Utah

Template:US state

Utah (IPA: [ˈjutɔː, ˈjutɑː]) an intermountain state located in the western United States, became the 45th state to join the Union on January 4, 1896. Approximately 88% of Utah's 2,500,000 population is concentrated in its capital and largest metropolis, Salt Lake City, which lies in the center of the Wasatch Front. Most remaining Utahns reside in the state's other major cities, also located in the Wasatch Front which include the suburb of Sandy, the twin cities of Provo and Orem to the south, and Ogden and Logan, which lie north of the capital. In contrast to the heavily populated cities, Utah contains vast, almost uninhabited stretches of land. As a result, Utah ranks as the sixth most urbanized state in the Union.

The state is famous for its geological diversity, which ranges from snowcapped mountains to great flowing river valleys and includes rugged, stony deserts carved into spectacular scenes. Simultaneously, Utah is known as one of the most religiously homogeneous states in the Union; approximately 62% of its residents proclaim membership in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the LDS or Mormon Church. Due to its large numbers, this denomination naturally exerts strong influence upon Utah's culture and daily life. Examples are evident in the number of LDS churches, particularly the Great Temple in Salt Lake City, home of the world renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir, the Deseret publishing company, which the LDS Church founded, and the famous Brigham Young University, also established by a Mormon pioneer.

With its pivotal central western location, Utah is a natural center of transportation. Other industries that play a key role in the state include information technology and research, government services, mining, and tourism. Utah attracts numerous visitors to its famous splendid churches and museums, its spectacular parks, and natural recreation areas, notably Bryce Canyon. As the State Motto, Industry, indicates, Utah has a long tradition of resourcefulness and hard work. St. George, Utah was the fastest growing metropolitan area in the United States from 2000-2005 In 2006, Utah was ranked as the sixth fastest growing state in the Nation.[35]

Etymology

Utah's name originates from the Ute Indian language, which is translated "people of the mountains." The Utes comprised the most populous of Utah's indigenous peoples who lived in the vicinity prior to and during white settlement.

Geography

Utah State Symbols

Living Symbols
-Animal	Rocky Mountain Elk
-Bird	California Seagull
-Butterfly	N/A
-Fish	Bonneville Cutthroat Trout
-Flower	Sego Lily
-Furbearer	{{{Furbearer}}}
-Grass	Indian ricegrass
-Insect	European Honey Bee
-Reptile	N/A
-Tree	Blue Spruce
-Wildflower	N/A
Beverage	N/A
Capital	Salt Lake City
Colors	N/A
Dance	Square Dance
Fossil	Allosaurus
Gemstone	Topaz
Mineral	Copper
Motto	Industry
Musical Instrument	{{{MusicalInstrument}}}
Neckwear	{{{Neckwear}}}
Nickname	Beehive State
Rock	Coal
Game	Chess
Ship(s)	USS Utah (BB-31)
Song	Utah, This is the Place
Soil	Mivida
Tartan	Utah State Tartan
Waltz	N/A

File:Map of Utah NA.png

Map of Utah

Delicate Arch, Arches National Park, Utah

Utah from space. The state is known for its diversity in geology, climate, and ecosystems.

Joshua Trees, yucca plants, and Jumping Cholla cactus occupy the far southwest corner of the state in the Mojave Desert.

Logan Canyon in northern Utah.

File:PSP 021.jpg

Mount Timpanogos in the Wasatch Range of the Rocky Mountains.

Utah is generally rocky with three distinct geological regions: the Rocky Mountains, the Great Basin, and the Colorado Plateau. Residents and visitors alike enjoy Utah's natural diversity which ranges from arid deserts and sand dunes to thriving pine forests in its mountains and valleys.

Utah shares its borders with several states including Idaho to its northwest, Nevada to its west, Wyoming to its northeast, Colorado to its east, New Mexico to its southeast, and Arizona to its south. Utah is also one of the Four Corners states. At a single point and in a situation unique within the 48 contiguous states, these four state borders meet: Utah, Colorado, New Mexico; and Arizona at the Four Corners Monument). The total area of the Beehive State is 84,899 square miles (219,887 km²).

One of Utah's defining characteristics is the variety of its terrain. Running down the center of the state is the Wasatch Range, which rises to heights of approximately 12,000 feet (3,650 m) above sea level. Portions of these mountains receive more than 500 inches (12.7 m) of snow each year and are home to world-renowned ski resorts, made popular by the light, fluffy snow, which is perfect for skiing. In the northeastern section of the state, running east to west, are the Uinta Mountains, which rise to heights of 13,000 feet (3,950 m) or more and contain the highest summit in the state, Kings Peak, with an elevation of 13,528 feet (4,123 m),.

Approximately 75% of Utah's residents live at the western base of the Wasatch Range, also known as the Wasatch Front, which is a series of valleys and basins. These residents dwell in the major cities of Ogden, Salt Lake City, Layton, West Valley City, Sandy, West Jordan, Orem, and Provo. This region extends from Brigham City at the north end to Nephi at the south end. Utah is growing rapidly as a whole, and in this region, urban sprawl is increasing along the valley outskirts.

Western Utah is primarily an arid desert with a gorgeous landscape that is difficult to farm and develop. Its geological features include a basin and range. Small mountain ranges and rugged terrain prevail throughout the landscape. The Bonneville Salt Flats provide an exception to the topography. They are comparatively flat as a result of once forming the lake bed of Lake Bonneville. Great Salt Lake, Utah Lake, Sevier Lake, Rush Lake and Little Salt Lake are all remnants of this ancient freshwater lake, which once covered most of the eastern Great Basin. West of the Great Salt Lake, stretching to the Nevada border, lies the Great Salt Lake Desert, forming the most arid part of Utah. This juncture posed a difficult crossing point for American pioneers as they ventured west. For example, Mary Ann Hafen related a tale of her travels in 1860 when her family reached the Salt Lake Valley. " There were six to our cart. Father and Mother pulled it; Rosie (who was two years old) rode, John (age 9) and I (age 6) walked. Sometimes, when it was downhill, they let me ride, too....Mother's feet [became] so swollen that she could not wear shoes, but had to wrap her feet with cloth."

Much of the scenic southern landscape is comprised of Kayenta and Navajo sandstone. The Colorado River and its tributaries wind their way through this sandstone, creating some of the most spectacular wild terrain in the world. Wind and rain have sculpted the soft rock outcroppings over millions of years, producing breathtaking sites of canyons, gullies, arches, pinnacles, buttes, bluffs, and mesas throughout south-central and southeast Utah. This terrain is accentuated and maintained in protected 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, a popular photographic and filming site.

Southwestern Utah contains the state's lowest and hottest spot. This area is also called Dixie because here early settlers harvested limited amounts of cotton, a popular southern U.S. cash crop. Beaverdam Wash, the site of the state's lowest point, lies in far southwestern Utah. Its elevation is 2,000 feet (610 m). The northernmost portion of the Mojave Desert is also found in this region. Many retirees and tourists are flocking to Dixie, where the population is growing rapidly and travelers and residents alike enjoy Utah's highest ski resort, Brian Head located to Dixie's immediate north.

In contrast, Eastern Utah has a high elevation, most of which is covered by plateaus and basins. Its primary economies include mining, oil, natural gas-drilling, ranching, and recreation. Much of eastern Utah contains part of the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation. The Navajo Nation also extends into southeastern Utah. The most popular destination within eastern Utah is Dinosaur National Monument.

Like most of the west and southwest states, the federal government owns a vast amount of Utah's land. Over seventy percent of the land is under the jurisdiction of the BLM land, Utah State Trustland, or U.S. National Forest, park, U.S. National Monument, National Recreation Area or U.S. Wilderness Area.

