Below you'll find a list of all posts that have been categorized as “History Main Blog”
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 collections. He and University of Utah Professor Emeritus C. Gregory Crampton (1911-1995) used primary and secondary sources, including documents, maps, …
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. In this post, I will describe how one goes about actually nominating a building and, hopefully, take some of the …
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 than two weeks after Brigham Young arrived in the valley has brought this long-forgotten grandfather of Zion back into the …
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 these subjects and more have been covered in articles in the Utah Historical Quarterly. The Utah State Historical Society was …
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 hitting the high places”, and then ditched it on State Street and 10th South in Salt Lake City. “While they …
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 received the state-level credit. Projects that receive federal tax credits are considered “substantial rehabilitations” and follow historic preservation-minded design requirements. …
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 ballot during local and national elections. It has only been 100 years since the right to vote became a federal …
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 America’s immigrants. It wasn’t until the 19th century that gravestones did more than reflect the final resting place of someone. …
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 I receive on an almost daily basis. The answer isn’t always that straightforward, which is why I thought this would …
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, and Chase Roberts, Artifacts Assistant, I’m privy to a lot of cool stuff. I’d like to spend my blog time …
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 up former storage space and creating a functioning archaeological laboratory. During the grand opening, lab staff prepared mocktails for visitors …
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 some facts from that year: The average cost of a new house – $9,050. The cost of a gallon of …