, Utah Cemetery & Burials Program Manager Marking burials with gravestones has always had a myriad of meanings. The more modern connotation has reflected European traditions ingrained in...
Published October 21, 2019
Finding Patterns in Plant Ecology
Guest post by Morgan from Abbott Botanical Assessments Plant blindness is a common affliction found among members of the public and scientific community alike. This ranges from not recognizing differences...
Published October 10, 2019
What is the National Register?
What is the National Register and how do I Nominate a Building? (Part 1) As the National Register Coordinator at the Utah State Historic Preservation Office, this is a question...
Published October 9, 2019
What’s New in Collections?
By Michele Elnicky, Historical Collections Specialist Hello, I’m Michele. As a member of the Collections team along with Lisa Barr who’s been working with Manuscripts, Sabrina Sanders, Manager of Artifacts,...
Published October 8, 2019
October 2019 Newsletter
Click this link to view the October 2019 Newsletter: https://mailchi.mp/551e2715af9d/utah-public-archaeology-network-newsletter-september-3584933?fbclid=IwAR3bBobA0epomCd66t9c-aYuSURMKRMcQOFQe67iijs79HFhm4K9hxskHx8 International Archaeology Day is October 19, 2019!...
Published October 6, 2019
Welcome to the Public Archaeology Lab
The Public Archaeology Lab has officially opened its doors! Staff from the Antiquities Section of the Utah Division of State History poured sweat, blood, and a few tears into polishing...
Published October 1, 2019
TRANSCRIPT OF Utah at the Crossroads of the Mind: History and Philosophy at Midcentury
November 1, 2019, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM Location: University of Utah, Marriott Library, Rm 1150 SCHEDULE Panel: 9:00 – 10:30 AM A University for Utah: The Great Issues Forum...
Published September 25, 2019
A Peek Behind State History’s Curtain
By Kevin Fayles, Assistant Director of Operations Since 1952, we have had an unbroken streak of 67 annual Utah State Historical Society conferences. To put things in perspective, here are...
Published September 24, 2019
Exploring the History and Archaeology of the Great Salt Lake’s Gunnison Island
by Arie Leefang, Archaeology Records Manager Among the collection of Great Salt Lake Islands, perhaps there is none more prized to visit than the elusive Gunnison Island. Found in the...
Published September 16, 2019
Certified Local Government Program—Spring City CLG Grant Project
By Alena Franco, CLG Coordinator The Certified Local Government (CLG) program is designed to promote historic preservation at the local level. This is a federal program (through the National Park...
Published September 9, 2019
September 2019 Newsletter
Click this link to view the September 2019 Newsletter: https://us3.campaign-archive.com/?u=71e6606aec1876243402bdd94&id=89e5399421...
Published September 5, 2019
Chinese Railroad Workers Teacher’s Workshop
By Chris Merritt, Ph.D., Utah Division of State History and Erin Huber, Visual Artist, West Lake STEM Junior High The Tanner Humanities Center at the University of Utah hosted a week-long teacher’s...
Published August 28, 2019
When Buffalo Bill Came to Utah
In the spring 2019 issue of Utah Historical Quarterly, Brent M. Rogers explores William “Buffalo Bill” Cody and his checkered relationship with the state of Utah and members of its...
Published August 20, 2019
Where are the women’s voices? How I found the mother lode.
By Rhonda Lauritzen, independent biographer and author. In the spring of 2017, I had no idea the journey ahead when I answered a call from architect, Shalae Larsen, asking me...
Published August 19, 2019
Point A to B
by Katie Barber Katie excelled during her internship with State History, so we hired her for the summer. How often do you think about where you are in the world?...
Published August 12, 2019
From the Mountains of Spain to the Mountains of Utah
By Holly George On a normal afternoon in April 2017, Daniel Jones, a friend from the bus who worked at the Division of Corporations and Commercial Code, sent me an...
Published August 5, 2019
Great Things in Store
By Taya Wallace Taya did such a great job during her internship that we hired her for the summer. In the fall she will begin an internship at the Office...
Published July 30, 2019
How Did I Get Here? – Follow the Historical Markers
By Christina Epperson, GIS Analyst, Utah Division of State History It’s mid-July as I write this blog post and the temperature forecast for the next seven days is near or...
Published July 22, 2019
Remembering One of Salt Lake City’s Forgotten: Louis A. Bertrand
By Laurie J. Bryant, Independent Historian [On July 2nd, at the Salt Lake City Cemetery, we unveiled a monument for 55 individuals who died at the “insane asylum” in the...
Published July 8, 2019
Kick-Off “Utah History Happenings” for Utahns of All Ages
By Kevin Fayles, Assistant Director of Operations, Utah Division of State History I am not a professional historian, but I have loved history for most of my life. I recall...
Published July 1, 2019
A Distance Reading of Immigration in Carbon County
Digital Techniques for Utah History By Nate Housley The Marriott Library at the University of Utah houses a number of oral history collections that can aid in interpreting Utah’s history....
Published March 19, 2019
USHS Research Resources
At the Utah State Historical Society, we’re all about helping you conduct professional or personal research in a quick, efficient manner. We know that you want to find what you’re...
Published March 4, 2019
Welcome to the UHQ Blog
Welcome to the new blog for the Utah Historical Quarterly, Utah’s historical journal of record. This blog will feature less formal—but still substantively analytical—essays and thought-provoking pieces about Utah history...
Published February 25, 2019
Submission Guidelines/CFP
From 1928 to the present, Utah Historical Quarterly has published on all aspects of Utah history. Even as UHQ continues its commitment to themes traditionally associated with Utah history, it challenges readers and authors...
Published February 13, 2019
2022 Call for Papers
Water at the Confluence of Past and Future The Utah State Historical Society and Utah Division of State History invite proposals for papers, sessions, panels, or multi-media presentations for the...
Published February 7, 2019