Climate

Most of Utah is arid and high in elevation. Many of its eastern and southern areas receive 12 inches (300 mm) or less of precipitation per year, and the annual rainfall in western Utah is generally less than ten inches (25 cm). Likewise, the Wasatch Front receives approximately 15 inches (38 cm). The Great Salt Lake Desert is especially dry, receiving less than five inches (13 cm) annually. The rain favors the mountain areas, where more than 40 inches (1 m) falls per year, although some areas obtain up to 60 inches (1.5 m).

Snowfall is common in winter everywhere except along the southern border and in the Great Salt Lake Desert. St. George averages about three inches (7.5 cm) of snow per year, while Salt Lake City receives almost 60 inches (1.5 m) annually (amplified by the lake effect from the Great Salt Lake). Many mountain areas receive 350 inches (9 m) of snow in a year, while portions of the Wasatch Range receive up to 500 inches (12.7 m). Snowfall is common from November through mid-April in the lower elevations and from October through May in the mountains. The mountains often remain snow-covered into July. Fog and haze often caused by temperature inversions are common in the valleys and basins during winter, especially the Uinta Basin, just south of the Uinta Mountains.

During summer and fall, most of the precipitation occurs from the storms that originate from the south. These tempests consist of short, sporadic, and intense thunderstorms that can cause wildfires and flash floods. Most precipitation during the rest of the year arrives on jetstreams from the Pacific Ocean. Spring is the wettest season across the northern part of the state, while the south experiences its wettest times in late summer and early fall. Winter is the wettest season in most of the mountain areas.

Utah winters are frigid, with temperatures throughout most of the state falling below freezing. High temperatures average between 25 °F (-4 °C) and 50 °F (10 °C) across the state. Days below 0 °F (-18 °C) generally occur in many areas at least once a year. In most of the populated areas, the cold snaps are usually short and not severe. However, some mountain valleys, including Randolph, generally experience temperatures below 0 °F (-18 °C) 50 days per year. Mountains to Utah's north and east sometimes function as barriers to Arctic air. In the summer, one can experience the other extreme, with high temperatures averaging between 85 °F (29 °C) and 100 °F (38 °C). Days over 100 °F (38 °C) can be expected in most areas below 5,000 feet (1,500 m) at least once per year and are the norm in the southern valleys. According to the Golden Gate Weather Service, the record high temperature in Utah was 117 °F (47 °C), recorded at St. George on July 5, 1985, and the record low was -69 °F (-56 °C), recorded at Peter's Sink in the Bear River Mountains of northern Utah on February 1, 1985.

Like most of the western United States, Utah has very few thunderstorms. Generally, people experience them fewer than 40 days per year; however, when they happen, these tempests are usually short but intense. Generally only two tornadoes occur in the state each year.

History

Mormon settlement

More than 11,000 Latter-Day Saints remained in Nauvoo, IL after the assassination of Joseph Smith, Jr. which took place in Carthage, Illinois. Smith founded the new religion in 1930 based on an apparition from God and Jesus at the age of 14. Three years later the angel Moroni appeared and revealed church teachings to Smith over a four year period. After this time, he received the golden plates. One of his scribes, Mr. Cowdery, and Joseph Smith baptized each other into the church Priesthood, following revelation from John the Baptist; and they became the Church's first two elders. Joseph Smith and five other men founded what they first named the Church of Christ in 1830. They moved to Kirtland, Ohio, near Cleveland. In 1834 they changed the church's name to the Church of the Latter Day Saints. This early period was very difficult. Members experienced financial difficulties, verbal opposition, and outright hostility from neighbors who belonged to other denominations. Their troubles climaxed in a massacre of 17 in 1838 at Haun's Mill, Far West, Missouri in Caldwell County. This locale had been reserved for Church members after they had been expelled from nearby Jackson County . Brigham Young, the President of the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, emerged as their new leader. Under Young's leadership, the first group of Mormon pioneers traveled to the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. Seeiking a safe place to live and and worship freely, more than 70,000 Latter Day Saints pioneers crossed the plains and settled in Utah during the following 22 years.

For the first few years, Brigham Young and the thousands of early Salt Lake City settlers struggled to survive. The Mormons sought refuge in a desolate, barren desert where they believed no one else would seek a livelihood. Finally, after migrating from state to state and facing nonrelenting persecution, they hoped to practice their religion in peace—which they had never experienced in their first 20 years of existence since 1830.

Unknown to most people, Utah was the source of many pioneer settlements which later located elsewhere in the West. From the beginning, Salt Lake City was considered the hub of a "far-flung commonwealth" of Mormon settlements. The hardworking members produced many new members, and it brought a constant supply of converts hailing from the eastern United States and around the world. To encourage Mormon development in the area, Church leaders frequently assigned groups of church members to settle throughout the West. Applying the science of irrigation with their religious expansion efforts, settlements grew along Utah's Wasatch front (Salt Lake City, then expanded to the Bountiful and Weber Valley, and continued to Provo and Utah Valley. Thus large pioneer populations were established in an area that Jim Bridger had advised Young would be inhospitable for the cultivation of crops because of frost.

Through the end of the 1800s, Brigham Young directed Mormon pioneers to leave Salt Lake City and establish hundreds of other western settlements in Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Wyoming, California, Canada, and Mexico. Some noteworthy Mormon settlements outside Utah include Las Vegas, Nevada, Franklin, Idaho (the first white settlement in Idaho), San Bernadino, California, Star Valley, Wyoming, and Carson Valley, Nevada. Prominent Utah LDS settlements included St. George, Logan, and Manti (where settlers raised the three first temples in Utah, many years before the larger and more famous Salt Lake City Temple was completed in 1892). Other Utah cities settled initially by Mormons include Parowan, Cedar City, Bluff, Moab, Vernal, Fillmore (the territorial capital between 1850 and 1856), Nephi, Levan, Spanish Fork, Springville, Provo Bench (renamed 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. A Mormon expansionist, Young named this new territory Deseret that he and the Mormon pioneers were settling. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints had taught its followers that Deseret means "honeybee"; therefore, the beehive appears on the Utah state flag, and it is the source of the state motto, "Industry."

In 1847 when the first pioneers arrived, Utah was under Mexican jurisdiction. With the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, on February 2, 1848 after the United States won the Mexican-American War, the land became a United States territory. The United States Senate ratified this treaty on March 10. In 1850, the Utah Territory was created with the Compromise of 1850, and Fillmore was designated the territorial capital until 1856 when Salt Lake City assumed that role which it has held to this day.

Disputes between the Mormon inhabitants and the US Government intensified due to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints members' practice of plural marriage or polygamy. The Mormons advocated establishing the State of Deseret into the Union; however, the U.S. Government, preferred a smaller state, especially one in which monogamy was observed.

Utah territory was located far from the Nation's capitol, but news of the LDS Church's polygamous practices spread rapidly. As a result, the general American public considered LDS members to be un-American and rebellious, and it resumed its contention again toward the Latter Day Saints. In 1857, news of a false rebellion spread; the federal government dispatched troops for the "Utah expedition" to crush the alleged revolt and replace the territorial governor, Brigham Young, with Alfred Cumming. Thus began the Utah War.

As federal troops approached Salt Lake in northern Utah, frightened Mormon settlers and Paiutes aligned in southern Utah to attack and kill 120 immigrants from Arkansas during what was later named the Mountain Meadows Massacre. The contention between LDS leaders and the federal government created from this slaughter endured for decades. Only one person, John D. Lee, was convicted of the murders, and he was executed at the massacre site.

Before Albert Sidney Johnston led troops into the territory, Brigham Young directed all residents of Salt Lake City to evacuate south to Utah Valley. Young then dispatched a force, the Nauvoo Legion, which attempted to delay the government's advance by burning federal wagons and supplies. Despite these challenges, the troops arrived, and Young officially relinquished control to Cumming. However, Young's influence was exerted behind the scenes, and many people commented that he retained actual territorial control. Several governors appointed by President Buchanan to direct the region each resigned, with each executive leader stating that Utah's territorial government refused to cooperate with them. One federal decision that Young approved was Col. Johnston's move to establish Fort Floyd 40 miles southwest of Salt Lake City.

