Mormon Church Salt Lake City Utah 1932 Photo - Latter Day Sints - Vintage

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Seller: memorabilia111 ✉️ (808) 100%, Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan, US, Ships to: US & many other countries, Item: 176284773204 MORMON CHURCH SALT LAKE CITY UTAH 1932 PHOTO - LATTER DAY SINTS - VINTAGE . A VINTAGE APPROXIMATELY 5.5X7.5  INCH PHOTO FROM C1930 DEPICTING
Upon completion, temples are usually open to the public for a short period of time (an "open house"). During the open house, the church conducts tours of the temple with missionaries and members from the local area serving as tour guides, and all rooms of the temple are open to the public. The temple is then dedicated as a "House of the Lord", after which only members who are deemed worthy are permitted entrance. They are not churches or meetinghouses designated for public weekly worship services, but rather are places of worship open only to the faithful where certain rites of the church must be performed.[1] There are 165 dedicated temples (153 currently open; and 9 previously dedicated, but closed for renovation), 15 under construction, and 29 announced (not yet under construction), for a total of 209. At present, there are temples in many U.S. states, as well as in many countries across the world. Several temples are at historical sites of the LDS Church, such as Nauvoo, Illinois, Palmyra, New York, and Salt Lake City, Utah. The importance of temples is often emphasized in weekly meetings, and regular participation in "temple work" is strongly encouraged for all Latter-day Saints (LDS). Within temples, members of the church make covenants, receive instructions, and perform sacred ceremonies and ordinances, such as baptism for the dead, washing and anointing (or "initiatory" ordinances), the endowment, and eternal marriage sealings. Ordinances are a vital part of the theology of the church, which teaches that they were practiced by the Lord's covenant people in all dispensations. Additionally, members consider the temple a place to commune with God, seek God's aid, understand the will of God, and receive personal revelation. LDS temple construction reached an all-time high in 2000. As of March 2016, there are 150 operating temples.[2][3] Chart of temple construction as of June 2019 Contents 1 History 1.1 Biblical references 1.2 Latter-day temples 2 Purposes 3 Symbolism in the temple 4 Temple ordinances 5 Entrance requirements 5.1 Worthiness interview 5.2 History of interview questions 5.3 Types of recommends 5.4 Emergency access 6 Temple weddings 7 See also 8 Notes 9 References 10 Further reading 11 External links History ••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••■   Operating   Construction   Announced   Closed   Suspended   Historic Site   Wasatch Front, Utah area temples Biblical references Latter Day Saints cite various Old Testament references to temple ordinances such as those found in Exodus 29:4–9, Exodus 28:2–43 and Leviticus 8:6–13. The words "HOLINESS TO THE LORD" can be found on LDS temples as referenced in Exodus 28:36.[4] Likewise the Tabernacle was considered a "portable temple" by the children of Israel in the Old Testament.[5] Latter-day temples The first Latter-day Saint temple ceremonies were performed in Kirtland, Ohio, but differed significantly from the endowment performed on the second floor of Joseph Smith's Red Brick Store in Nauvoo, Illinois, and the Nauvoo Temple. Kirtland ordinances included washings and anointings (differing in many ways from the modern portion) and the washing of the feet ordinance. For nearly four years, beginning in 1842, Smith's Red Brick Store functioned as a de facto temple—the site of the first washings, anointings, endowments, and sealings. In contrast, the grand edifice known as the Nauvoo Temple was in operation for only two months before the Latter Day Saints left Illinois for the West. Preparations to initiate the first members of Smith's Quorum of the Anointed,[6] or Holy Order, as it was also known, were made on May 3, 1842. The walls of the second level of the Red Brick Store were painted with garden-themed murals, the rooms fitted with carpets, potted plants, and a veil hung from the ceiling. All the while, the ground level continued to operate as Smith’s general mercantile. After the early events of the succession crisis, Brigham Young assumed control of the church's headquarters at Nauvoo, Illinois. While he and the rest of the Quorum of the Twelve made contingency plans for abandoning the city, he may have hoped that it would not prove necessary. For example, in early 1845, Young convened a conference at the Norwegian colony at Norway, Illinois, and announced a plan to build a Latter-day Saint town there with a temple for the use of the Norwegian Latter Day Saints.[citation needed] Meanwhile, Young urged the Latter-day Saints in Nauvoo to redouble their efforts to finish the temple. By the end of 1845, the building was sufficiently finished to allow temple ordinances to be performed. Ordinances continued to be performed in early 1846 as the Mormons were forced to abandon the city. A small crew remained in the city and continued to work on the temple until April 30, 1846, when it was formally dedicated in a private ceremony[7] by Joseph Young,[citation needed] the senior of the Seven Presidents of the Seventy. It was used for three months, then abandoned in late summer 1846. The completed temple was eventually destroyed by fire, and the remaining structure was later demolished by a whirlwind. The Frankfurt Germany Temple Upon reaching the Great Basin, Brigham Young began to build settlements based on the City of Zion plan and designated four of these to contain temples: Salt Lake City (1847), St. George (1871), Manti (1875), and Logan (1877). The St. George Temple was the first to be completed in 1877, followed