Schmap Salt Lake City Historical Background

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Salt Lake City - Historical Background
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Salt Lake City Home
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Salt Lake City was founded on July 24, 1847 by a group of approximately 150 Mormon pioneers. Of course, people had been living in the region for centuries. In fact, as the United States was declaring its independence in 1776, Catholic fathers and the explorers Dominguez and Escalante were documenting Utah's geography and people. Ancient indigenous people, the ancestors of the Ute and Navajo tribes, are reported to have been in the area from approximately 1 A.D. to 1300 A.D. Spanish explorers and Mexican traders followed Escalante and Dominguez in the 18th century. Mountain men and trappers arrived to exploit Utah's abundant wildlife during the 1820s.

Mormon pioneers began arriving in 1847, and over the course of that year nearly 2,000 migrated to the Salt Lake Valley in search of religious freedom. The pioneers faced much adversity as they established their community. In 1848 a late frost, drought and a plague of crickets nearly destroyed the settlers' harvest. Flocks of seagulls from the Great Salt Lake consumed the insects and enough crops were saved to ensure the pioneers would survive the harsh Utah winter.

"City of Saints"

The University of Utah was established in 1850. The famous California Gold Rush of 1849-50 also brought many settlers to the area, who, after a harsh crossing through the unforgiving Rockies, were not willing to cross the desert to get all the way to California. In 1853, construction began on Temple Square with granite quarried from nearby canyons and hauled by ox and wagon to the building site. The structure took forty years to complete. By the time the first transcontinental railroad was completed in 1869 at Promontory Point (approximately 80 miles north of Salt Lake City), Utah, or as the Mormons called it, The State of Deseret, had a population of more than 60,000 Mormons. Thousands of soldiers, miners, ranchers and merchants followed. The completion of the transcontinental railroad also brought many of Utah's first tourists who were determined to see this new "City of Saints." In 1896, Utah became the 45th state admitted to the Union.

Modern Characters

The modern character of Salt Lake City began to evolve in the early 1900s. The Utah State Capitol Building and many other extant buildings rose on the shores of the Great Salt Lake. Electric trolleys, operating from what is now Trolley Square, transported people living in the outlying regions of Sugarhouse, Liberty Park and The Avenues. The Eagle Gate that had served to mark the entrance to Brigham Young's estate was reconstructed to allow traffic flow into the city. Parks, sewer systems and street lighting were put in place. It was a prosperous time in Deseret, and its people made the most of it.

Copper, silver, gold, coal and lead mines were opened throughout the state, and silver became king. Many of the city's most graceful mansions were constructed by those early mining tycoons and remain as examples of this opulent time in the state's history. The population of Salt Lake City tripled in the first decades of the 20th century. Although the Great Depression slowed the area's growth, the numerous defense installations and manufacturing concerns that were developed to meet the demands of World War II revitalized the economy. Hill Air Force Base (approximately 30 miles north of Salt Lake City) is still an active and important part of northern Utah's economy. A number of corporate entities that got their start during World War II and in the post-war years, and such organizations as Hercules, Cordant Technologies (formerly Thiokol) and UNISYS have maintained an important presence in Utah for the past 40 years. Utah's healthy economy has also attracted a wide variety of national and international companies including Delta Airlines, Intel, American Express and eBay.

Suburbs

As with the rest of the United States, the suburbs around Salt Lake City expanded and developed their own identities in the 1960s and '70s. Today, Sandy, West Valley City, Sugarhouse, Holladay, Murray, Riverton and Draper have become communities unto themselves. The nearby canyon communities and the ski resorts evolved into the world class ski areas good enough to host the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Each ski area, like each section of Salt Lake City itself, has a distinct personality and cachet. For example, Park City is now renowned as the home of the Sundance Film Festival and Deer Valley Resort is one of the world's premier ski resorts. The Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort and Alta Ski Area in Little Cottonwood Canyon also rank among the world's top ski areas and, just over the mountain, Brighton Ski Resort and Solitude Mountain Resort remain local favorites with both skiers and snowboarders. Salt Lake City's UTA buses make runs to the Cottonwood Canyons on an almost constant basis during the ski season.

City of Contrasts

The mountain men and early pioneers would undoubtedly be amazed by what the mountains have become! Because Salt Lake City exists in the shadows of these nearby mountains, it has evolved into a city that is deeply connected to its geography and environment. The Downtown skyline continues to grow, but it is always dwarfed by the mountains to the east and by the desert and the Great Salt Lake to the west. Its history has been one of contrasts, and its future is certain to highlight those contrasts even further.

Copyright 1999-2005 Wcities, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Contact Wcities

Alta Ski Area

Utah's original ski resort

State Highway 210
(P.O. Box 8007)
Salt Lake City, UT 84092
United States
+1 801 359 1078 / +1 801 572 3939
http://www.altaskiarea.com

Proud of its inexpensive lift tickets, long-held ski traditions and ski-anywhere policy, this friendly property is a favorite among Salt Lake City locals. Although snowboarding is not allowed and slower lifts can lengthen holiday lift lines, locals prefer the resort for its high-altitude powder and pine-covered alpine terrain. Beginners praise the high percentage of easy runs, while advanced skiers appreciate the ski-anywhere policy. Check website for prices and further details.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Alta Ski Area photo by Jenna Bales Walker

Photo: Jenna Bales Walker

Photo: skiing311

Photo: David Gleich

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Photo: B.J. Allen

Photo: Eric Partington

Brighton Ski Resort

Family focused fun Hwy 190 Star Route
(at Big Cottonwood Canyon)
Salt Lake City, UT 84121
United States
+1 801 532 4731 / +1 801 873 5512
http://www.skibrighton.com Located just 25 miles southeast of the city, this Cottonwood Canyon resort bills itself as a family-friendly resort. Catering to young families and snowboarding enthusiasts, the property's low lift pass prices, high altitude and 500 inches-per-year snowfall average keeps its runs busy. A half-pipe is available, night skiing is offered, and adapted skiing lessons are available for disabled skiers. Check website for prices and further details.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: scott185
Photo: Greg Ericksen