Salt Lake City was the site of the last link of the First Transcontinental Telegraph, completed in October of 1861. Again Brigham Young's influence emerged, as he was among the first officials to send a message, along with President Abraham Lincoln.

Bonneville Salt Flats

Though the federal government strove to acquire greater influence in Utah Territory, the American Civil War, forced the troops to divert their attention to the battlefields of that bloody event. As a result, the Utah territory, in effect, remained in LDS hands until Patrick E. Connor arrived with a regiment of California volunteers in 1862. Connor established Fort Douglas just three miles (5 km) east of Salt Lake City. To increase non-Mormon settlement in the area, he encouraged his people to search for mineral deposits. Minerals were discovered in Tooele County, and, as usual, when news of such announcements spread, miners dashed to the territory in search of quick profits.

Beginning in 1865, Utah's Black Hawk War developed into the deadliest conflict in the territory's history. Chief Antonga Black Hawk died in 1870 three years after he had surrendered having seen the futility of continuing further bloodshed of his people and others. Earlier he and the Ute Nation had raided white settlements, seeking cattle to replace the land and food that was lost due to the settlers influx. His father, Sanpitch, had been been brutally murdered by Dolf Bennett in 1866. Noonch, Black Hawk's Ute name, visited every city from Cedar City to the south to Payson in the north, and he restored friendly relations with the peoples therein. He was buried in the foothills east and south of Spring Lake Villa, Utah County. <ref. "Black Hawk Passes Over, A letter from William Provert."</ref> Mr. Provert shared the information with Mr. Peter Gottfriedson who included it in his website:

Later the Chief's remains were removed from burial and put on display in an LDS church museum at Temple Square, heinous treatment for any deceased person, especially a leader who strove to promote peace. After 86 years, a young boy scout, seeking to gain the Eagle Scout rank through research, rescued the former chief's bones from storage. The tribe again provided the Chief a proper burial, so important to Native tradition. Despite the chief's valient efforts to attain peace, battles continued between the settlers and the indigenous peoples until additional federal troops were ordered to suppress the Ghost Dance of 1872. This war is unique among the Indian Wars because it was a three-way conflict, with mounted Timpanogos Utes led by Antonguer Black Hawk exploited by both federal and LDS authorities.

On May 10, 1869, the First Transcontinental Railroad was completed at Promontory Summit, north of the Great Salt Lake. The railroad brought increasing numbers of people to the territory where several influential business people made fortunes. Ogden became the main city for transferring rolling stock, passengers, and freight once the railroad was completed. Additional industries developed at this time including woolen mills, canneries, livestock yards, flour mills, breweries, iron works, banks, hotels, telephone, telegraph, and power companies. In 1879 Ogden inventor John M. Browning patented the single shot rifle and 100 other gun styles. The town of Corrine, founded in 1869 and named after one of the daughters of General J. A. Williamson, became famous for freighting and banking. This town's goal was to become the commercial center of the Intermountain West. Between 1869 to 1878 Corinne contained 257 businesses relating to freight transport and banking.

Unfortunately many settlers' excessive desire for land during this period was instrumental in driving the Utes from their original lands in Central Utah and Colorado in 1879 to the Utah desert. Native Americans living on reservations in Utah, as in other states, were still affected by white laws. For example, in an effort to assimilate Native children into white society, indigenous youngsters, including those living on reservations, were forced to attend boarding schools for six consecutive years. During that period those students were not permitted to visit their parents. Regrettably, many of these children died from imported diseases to which they no immunity and were buried on property outlying the school.

During the 1870s and 1880s, laws were passed to punish polygamists, generally to encarceration, often far from home. In the 1890 Manifesto, the LDS Church banned polygamy and the writers of the State Constitution expressly prohibited its practice, a condition required for Utah to attain statehood. Then Utah reapplied and officially became a state on January 4, 1896. Forbidding the practice of polygamy likewise became a requirement for other western states awaiting statehood after Utah had joined. Utah was the last state admitted to the Union in the Nineteenth Century.

Alpine Loop near Sundance in the fall.

Snowbird ski resort

1900s to present

In the early 1900s, with the establishment of national landmarks, including Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park, Utah was attaining renown for its natural beauty. Southern Utah became a popular filming spot for arid, rugged western scenes, and such natural landmarks as Delicate Arch and most Americans recognize "the Mittens" of Monument Valley. During the 1950s, '60s, and '70s, the Interstate highway system was constructed, facilitating accessibility to the spectacular southern scenic areas.

Beginning in 1939, the Alta Ski Area was established, and Utah became famous throughout the world for its skiing. The Wasatch Range provides the resort with top quality dry, powdery snow that many people consider makes some of the best skiing in the world. Salt Lake City won the bid for the 2002 Winter Olympics in 1995, and obtaining this honor greatly boosted the state's economy. The popularity of these ski resorts has increased, and many of the Olympic venues along the Wasatch Front are still used for sporting events. To serve the tourists both within and from outside Utah, the TRAX light-rail system was developed in Salt Lake Valley and the freeway system circling the city was updated.

During the late 20th century, the state grew quickly. In the 1970s, growth was phenomenal in the suburbs. Sandy was one of the fastest growing cities in the country at that time. Today, many areas of Utah continue to experience amazing growth. Northern Davis, southern and western Salt Lake, Summit, eastern Tooele, Utah, Wasatch, and Washington counties are among the rapidly growing areas. The twenty-first century growth phenomenum which includes the complex situations of a modern society, appears to repeat the political struggle in earlier eras of how to deal with transportation and urbanization issues for Utah's diverse residents as, once again, development consumes agricultural land and wilderness areas.

Demographics

File:Utah population map.png

Utah Population Density Map

The center of population of Utah is located in Utah County in the city of Lehi [36]. As of 2005, Utah's estimated population stands at 2,469,585, which marks an increase of 48,877, or 2.0%, from that of the previous year, and an increase of 236,387, or 10.6%, since the year 2000. This total reflects a natural increase since the last census of 186,411 people—254,433 births minus 68,022 deaths. The number indicates an increase due to a net migration of 16,173 people into the state. Immigration from outside the United States produced a net increase of 49,995 people; migration to other states brought a net loss of 33,822 people.

Much of the population lives in cities and towns along the Wasatch Front, a metropolitan region that runs north-south with the Wasatch Mountains rising on the eastern side. The rest of the state is mostly rural or wilderness. Most residents are members of the Mormon faith, and Utah has a higher percentage of people sharing a single religious denomination than any other state.

File:Utah Counties.png

Utah county boundaries

Utah contains 5 metropolitan areas (Logan, Ogden-Clearfield, Salt Lake City, Provo-Orem, and St. George), and 5 micropolitan areas (Brigham City, Heber, Vernal, Price, and Cedar City).

The St. George metropolitan area is currently the second fastest growing in the country, following the Las Vegas metropolitan area, while the Heber metropolitan area is also the second-fastest growing in the country (behind Palm Coast, Florida). Growth is not limited to urban locales: the rural agricultural areas of Juab and Millard counties have likewise experienced rapid population growth. The top counties from which residents moved to Juab county from 2005 to 2006 included Utah, 3.9%; Salt Lake, 0.65%; Sanpete, 0.38%; and Washington, 0.38%. In neighboring Millard County, the county population in 2005 registered as 12,284, 25% of which were urban, and 75%, rural. The percentage of taxpayers which relocated to Millard from other counties during 2005 and 2006 included Utah, 1.23%; Salt Lake, .066%; and Washington, 0.66%.