by Logan (1884) and Manti (1888). The Salt Lake Temple took 40 years to complete because of various setbacks and delays. It was dedicated in 1893. Latter-day Saint temple building halted until the presidency of Joseph F. Smith, who announced two additional temples: Cardston, Alberta (1913), and Lāʻie, Hawaiʻi (1915). Cardston became the first Latter-day Saint temple dedicated outside of the United States. Smith broke with the previous tradition (established since Kirtland) of building temples with upper and lower courts. Temples previously had been ever larger, but the Laie Hawaii Temple was smaller than the Nauvoo Temple had been. Both Cardston and Laie were dedicated under church president Heber J. Grant, as was a temple in Mesa, Arizona. George Albert Smith dedicated the next temple in Idaho Falls, Idaho. David O. McKay dedicated five additional temples including one in Bern, Switzerland—which was the first temple dedicated in Europe and the first temple to use film recording of the endowment rather than live actors. Joseph Fielding Smith dedicated a temple in Ogden, Utah and Harold B. Lee dedicated its twin in Provo, Utah. The Logan Utah Temple Spencer W. Kimball began a plan to build many more smaller temples according to standardized plans. Twenty-one temples were dedicated during his presidency, including the tiny Papeete Tahiti Temple—which has a floorspace of less than 10,000 square feet (900 m²). This trend has continued. Nine additional temples were dedicated in the presidency of Ezra Taft Benson and two in the brief presidency of Howard W. Hunter. Under church president Gordon B. Hinckley, the church dedicated 77 temples. In 1997, Hinckley introduced a standardized, smaller temple plan designed to bring temple services to smaller or remote congregations at a reduced cost. The first of this new generation of temples was completed in 1998 with the Monticello Utah Temple. The original plan called for 6,800 square feet (630 m2), later increased to 10,700 square feet (990 m2). Subsequent revisions to the standard design further increased the size and complexity of the temples. The majority of the temples dedicated under Hinckley's tenure were of the smaller design, but one particularly noteworthy achievement was the rebuilding of the temple in Nauvoo, Illinois, known as the Nauvoo Illinois Temple. Hinckely's successor, Thomas S. Monson, dedicated 26 temples during his time as church president. His counselors in the First Presidency also dedicated a number of temples during Monson's administration. As of October 2018, Monson's successor and current church president, Russell M. Nelson, has dedicated the Concepción Chile Temple. There are 165 dedicated temples (153 currently open; and 9 previously dedicated, but closed for renovation), 15 under construction, and 29 announced (not yet under construction), for a total of 209. The spires of the Salt Lake Temple at night Purposes Temples have a different purpose from LDS meetinghouses.[1] Today, temples serve two main purposes: (1) Temples are locations in which worthy Latter-day Saints can perform sacred ordinances on behalf of themselves, their deceased ancestors, or unrelated deceased persons whose names are compiled from historical records through the church's Family Record Extraction Program. (2) Temples are considered to be houses of holiness where members can go to commune with God. Ezra Taft Benson, a former church president, taught: When I have been weighed down by a problem or a difficulty, I have gone to the House of the Lord with a prayer in my heart for answers. These answers have come in clear and unmistakable ways.[8] Such personal revelation can be received as needed, but many feel that it is easier to receive such revelation in a temple. Symbolism in the temple Main article: Temple architecture (Latter-day Saints) A doorknob of the Salt Lake Temple bearing an image of a beehive and carrying the inscription, "Holiness to the Lord" Further information: Mormonism and Freemasonry Many things in the temple are considered to be symbolic, from the clothing worn (those who attend the temple dress in white, a symbol of purity), to the architecture of the building and rooms, to the ceremonies themselves.[citation needed] Latter-day Saint temples are constructed with several symbolic elements meant to represent their religious theology. Each temple has the words "Holiness to the Lord" inscribed on it, the same inscription on the Old Testament Temple of Solomon.[citation needed] Most temples are built facing east, the direction from which Jesus Christ is prophesied to return.[citation needed] The spires and towers on the east end of multi-spired temples are elevated higher than spires and towers on the west side for this same reason, and to represent the Melchizedek, or higher, priesthood. Some temples, such as Salt Lake, Chicago, and Washington D.C., have triple spires on each side of the temple representing three different offices in both the Melchizedek and Aaronic priesthood.[9] Stones carved with sun, moon, and earth or star designs are placed in ascending order around the Salt Lake Temple façade to represent the Latter-day Saint belief in a celestial, terrestrial, and telestial kingdom, or three degrees of glory, in the afterlife. However, they are arranged using the description of the woman found in Revelation 12:1 which says "And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars." A statue of the Angel Moroni, stands atop most temples built after the Salt Lake Temple. The statue design represents the Latter-day Saint belief that Moroni was the angel spoken of in Revelation 14.