Deer Valley Resort

Park City's poshest resort P.O. Box 1525
Salt Lake City, UT 84060
United States
+1 435 649 1000 / +1 435 558 3337
http://www.deervalley.com With the highest lift rates in Utah and more than 500 acres of snowmaking capability, this ranks among the finest ski areas in the United States. Guests arriving by car are greeted by porters who tote skis to racks so that skiers can park and dress unencumbered. No snowboarding is allowed, but childcare and adapted ski lessons are available. Check website for prices and further details.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Amanda S.

Downtown

Salt Lake City
United States
The downtown area is a mixture of contrasts that situates the most modern of sports arenas, the Delta Center, across the street from the Devereaux Mansion (a fine old Victorian mansion that is now a restaurant). The stately Temple Square is flanked by high-rise office buildings and the modern Crossroads Plaza shopping center. Brigham Young's Beehive House creates a 19th-century oasis across the street from 21st-century office towers. Arranged on a logical grid pattern with Temple Square at its center, all addresses in the city can be found with little effort. Salt Lake City has been described as "visionary, vibrant, and vigorous." Business and tourism are the lifeblood of the city, but between the office buildings lay the cultural and entertainment centers that present numerous diversions at the end of the business or ski day.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Eagle Gate

Official entrance of the city State Street & South Temple
Salt Lake City, UT 84111
United States
Visitors to the area may be suprised when they find themselves driving under this great 76-foot arch with a 4,000 pound eagle on top. The eagle gate has rested on State Street and South Temple since it was built in 1859. Originally, it served as the entrance to Brigham Young's property and led beyond that to City Creek Canyon. Now it is merely a reminder of simpler times in Salt Lake and of course, the prosperity of the Mormon pioneers.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Snowbird Ski & Summer Resort

All-season mountain fun Little Cottonwood Canyon
(P.O. Box 929000)
Salt Lake City, UT 84092
United States
+1 800 385 2002 / +1 800 933 2100 (Snow Report)
http://www.snowbird.com The lodge facilities are the most comprehensive in the Cottonwoods, with meeting rooms, a variety of shops and an extra large dining patio featuring popular mid-day barbeques. The Wasatch Range's largest gondola totes guests up the mountain to 89 runs tha t encompass 1,800 skiable acres and span a 3,240-foot total vertical drop. Runs wind through impressive alpine terrain and drop over the backside of the mountain into Mineral Basin. Check website for prices and further details.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Solitude Mountain Resort

A peaceful Cottonwood Canyon retreat 12000 Big Cottonwood Canyon
Salt Lake City, UT 84121
United States
+1 801 534 1400 / +1 801 748 4754 / +1 801 536 5777 (Snow Report)
http://www.skisolitude.com More than 60 runs, 1,200 acres of skiable terrain, night skiing and 90 acres of snowmaking capability make this little resort popular with locals. Savvy tourists come for the newly developed lodging designed after the ski hamlets of the European Alps. A few shops, a ski school, fine dining establishments are available activities. Check website for prices and further details.

Review © 2007, Wcities

Photo: Gregory Scher
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Temple Square

Serene gardens and majestic buildings 50 West North Temple
Salt Lake City, UT 84101
United States
+1 801 240 3323 The world renowned Mormon Tabernacle Choir broadcasts its program "Music and The Spoken Word" from the historic tabernacle. Friendly guides give tours of the tabernacle and grounds, including dropping a pin at the pulpit to demonstrate the amazing acoustics. The architecture of both buildings has been nationally recognized, as has the tabernacle organ, which boasts more than 11,000 pipes and is the 12th largest in the world. Concerts of many types regularly occur in the tabernacle and adjacent assembly hall. Admission to these attractions and the square itself, is free.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Trolley Square

Utah's most unique mall 602 East 500 South
Salt Lake City, UT 84102
United States
+1 801 521 9877 This unique collection of shops is housed in a renovated, turn-of-the-century trolley barn. Brick pathways wind through trendy shopes like Williams-Sonoma, Gap, Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware, and Banana Republic. Featured restaurants include Tony Roma's, Desert Edge Brewery at the Pub, Rodizio Grill, and a Hard Rock Cafe adds nightlife. This is the place with everything, the convenience of a mall, but the atmosphere of a specialty boutique. Wander through the maze of cobblestone and enjoy the shopping experience.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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University of Utah

Salt Lake City
United States
The university district and the university itself offer a number of delights. On the campus of the University of Utah are the Utah Museum of Natural History and the Utah Museum of Fine Arts. Newly remodeled Kingsbury Hall is a concert and performance venue that is a special pleasure for jazz performances, dance productions and theatre. The University's Huntsman Center hosts the sporting exhibitions of the University of Utah Utes, while the nearby Red Butte Gardens is a four-season experience that, once again, integrates the city with Utah's diverse natural environment.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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Utah State Capitol Building

Renaissance revival architectural gem 300 North State Street
(on Capitol Hill)
Salt Lake City, UT 84114
United States
Utah's capitol building cost what was considered the amazing sum of USD2.7 million dollars to construct. Its rotunda reaches 165 feet and presides over an interior of marble noted for its light color and design. Massive Ionic columns, each carved from a single piece of marble, are thought to be the largest solid marble columns in the United States. Epic paintings around the arches and the rotunda represent Brigham Young and the Mormon pioneers. No admission fee.

Review © 2007, Wcities

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