Race and ancestry

Demographics of Utah (csv)
By race	White	Black	AIAN	Asian	NHPI
AIAN is American Indian or Alaskan Native   -   NHPI is Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
2000 (total population)	95.20%	1.14%	1.84%	2.20%	0.97%
2000 (Hispanic only)	8.62%	0.16%	0.26%	0.08%	0.05%
2005 (total population)	95.01%	1.32%	1.69%	2.40%	0.95%
2005 (Hispanic only)	10.39%	0.23%	0.26%	0.10%	0.05%
Growth 2000-2005 (total population)	10.37%	28.78%	2.04%	21.00%	8.53%
Growth 2000-2005 (non-Hispanic only)	8.09%	23.37%	0.78%	20.69%	8.43%
Growth 2000-2005 (Hispanic only)	33.30%	61.74%	9.53%	28.88%	10.45%

The largest ancestry groups in the state are:

• 29.0% English
• 11.5% German
• 6.8% American (Most are of British heritage)
• 6.5% Danish
• 5.9% Irish
• 4.4% Scottish

Most Utahns are of Northern European descent. From the beginning the majority of people who migrated to Utah were Americans. Among the European immigrants who settled in Utah from 1850 to 1950, the highest percentage within the state were British followed by second ranking Scandinavians who comprised 34% of foreign born Utahns in 1900 and 16% of the total population. Anglo-Utahns form the major group in every county except San Juan County, which has a large Navajo Indian population. Chinese have the most Asians. Other Asian ethnicities include Japanese-Americans, Koreans, Indians and Pakistanis. Tongans form the most populous Pacific Islander group; the majority of them are Mormons who converted in the South Pacific under LDS missionary work programs which started in 1844. Hispanics are rapidly growing in the state, especially in Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Orem/Provo area. Their numbers include recent immigrants from Latin America, predominantly Mexico, but also Central America and South America. The mountain states, which includes Utah, indicates an increase of 274% or 403,293 Mexican workers between 1990 to 2000 and 550,290 in the year of 2000.

Utah's African-American population is relatively small; yet it includes many newcomers to the state, generally middle-class professionals from California. Two small African-American communities live in southern Salt Lake City and in Ogden near Hill Air Force Base. Utah Black Organizations in Salt Lake City include a Black Educator Alliance, and a Minority Worker Training Program. At the University of Utah, there is a Women's Resource Center, Ethnic Studies Department, and a Center for Ethnic Student Affairs.

Prior to the 1960s, Utahns of African-American descent frequently experienced racial discrimination in the forms of refusal of service at restaurants and other public facilities and reduced job opportunities. Entertainers such as Harry Belafonte, Paul Robeson, Ella Fitzgerald, diplomat Ralph Bunche, American Ambassador to the United Nations, and Congressman Adam Clayton Powell and his wife, actress Hazel Scott were denied access to restaurants and hotels solely because of their race when they visited the state. Even Bishop Osmonde Walker of the A.M.E. (African Methodist Episcopalian) Church was likewise prohibited from registering at the Newhouse Hotel in 1954. Additionally, African-Americans were denied access to recreational facilities and relegated to the balconies in the theaters.

One breakthrough that penetrated the color barrier occurred when Ruby Rice became the first African-American teacher at the Intermountain Indian School in 1950. Similarly in 1954, the first African-American was hired to teach in a public school in the Ogden district. Fortunately, today all minorities including African-Americans, Hispanics and Pacific Islanders, finally enjoy access to the same opportunities as all citizens of the state.

Religion

File:100 0297.jpg

The Great Salt Lake

Red Canyon

A majority of the state's residents are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, sometimes called the Mormon or LDS Church. As of 2004, the percentage of Utahns included in those counted as members of The LDS Church comprised 62.4% of the state's population,. This figure represents less than 50% of the population living in urban areas and over 90% of the rural dwellers. By the time of the 1980 Census, the Mormon population statewide still hovered near 70 percent according to a 2007 Washington Post report, in Utah County, the rate was 90% percent. Only in four rural counties (Daggett, San Juan, Carbon, and Grand) are Mormons a minority. In two of those, less than 50% percent of the people are members of any church. By the 1990s, the figures changed due to the rapid growth in Wasatch Front suburbs, including Washington County. However, rural Utah continues to be either largely LDS or without religious affiliation. The only other state in the Nation in which a majority of the population belongs to a single religious body is Rhode Island. The number of Catholics in Utah is increasing due to recent immigrant growth from Mexico, and other Latin American sources, added to the earlier Catholic migrations from Italy, Austria, Germany and Ireland. A consistent number of Protestant mainline denominations, such as Baptists, Lutherans and Methodists, grouped together comprise approximately 15.7% of Utah's population. The Salt Lake Tribune has projected that as early as 2030, Latter-day Saints may lose their majority status throughout the state, not only in Salt Lake City.

The religion known as Mormonism has historically exerted a strong regional influence which contributed to the state's restrictive attitude towards alcohol consumption and the practice of gambling. Also, LDS conservative beliefs have contributed to the state's high birth rate (which is 25% higher than the national average and is the highest of any American state.). Before the 1890 Manifesto, the Church's teachings of plural marriage had led to confrontation with the U.S. federal government in the Utah War.

The Mormons in Utah tend to hold conservative views regarding most political issues. The majority of Utahns are registered Republicans. However, Utah Mormons have demonstrated their moderate viewpoints in certain social/moral issues. One example includes author Amital Etzioni who writes about the Third Way and the importance of a communitarian society, which should achieve a balance between state, market, and community and other practical issues. Early Mormon settlers in the 19th century had more members registered as Democrats, a common trait among farmers of that era who lived in the Midwestern United States as most Utah Mormons did briefly. Historically, the LDS founders practiced a version of socialism according to their tradition of social welfare and family values, community, and assistance. Indeed, the LDS church taught its members to "look out for each other" and possessed a generous or liberal attitude in the realm of theology. For example, a Washington Post article cites how young LDS missionaries are reaching out to the African-American community, which in the past, was often sidelined. Like the early United States Founding Fathers, they supported the higher group needs first, building their public facilities or churches, schools, irrigation projects and other community buildings before their private ones, such as their own homes.

(The statistics below indicate self identified religious affilations of adults who live in Utah. Please note that these numbers do not include children, thus creating the disparity with the percentage identified above.)

• Latter-day Saints - 62%
• Roman Catholics - 6%
• Episcopalians - 3%
• Baptists - 2%
• Other Christians - 3%
• Evangelicals - 1%
• Presbyterians - 1%
• Lutherans - 1%
• Methodists - 1%
• Non-religious - 17%
• Refused to identify - 4%
• Other - 3%
• Muslim - 1%

These totals are rounded. Additional religious groups include Pentecostal, Judaism, Church of Christ, Non-denominational, United Church of Christ, Jehovah's Witness, Assemblies of God, Buddhist, Church of God, and the Seventh-day Adventist Church, which each represent less than .5% of the population.

Age and Sex

Utah ranks number one in total birth rate within the United States; therefore, it has the youngest population of any state.

The age distribution in Utah is:

• 9.4% under age 5
• 32.2% under age 18
• 59.3% ages 18 through 64
• 8.5% 65 or older

The gender composition of Utah is:

• 49.9% female
• 50.1% male

Economy

Bryce Canyon National Park is a major tourist attraction

According to the U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis, the gross state product of Utah in 2004 was $82.6 billion. The per capita personal income was $26,606 in 2004. Major industries of Utah include mining, cattle ranching, salt production, and government services.

According to the 2007 State New Economy Index, Utah is ranked as the top state in the Nation for Economic Dynamism, determined by

"The degree to which state economies are knowledge-based, globalized, entrepreneurial, information technology-driven and innovation-based."

