UTAH: THE BEEHIVE STATE
BY CLAY
LARROY
The preparation for a vacation is almost as
exhilarating as the vacation itself. I love printing out the tickets and
confirmations while thinking about how much fun I will have on vacation. I
enjoy researching all the sights at the location I will see once I arrive at my
destination. When you want to plan a
vacation contact me!
Utah
Travel Guide
Utah
history, language & culture
The first inhabitants of
Utah can be traced back 12,000 years ago when the Palaeolithic people lived
near the marshes of the Great Basin. Spanish explorers and fur trappers passed
through in route to the California coast but until 1847 when the Mormon
pioneers arrived, the area was home to Native American groups such as the
Northern Shoshone and Navajo tribes.
After seeing no permanent
Indian settlements in Salt Lake Valley, the members of The Church of Jesus Christ
of Latter-day Saints, popularly known as Mormons, set up their community. At
that time, the land was owned by Mexico, but after losing the Mexican-American
war, Mexico signed the Treaty of Guadeloupe Hidalgo which ceded this land to
the US. Conflict with the Shoshone Indians over recompense for the lands taken,
arose but their claims were rejected.
Previous petitions for
statehood having been rejected, in 1850 the Utah Territory was created with the
Compromise of 1850. But tension grew between the federal government and the
Mormons when in 1854 the polygamous practices of the Mormons became public.
Many saw this as rebellious and un-American, and this became another obstacle
to obtaining statehood, with federal laws against polyamory issued during the 1870s
and 1880s.
Due to its geographic
position, Utah was not heavily involved in the Civil War. However tensions
arose between the Indians and the few soldiers stationed in the area, as the US
tried to gain more land and in 1863 the Bear River Massacre saw the US army
kill between 200 and 400 Shoshone Indians. Two years later, the seven-year
Black Hawk War began, which consisted of 150 battles between the local and
federal militia and several Indian tribes.
Utah was one of the first
states to grant women suffrage in 1870, second to Wyoming. The vote came to
Utah women effortlessly as it was solely promoted by men who were ex-members of
the Mormon Church and anti-polygamous advocates for women's suffrage in the
east. However their suffrage was repealed by the Edmunds-Tucker Act, a national
effort to rid the territory of polygamy by fining anyone who practiced it and
imprisoning them up to five years. The right to vote was finally restored in
1895, five years after the 1890 Manifesto in which the Mormons agreed to drop
its approval of polygamy. A year later, the federal government finally granted
the territory statehood as long as they included a ban on polygamy in their
state constitution.
During the late 20th century, Utah's economy boomed as the
area became recognized for its natural beauty and national parks were
established. As the location of many hit films, like 2001: A Space Odyssey and Forrest Gump, Utah has seen a large boost in tourism,
particularly for winter sports and its profile was raised even more with the
hosting of the 2002 Winter Olympics.
Things
to see and do in Utah
Moab
Moab is a great base for
exploring Utah's southeast. The town boasts the Hole 'n the Rock, a 14-room
house carved out of a sandstone cliff; the Dan O'Laurie Museum; and Pale Creek
Ranch, which offers trail rides into the La Sal Mountains.
Museum of Church
History and Art
Tour the Museum of Church
History and Art in Salt Lake City, and find Mormon historical memorabilia, fine
art sculptures and paintings.
Ride the Snowbird Tram
Ride the year-round
Snowbird Tram (www.snowbird.com) that rises 870m (2,854ft) to the
top of the 3,300m (10,827ft) Hidden Peak with its 360-degree view of Utah's
mountain ranges and valleys.
Salt Lake City
Explore Salt Lake City (www.visitsaltlake.com).
The city is a thriving modern city whose proximity to the mountains and lakes
makes it a popular base for outdoor enthusiasts. The city is also the spiritual
center of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and home to the
Mormon Tabernacle Choir.
Salt Lake Temple
See Salt Lake Temple (www.ldschurchtemples.com).
The temple occupies a full city block in Salt Lake City. It houses the Mormon
Tabernacle, Assembly Hall, various statues, monuments and two visitor centers.
Skiing
Utah has a good selection
of ski resorts, seven of which are less than an hour's drive from Salt Lake
City. These include Alta Ski Resort (www.alta.com),
Beaver Mountain (www.skithebeav.com), Snowbird Ski and Summer Resort
(www.snowbird.com),
Park City Mountain Resort (www.parkcitymountain.com),
The Canyons (www.thecanyons.com), and Deer Valley Resort (www.deervalley.com).
Seven snowmobile complexes are located across the state, linking hundreds of
miles of trail systems.
Timpanogos Cave
National Monument
Explore the Timpanogos
Cave National Monument on the north slope of Mount Timpanogos. The monument's
cave systems consist of three spectacularly decorated caves.
Visit Utah's parks
Experience the natural
scenic wonders of the Wasatch-Cache National Forest , the East Canyon State
Park the Willard Bay State Park, the Lost Creek State Park and the Antelope
Island State Park. Take the family through Bryce Canyon National Park; the park
shows thousands of delicately carved spires rising in brilliant colors from amphitheaters.
Explore the Canyonland National Park, which is divided, into three sections by
the Green and Colorado rivers.
Zion National Park
Visit one of the nation's
oldest national parks. The park has over 593 sq km (229 sq miles) of canyons
and soaring cliffs.
REFERENCE SITES:
Snowboarding! I love it! Some
of the best places to snowboard are Telluride and Park Cities, Utah.
Bridget Hall
Travel to create
marvelous memories for you and your family or friends!
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