In eastern Utah petroleum production is a major industry. [37] Near Salt Lake City, petroleum refining is done by a number of oil companies. In central Utah, coal production accounts for much of the mining activity.

Tourism is a major industry in Southern Utah, with Utah's five national parks (Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion) and many other attractions. In Moab mountain biking is a popular sport. Research, information technology development, and service based industries are important economic activities along the Salt Lake City-Ogden-Provo corridor. Utah is also noted for its ski resorts, near Salt Lake City, Park City, Ogden, Provo, and Cedar City (Brian Head).

Utah collects personal income tax within 6 income brackets. The state sales tax has a base rate of 5.75%, with cities and counties levying additional local sales taxes that vary among the municipalities. Property taxes are assessed and collected locally. Utah does not charge intangible property taxes and it does not apply an inheritance tax.

Tourism

Utah has a large tourism business, and the state hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics. The ski resorts in the northern Wasatch Range, the Bonneville Salt Flats, the Great Salt Lake, the five national parks in the south, such as Arches, Zion and Bryce Canyon, and cultural attractions such as Temple Square, Sundance Film Festival, and the Utah Shakespearean Festival include the most visited. To obtain more information on Utah parks, outdoor recreation, lodging, and additional attractions, please visit the official tourism site for the state of Utah: www.utah.com

Bridal Veil Falls in Provo Canyon between Orem and Heber City.

Mining

The late 19th century marked the beginning of the state's mining boom which attracted large numbers of immigrants of diverse faiths with job opportunities. An example includes the Bingham Canyon Mine, one of the world's largest open pit mines). Since the period of the Utah Territory, mining has played a major role in Utah's economy. Historical mining towns include Mercur in Tooele County, Silver Reef in Washington County, Eureka in Juab County, and Park City in Summit County, which, like other such towns in the American West, were characteristic of a boom and bust cycle.

During the Cold War era, uranium was mined in eastern Utah. Today mining activity still plays a major role in the state's economy. Minerals mined in Utah include copper, gold, silver, molybdenum, zinc, lead, and beryllium. Fossil fuels include coal, petroleum, and natural gas. [38]

File:KMinepic.jpg

Bingham Canyon Mine southwest of Salt Lake City.

Transportation

Interstate 15 is Utah's main interstate highway. It continues east into the state from Arizona, heads north to Idaho and serves the cities of St. George, Orem, Provo, Salt Lake City, and Ogden. Breaking from Interstate 80 at Echo, Interstate 84 heads northwest through the mountains and turns onto the Wasatch Front, merging with I-15 at Roy, staying merged until Tremonton. I-84 then continues northwest into Idaho near Snowville. I-80 enters from Nevada at Wendover and heads east through Salt Lake City, briefly merging with I-15 before it ascends into the mountains and weaves through canyons and across plateaus into Wyoming, just before it reaches Evanston. Interstate 70 commences at Cove Fort. It heads east through mostly uninhabited areas, providing access to many of southern Utah's recreation areas before it enters Colorado. The stretch of I-70 between Salina and Green River is the longest stretch of interstate in the Nation without any services.

The TRAX light rail system in the Salt Lake Valley consists of two lines. One provides access from downtown Salt Lake City and Sandy, and the other line extends to the University of Utah east of downtown. The Utah Transit Authority, or UTA, operates a bus system which extends across the Wasatch Front and into Tooele, and which provides winter service to the ski resorts above Salt Lake City. Several bus companies carry passengers to the ski resorts in winter, and local bus services also serve Logan, St. George and Cedar City. The Legacy Highway is a controversial freeway that is planned to eventually run down the entire length of the Wasatch Front. Construction on the first portion, known as the Legacy Parkway, in southern Davis County, started in spring 2006. A commuter rail line, FrontRunner, is being built between Salt Lake City and Pleasant View, north of Ogden, and will be completed by 2008. Eventually, FrontRunner is expected to span the Wasatch Front from Brigham City in the north to Payson in the south.

Law and government

Utah government, like most U.S. states and the American federal government, is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The current governor of Utah is Jon Huntsman, Jr. Governors are elected for a four year term. The Utah State Legislature consists of a Senate and a House of Representatives. State senators serve four year terms and representatives, two year terms. The Utah Legislature meets each year in January for an annual forty-five day session. The Utah Supreme Court is the court of last resort in Utah. Five justices, whom the governor initally appoints, serve on this court. However, voters must elect them for subsequent terms; this same procedure of initial appointment with follow-up election applies to the lower court justices and judges in Utah as well. The Utah Court of Appeals [39] handles cases from the trial courts. Trial level courts are the district courts and justice courts.

Early suffrage

Utah granted full voting rights to women in 1870, 26 years before becoming a state. Among all U.S. states, only Wyoming granted suffrage to women earlier. [40] However, in 1887 the Edmunds-Tucker Act was passed by Congress in an effort to curtail excessive Mormon influence in the territorial government. One of the provisions of the Act was to repeal suffrage; full suffrage was not returned until Utah was admitted to the Union in 1896.

Constitution

The constitution of Utah was enacted in 1895. Notably, the constitution outlawed polygamy and reestablished the territorial practice of women's suffrage. Utah's Constitution has been amended many times since its inception.

Other laws

Utah is also one of only two states in the United States to outlaw all forms of gambling; the other is Hawaii. Utah is an alcoholic beverage control state. The Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control regulates the sale of alcohol. Wine and spiritous liquors may only be purchased at state liquor stores, and local laws may prohibit the sale of beer and other alcoholic beverages on Sundays.

Politics

Presidential elections results

Year	Republican	Democratic
2004	71% 663,742	26% 241,199
2000	67% 512,168	26% 201,734
1996	54% 361,911	33% 221,633
1992	43% 322,632	25% 183,429
1988	66% 428,442	32% 207,343

Historically, politics in Utah have been controversial, for example, the Federal government versus the LDS Church on the issue of polygamy. The LDS Church renounced polygamy in 1890; in 1896, Utah gained admission to the Union. Many new people settled the area soon after the Mormon pioneers. Relations have often been strained between the LDS population and the non-LDS population. [41] These tensions played a large part in Utah's historical (Liberal Party vs. People's Party).

The Utah State Capitol, Salt Lake City.

The Scott Matheson Courthouse is the seat of the Utah Supreme Court

The current governor of Utah is Jon M. Huntsman, Jr., a member of the Republican Party. He is a proponent of a flat tax, an opponent to same-sex marriage, and a supporter of creating a reciprocal beneficiary status for same-sex couples, and an opponent to intelligent design being taught in the classroom. He receives high approval ratings among Utahns regardless of political affiliation.

Both of Utah's U.S. Senators, Orrin Hatch and Robert Foster Bennett, are Republican. Two more Republicans, Rob Bishop and Chris Cannon, as well as one member of the Democratic Party, Jim Matheson, represent Utah in the United States House of Representatives.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the religion of the majority of Utahns, and the majority of politicians in Utah from both political parties are LDS. While the Church maintains an official policy of neutrality regarding political affiliations and candidates, Utahns generally elect Republicans. Self-identified Latter-day Saints are more likely to vote for Republicans than non-Mormons, and Utah is one of the most Republican states in the nation. The connection between the LDS Church and the Republican Party of Utah is controversial.

In the 1970s, then-Apostle Ezra Taft Benson was quoted by the Associated Press that it would be difficult for a faithful Latter-day Saint to be a liberal Democrat. Although the LDS Church has officially repudiated such statements on many occasions, Democratic candidates—including LDS Democrats—believe that Republicans capitalize on the perception that the Republican Party is doctrinally superior. Political scientist and pollster Dan Jones explains this disparity by noting that the national Democratic Party is generally associated with liberal viewpoints that support gay rights and abortion. This position makes Latter-day Saints uncomfortable. The Republican Party in heavily Mormon Utah County presents itself as the morally superior choice for Latter-day Saints. Even though Democratic candidate are predominantly LDS, socially conservative, and pro-life, no Democrat has won in Utah county since 1994. David Magleby, dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Brigham Young University, a lifelong Democrat and political analyst, asserts that the Republican Party holds more conservative positions than the LDS Church. Magleby argues that the local conservative Democrats platforms better match LDS doctrine. To elaborate, the Republican Party of Utah opposes all abortions under any conditions while the LDS Church and Utah Democrats allow exceptions for rape, incest, and endangerment to the mother's life should the fetus be born. Similarly, the state GOP has disagreed with the LDS Church position opposing concealed firearms in places of worship.

The LDS Church itself has been concerned by the perception of political bias in the wake of Massachusetts Republican Mitt Romney's prospective presidential campaign. In 1998 the Church expressed concern that Utahns perceived the Republican Party as an LDS institution and, the LDS authorized lifelong Democrat and Seventy, Marlin Jensen, to promote LDS bipartisanship.

Governor elections results

Year	Republican	Democratic
2004	57% 473,814	42% 350,841
2000	56% 422,357	43% 320,141
1996	75% 500,293	24% 155,294

The state's leadership is run by the Republican Party. State governors are usually centrist on social issues and favor free trade on economic policies, while the state senate and house are much more polarized with Republican members passing very socially conservative policies on party-line and partisan votes. Many of these bills have been subsequently vetoed by the governors. For example, the current Governor of Utah, The Honorable Jon Huntsman, opposed and successfully blocked SB 155. This proposal which state level conservatives introduced, would have allowed an expansion beyond Section 32 of nuclear waste. The governor stated that SB 155 does not change the fact that EnergySolutions cannot accept Class B and C wastes and different types of higher radionuclide wastes.... He added that the State will not become the dumping ground for other states' nuclear waste. I remain committed to fighting increased volumes of waste.

While Utah's residents are generally more tolerant of gay rights and polls indicate that a majority of support some expression of legal recognition for same-sex couples, the state legislature is much more likely to strongly oppose this concept. For example, while legislators generally vote to reprehend the perpetrators of hate crimes against homosexuals as portrayed in SB14 in the year 2000, they generally strongly support restrictive actions against gays, such as the refusal to support homosexual rights to same sex marriages or civil unions (HJR-25, passed on March 3, 2004 or allowing homosexuals to adopt (SB23, passed on February 21, 2000). Towards sex offenders About 80% of Utah's Legislature are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, while they account for 62% of the population.

For example, in 2006, Congress passed legislation designed to prohibit joint-custody for a non-biological parent of a child. The governor, who supports reciprocal benefits for same-sex couples, vetoed that custody measure.

Senator Bennett results

Year	Republican	Democratic
2004	69% 626,640	28% 258,955
1998	64%	33%

Another example of greater conservative practices in the state include the use of prayer in public meetings. For example, prayers are common in Utah politics, and lawmakers of both parties, whether liberal or conservative, openly speak of their relationship with God or their religious beliefs in ordinary conversation.

Utah does have its liberal areas which include Carbon County, Grand County, Salt Lake County, and Summit County. Signs exists that liberal thinking is attaining influence. Currently, both Salt Lake City and Salt Lake County have Democratic Party mayors, and about one million of the state's two and a half million residents reside in these places. Salt Lake City's Mayor Rocky Anderson supports such liberal causes as same-sex marriage and the Kyoto Treaty, while the county mayor Peter Corroon is a relative of Senator Howard Dean, and the two share similar views. In fact, Salt Lake City has not voted for a Republican mayor since the 1970s. Generally, Salt Lake County's Democrats favor the economic policies of free trade. According to the Deseret News edition of June 14, 2006, Utah County Democrat platform, like most other residents, "define marriage as a union between one man and one woman." They also acknowledge that some people have different viewpoints, and they strive "to understand the difference in a spirit of civility, hope, and mutual respect." Regarding abortion, the LDS Democrats state that they view every abortion as a "tragedy." They oppose abortion for convenience and feel that it should be limited to "instances of pregnancy resulting from rape or incest, cases of fetal deformities, or when there is a serious threat to the life or health of the mother."

Senator Hatch results

Year	Republican	Democratic
2006	NA	NA
2000	66% 501,925	32% 241,129

Carbon County's Democrats are generally comprised of members of the large Greek, Italian,and Southeastern European communities, whose ancestors migrated in the early 1900s to work in the extensive mining industry. Their viewpoints are heavily influenced by New Deal labor politics.

Grand County's politics strongly support environmentalism and are generally socially liberal. The county has a large hippie community situated in the popular tourist destination, Moab, in red rock country between Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park.

The Democrats of Summit County are the by-product of the migration of wealthy families from California in the 1990s to the ski resort town of Park City; their views generally support the economic policies that labor unions favor and the same social policies the liberals prefer. ]],

Salt Lake County Mayor

Year	Republican	Democratic
2004	44% 144,928	48% 157,287
2000	52% 158,787	47% 144,011

The state's most Republican areas tend to be Utah County, where Brigham Young University is located, Provo, and almost all the rural counties. [42] [43] These areas generally maintain socially conservative views similar to those of the national Religious Right.

The state has not voted for a Democrat for president since 1964. Historically, Republican presidential nominees achieve one of their highest margins of victory here. Utah was the Republicans' best state in the 1976, 1980, 1984, 1988, 1996, 2000 and 2004 elections. In 1992, Utah was the only state in the Nation where Democratic candidate Bill Clinton finished behind both Republican candidate George H. W. Bush and Independent candidate Ross Perot. In 2004, Republican George W. Bush won every county in Utah, and as usual, the state gave him his largest margin of victory in the country. He won the state's 5 electoral votes by a margin of 46 percentage points with 71.5% of the vote cast. In the 1996 Presidential elections the Republican candidate received a smaller 54% of the vote while the Democrat earned 34%.

Important cities and towns

File:092102 03.jpg

Salt Lake City

Provo

Sandy

File:09-17-04i.jpg

Park City

St. George

Utah's population is concentrated in two areas, the Wasatch Front in the north-central part of the state, with a population of approximately 2 million; and in southwestern Utah, locally known as "Dixie," which has nearly 150,000 residents.

According the 2000 Census, Utah was the fourth fastest growing state (at 29.6%) in the United States between 1990 and 2000. St. George, in the southwest, is the second-fastest growing metropolitan area in the United States, trailing Greeley, Colorado.

The state's two fastest growing counties are: Summit (at 91.6%; ranking it 8th in the country) and Washington (at 86.1%; ranking it 12th). The cities (defined as having at least 9,000 residents in 2000) that saw the greatest increases between 1990 and 2000 included: Draper (248%), South Jordan (141%), Lehi (125%), Riverton (122%), and Syracuse (102%). Between 1990 and 2000 the five fastest-growing cities of any size were Cedar Hills (302%), Draper (248%), Woodland Hills (213%), Ivins (173%), and South Jordan (141%). According to U.S. Census Bureau estimates, the five fastest-growing cities of any size between 2000 and 2005 were Herriman (637%), Saratoga Springs (548%), Eagle Mountain (380%), Cedar Hills (152%), and Syracuse (91%).

Utah Rank	City	Population (2005) within city limits	Land Area (sq. miles)	Population Density per sq mi	County
1	Salt Lake City	178,097	109.1	1,632.4	Salt Lake
2	Provo	113,459	39.6	2,865.1	Utah
3	West Valley City	113,300	35.4	3,200.5	Salt Lake
4	West Jordan	91,444	30.9	2,959.3	Salt Lake
5	Orem	89,713	18.4	4,875.7	Utah
6	Sandy	89,664	22.3	4,020.8	Salt Lake
7	Ogden	78,309	26.6	2,943.9	Weber
8	St. George	64,201	64.4	996.9	Washington
9	Layton	61,782	20.7	2,984.6	Davis
10	Taylorsville	58,009	10.7	5,421.4	Salt Lake

Combined Statistical Area	Population (2004)
Salt Lake City-Ogden-Clearfield comprised of: Salt Lake City and Ogden-Clearfield Metropolitan Areas and Brigham City and Heber Micropolitan Areas (as listed below)	1,559,230

Utah Rank	Metropolitan Area	Population (2004)	U.S. Rank	Counties
1	Salt Lake City	1,018,826	50	Salt Lake, Tooele, Summit
2	Ogden-Clearfield	477,455	101	Weber, Davis, Morgan
3	Provo-Orem	412,361	112	Utah
4	St. George	109,924	318	Washington
5	Logan	109,666	320	Cache, Franklin (Idaho)

• Until 2003, the Salt Lake City and Ogden-Clearfield metropolitan areas were considered as a single metropolitan area.

Utah Rank	Micropolitan Area	Population (2004)	U.S. Rank
1	Brigham City	44,810	280
2	Cedar City	36,285	386
3	Vernal	26,671	495
4	Price	19,689	550
5	Heber	18,139	560

Education

Utah has recently enacted a universal school voucher program.

Colleges and universities

Brigham Young University in Provo College of Eastern Utah in Price Dixie State College of Utah (formerly Dixie College) in St. George ITT Technical Institute in Murray LDS Business College in Salt Lake City Neumont University in South Jordan Provo College in Provo Salt Lake Community College in Taylorsville Snow College in Ephraim and Richfield Southern Utah University (formerly Southern Utah State College) in Cedar City

Stevens-Henager College at various locations statewide University of Phoenix at various locations statewide University of Utah in Salt Lake City Utah College of Massage Therapy in Salt Lake City Utah State University in Logan (satellite campuses at various state locations) Utah Valley State College (Utah Valley University effective July 2008) in Orem Weber State University in Ogden Western Governors University an online university, begun by former Utah Governor, Michael O. Leavitt Westminster College in Salt Lake City

Sports

The Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association play in the EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City. Utah is the least populous U.S. state to have a major professional sports league franchise, although the District of Columbia has fewer people. Other teams include:

File:Utah Jazz logo.png

The Utah Jazz NBA team based in Salt Lake City.

• Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer in Rice-Eccles Stadium in Salt Lake City (a soccer-specific stadium has been approved for Sandy, and ground was broken for the new stadium on August 12, 2006)
• Salt Lake Bees of the Pacific Coast League in Franklin Covey Field in Salt Lake City
• Ogden Raptors of the Pioneer League in Lindquist Field in Ogden
• Orem Owlz of the Pioneer League in Parkway Crossings in Orem
• Utah Grizzlies of the ECHL in the E Center in West Valley City
• Utah Blaze of the Arena Football League at the EnergySolutions Arena in Salt Lake City

See also List of professional sports teams in Utah

Miscellaneous

Panoramic view of the salt flats of the Great Salt Lake Desert.

• Popular recreational destinations within the mountains besides the ski resorts include Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area, Timpanogos Cave National Monument, Bear Lake, and Jordanelle, Strawberry, Pineview Reservoir, East Canyon, and Rockport reservoirs. The mountains are popular camping, rock-climbing, skiing, snowboarding, and hiking destinations.
• The USS Utah was named in honor of this state.
• The Space Shuttle Solid Rocket Booster is built and serviced by the Thiokol division of ATK, which has its facilities in Promontory Point. Boosters are tested periodically at a proving grounds in the Wasatch Range.
• According to a study based on prescription claims from one mail-order pharmaceutical provider, Utah (as of 2000) ranked first in antidepressant and narcotic painkiller use, and was in the top three for prescriptions for thyroid medications, anticonvulsants and anti-rheumatics. Utah once ranked first in personal bankruptcies per capita in the United States; however, as of 2005, this is no longer true. The state ranks 47th in teen pregnancy and even some of these teens are married, a common practice in the state). Utah ranks last in percentage of births out of wedlock, last in the number of abortions per capita, and last in percentage of teen pregnancies that are terminated in abortion. It is important to note that statistics relating to pregnancies and abortions may be artificially low arising from teenagers who leave the state to obtain abortions elsewhere due to parental notification requirements. Utah has the lowest child poverty rate in the country, despite its young demographics.
• According to Internal Revenue Service tax returns, Utahns rank first among all U.S. states in the proportion of income given to charity by the wealthy.
• Jell-O is the official snack food of Utah; this choice has given Utah the term of the Jello Belt.
• Mexican President Vicente Fox visited Salt Lake City, Utah, on May 23, 2006, as the first stop on his trip to the United States, which also included stops in California and Washington state. It is unusual for a foreign head of state to visit Utah (except for the 2002 Salt Lake City Olympics). However, the growing presence of Mexicans and Mexican Americans in the state may have inspired his visit.^{[citation needed]} Furthermore, the LDS Church has grown in Mexico, with 1,043,718 members as of December 31, 2005,, although only about 200,000 profess to be LDS
• The popular subculture, Straight Edge, is an anti-drug/anti-alcohol punk music scene which began in Washingtion D.C. This group includes large numbers of Utahns, has appeared in Salt Lake City and Provo in the 1990s. ^{[citation needed]}

Famous Utahns

• Roseanne Barr - Comedian, actress, writer, talk-show hostess.
• Shawn Bradley - Former NBA player.
• John Moses Browning - Designer of popular firearms including the M2 .50 caliber machine gun and the Colt Model 1911 .45 semi-automatic handgun.
• Butch Cassidy - Outlaw.
• Gary Coleman - Actor who relocated to Utah after the movie Church Ball was filmed.[44]
• Andre Dyson - NFL player
• Kevin Dyson - NFL player
• Marriner Eccles - Banker, economist, and Chairman of the Federal Reserve during Roosevelt and Truman administrations.
• Philo Farnsworth - Inventor of the electronic television.
• John D. Fitzgerald - Author of The Great Brain series of children's books.
• Brandon Flowers - Lead singer of The Killers (He was born in Las Vegas and raised in Nephi, Utah.)
• Jake Garn - Former U.S. Senator and one-time astronaut.
• John Gilbert - Silent-film actor.
• John D. Lee- Early Mormon Church leader. The only man convicted in the Mountain Meadows Massacre.
• Orrin Hatch - U.S. Senator
• Jon Huntsman, Sr. - Business person, philanthropist.
• Jewel - Musician, author.
• Chad Lewis - NFL player
• Maddox - Internet satirist and author of The Best Page In The Universe and The Alphabet of Manliness.
• John Willard Marriott - Founder of a worldwide hotel business Marriott International, Inc..
• Bert McCracken - Lead singer of The Used, he wss raised in Utah and moved out of state at age 18.
• Larry H. Miller - Business person, philanthropist.
• Merlin Olsen - Former National Football League player and actor.
• Donny Osmond - Singer, actor, former talk-show host.
• Marie Osmond - Singer, actress, business person.
• The Osmonds - Show business family and former pop-music group.
• Neil Papiano - Internationally prominent Los Angeles lawyer
• Kim Peek - The world renowned savant The title character of "Rain Man" was modeled after him.
• Robert Redford - Actor, director, movie producer, environmentalist, philanthropist
• Cael Sanderson - Four-time NCAA champion wrestler, 2004 Olympic Gold Medal winner, and current wrestling coach of his alma-mater, Iowa State. He grew up in Heber City.
• Brent Scowcroft - National Security Advisor to Presidents Gerald Ford and George H. W. Bush.
• SheDaisy - Country music group. All 3 members were born in Utah.
• Branden Steineckert - Drummer of Rancid and ex-drummer of The Used. He was born in Idaho, but raised in Utah from an early age and currently lives in the state.
• Mack Swain - Vaudeville performer and silent-film actor.
• The band The Used was formed in Utah; all current members were born there.
• Mike Weir - Professional golfer.
• Scott Wolf - Actor.
• James Woods - Born in Vernal, Utah. A well renowned actor, appearing in several major motion pictures, including Casino and in many high profile videogames, including Grand Theft Auto San Andreas.
• Loretta Young - Actress
• Mahonri Young - Sculptor and artist.
• Steve Young - Hall of Fame quarterback for San Francisco 49ers, won NFL's Most Valuable Player award 1992 and 1994, direct descendant of Brigham Young.
• David Zabriskie cyclist, stage winner in all three grand tours, yellow jersey holder, national TT champion

• Of notable interest: the band, Utah Saints. is not from Utah, but from Leeds, England.

Branding

The state of Utah relies heavily on the income of tourists and travelers who take advantage of the state's ski resorts and natural beauty. As such, Utah has sought a slogan with which to "brand" itself as an attraction worldwide. From this phenomena several state slogans have arisen, the most famous of which is "The Greatest Snow on Earth," which first appeared in 1962. Utah adopted the phrase officially in 1975, and it now adorns nearly half of the state's license plates. In 2001, Utah Governor Mike Leavitt approved a new state slogan, "Utah! Where Ideas Connect," which lasted until March 10, 2006, when the Utah Travel Council and the office of Governor Jon Huntsman announced that "Life Elevated" would be the new state slogan.

In entertainment

Locales in Utah provide the settings of or the filming locations for many books, films, and television series. The following list provides some examples.

Books

• Harry Turtledove's Timeline-191, which is set in a North American scene in which the South won the Civil War, mentions Utah several times. According to the story, the state's Mormon population rebels against the Federal Government of the United States in an attempt to create the Nation of Deseret throughout the series. This scenario results in battles in and around Salt Lake City, Provo, and other locations.
• In Around the World in Eighty Days, the characters travel through Utah by train.
• The children's series The Great Brain is set in a fictional town modeled after Price, Utah.
• Edward Abbey's The Monkey Wrench Gang takes place in Southern Utah and Northern Arizona. The characters' ultimate goal is to destroy the Glen Canyon Dam.

Film

• SLC Punk! takes place in Salt Lake City.
• Broken Arrow was filmed in Moab.
• Some scenes in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade were filmed in Moab.
• Scenes from Dumb and Dumber were filmed in Utah.
• High School Musical was shot at the East High School.
• Footloose was shot in Payson and Lehi.
• Three O'Clock High was shot at Ogden High School.
• Con Air
• Drive Me Crazywas shot at Ogden High School.
• Carnival of Souls
• The Cheyenne Social Club
• Harry in Your Pocket
• Head, (The Monkees)
• The World's Fastest Indian
• Jeremiah Johnson
• Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
• The Eiger Sanction
• The Electric Horseman
• The Car
• The House of Seven Corpses
• Airport 1975
• 2001: A Space Odyssey
• Easy Rider
• Electra Glide in Blue
• How the West Was Won
• Stagecoach (film)
• The Trial of Billy Jack
• Windtalkers
• National Lampoon's Vacation
• Rio Grande, (John Wayne, John Ford)
• Mission: Impossible
• Octopussy
• Thelma & Louise filmed in Moab, near Arches National Park and Dead Horse Point Park
• The Sandlot was filmed in Ogden.
• Galaxy Quest
• Some parts of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest and Pirates of the Caribbean: At World's End were shot at the Salt Flats.
• The scenes involving the Charlotte in National Treasure were shot in Utah.
• Utah was driven through and mentioned in "Anywhere but Here"
• Mobsters and Mormons

Television

• In the Doctor Who episode "Dalek," Utah was the base of operations for the fictional character Henry van Statten.
• In Prison Break, D.B. Cooper buried his money under a silo in the Utah desert, near Tooele. In much of the first half of the second season, the characters attempt to reach Utah and recover the money.
• In the series The Visitor, the main character's spaceship was shot down and crash-landed in the mountains east of Salt Lake City.
• Everwood was filmed in Ogden and South Salt Lake.
• Regular production for Touched by an Angel was based in Salt Lake City.
• Big Love, an HBO television drama about a polygamous family, is set in Utah.

See also

Utah Portal

Utah Portal

• Moab Jeep Safari
• Mormon Corridor
• Mormon Miracle Pageant
• Mormon Tabernacle Choir
• Mountain peaks of the Rocky Mountains
• Music of Utah
• Scouting in Utah
• Sundance Film Festival
• Utah Highway Patrol
• Utah Jazz
• Utah Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City
• Utah Symphony Orchestra, which performs in Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City

External links

• Utah History to go
• Utah History for kids
• State of Utah official Web site
• Beehive Report - Utah news sources.
• Utah Office of Tourism
• Wilderness Utah- Hiking and Backpacking in Utah
• Utah State Chamber of Commerce
• USGS real-time, geographic, and other scientific resources of Utah
• Utah QuickFacts from the U.S. Census Bureau
• Mountain Bike Trails in Utah
• Full text of the Utah state constitution
• Utah State Facts
• Utah Ski and Snowboard Areas on SnowGuide.org
• Envision Ogden — Northern Utah Outdoor Recreation guide
• UtahSearch - Links to Utah official sites

	State of Utah Salt Lake City (capital)
Topics	Cities | Counties | Flag | Flower | Governors | Portal | Song
Regions	Cache Valley | Colorado Plateau | Dixie | Great Basin | Great Salt Lake | Great Salt Lake Desert | Mojave Desert | Monument Valley | San Rafael Swell | Uinta Mountains | Wasatch Back | Wasatch Front | Wasatch Range
Largest Cities	American Fork | Bountiful | Cedar City | Clearfield | Cottonwood Heights | Draper | Holladay | Kaysville | Layton | Lehi | Logan | Midvale | Murray | Ogden | Orem | Pleasant Grove | Provo | Riverton | Roy | St. George | Salt Lake City | Sandy | South Jordan | South Salt Lake | Spanish Fork | Springville | Taylorsville | Tooele | West Jordan | West Valley City
Counties	Beaver | Box Elder | Cache | Carbon | Daggett | Davis | Duchesne | Emery | Garfield | Grand | Iron | Juab | Kane | Millard | Morgan | Piute | Rich | Salt Lake | San Juan | Sanpete | Sevier | Summit | Tooele | Uintah | Utah | Wasatch | Washington | Wayne | Weber
Attractions	Arches National Park | Bonneville Salt Flats | Bryce Canyon National Park | Canyonlands National Park | Capitol Reef National Park | Great Salt Lake | Ski Areas | Sundance Film Festival | Temple Square | Utah Shakespearean Festival | Zion National Park

Political divisions of the United States

States Alabama | Alaska | Arizona | Arkansas | California | Colorado | Connecticut | Delaware | Florida | Georgia | Hawaii | Idaho | Illinois | Indiana | Iowa | Kansas | Kentucky | Louisiana | Maine | Maryland | Massachusetts | Michigan | Minnesota | Mississippi | Missouri | Montana | Nebraska | Nevada | New Hampshire | New Jersey | New Mexico | New York | North Carolina | North Dakota | Ohio | Oklahoma | Oregon | Pennsylvania | Rhode Island | South Carolina | South Dakota | Tennessee | Texas | Utah | Vermont | Virginia | Washington | West Virginia | Wisconsin | Wyoming Federal district District of Columbia Insular areas American Samoa | Baker Island | Guam | Howland Island | Jarvis Island | Johnston Atoll | Kingman Reef | Midway Atoll | Navassa Island | Northern Mariana Islands | Palmyra Atoll | Puerto Rico | Virgin Islands | Wake Island

Credits

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• Utah  ^history

The history of this article since it was imported to New World Encyclopedia:

• History of "Utah"

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