[10] Temple ordinances The Laie Hawaii Temple is the fifth oldest Latter-day Saint temple and the first built outside the North American continent. It is also one of three temples designed to look like Solomon's Temple in scripture and one of the few temples without spires. Main article: Ordinance (Latter Day Saints) LDS Church members perform rituals (termed ordinances) within temples. They are taught that temple ordinances are essential to achieving the condition of exaltation after the final judgment. They are also taught that a vast number of dead souls exist in a condition termed as spirit prison, and that a dead individual upon whom the temple ordinances are completed will have a chance to be freed of this imprisoning condition. In this framework ordinances are said to be completed on behalf of either the participant, or a dead individual the same sex as the participant ("on behalf of the dead" or "by proxy"). Ordinances performed in the temple include: Baptism and confirmation on behalf of the dead Melchizedek priesthood ordination on behalf of the dead Washing and anointing (also known as the "Initiatory" ordinances) The endowment sealing ordinances (for opposite-sex couples and for parents and their children) Most ordinances are performed by proxy only on participants who have already completed the ordinance. Similarly, most ordinances are completed only one time for a participant in a lifetime and all subsequent temple ordinance participation is seen as acting for a dead individual. Baptism, confirmation, and priesthood ordination are usually performed in temples only when on behalf of the dead. The initiatory, endowment, and sealing ceremonies are today performed only within a temple. The sealing ordinance can be performed on behalf of dead couples; so long as the two living participants are of opposite sex they need not be married. It is also performed on behalf of living couples who wish to be legally married. In this manner, the ordinance is typically performed as a celestial marriage, with the idea the marriage bond lasts after their death, or for "time and all eternity". A "time only" modification can be made to the ordinance, such as when the surviving widow of a celestial marriage wishes to legally remarry.[11] If children were born to the couple prior to the couple's sealing ceremony, the parents and the children may also be sealed together to form an eternal family unit. Children born to a couple after the sealing ceremony are considered to be automatically sealed to the parents, or "born in the covenant". In addition to the ordinances listed above, 19th century temples were host to other ordinances that are no longer practiced such as the baptism for health and baptism for renewal of covenants.[12] In 1922, Heber J. Grant discontinued the practice of baptisms for health in the church. The Second anointing is a rare, but currently practiced ordinance for live participants,[13][14] and (less commonly) vicariously for deceased individuals,[15] though, it is usually only given in absolute secrecy to a small number of members after a lifetime of service.[16] Entrance requirements The Washington D.C. Temple is the 16th Latter-day Saint temple. The Preston England Temple, located outside Chorley, Lancashire, England. The LDS Church booklet "Preparing to Enter the Holy Temple" explains that Latter-day Saints "do not discuss the temple ordinances outside the temples." Further, the booklet states: It was never intended that knowledge of these temple ceremonies would be limited to a select few who would be obliged to ensure that others never learn of them. It is quite the opposite, in fact. With great effort the church urges every soul to qualify and prepare for the temple experience.[17] To enter the temple, an individual must be baptized, and after one year, may seek a temple recommend. The individual is interviewed by his/her bishop, during which the candidate is asked a series of questions to determine worthiness to enter the temple. The individual is also interviewed by his or her stake president. The bishop and stake president sign the recommend, indicating their approval of that member's worthiness. The individual also signs the recommend, acknowledging the responsibility to remain worthy to hold the recommend. A recommend is valid for two years. Worthiness interview Further information: Confession (religion) § Mormonism To qualify for a temple recommend, an LDS Church member must faithfully answer a series of questions which affirm the individual's adherence to essential church doctrine. The questions address the following:[18][19] Faith in and testimony of God the Father, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost. Testimony of the atonement of Jesus Christ. Testimony of the Restoration of the Gospel. Support of the President of the Church and his authority, and other general authorities and local church leaders. Living the law of chastity. Relationships with family members as being in harmony with church teachings. Support for or affiliation with any group or individual with teachings or practices that are not in agreement with church teachings. Making a good faith effort to keep the covenants the individual has made, to attend church meetings and keep their life in harmony with the gospel. Honesty in dealings with others. Paying a full tithe. Keeping the Word of Wisdom. Payment of and keeping current on child support or alimony, if applicable. If already attending the temple, does the individual keep the covenants made in the temple and wear the temple garment "night and day" according to the covenants made in the temple. Making a full confession of any serious sins to church leaders. Regarding oneself worthy to enter the temple and take part in the ordinances within. Further reading Daniel H. Ludlow, ed. (1992). "Interviews". Encyclopedia of Mormonism. Macmillan Publishing Company. p. 697-98. Edward L. Kimball (1996–97). "Confession in LDS Doctrine and Practice". BYU Studies. 36 (2). Edward L. Kimball (1998). "The History of LDS Temple Admission Standards". Journal of Mormon History 24 (1): 135–176. Lee Hale (November 12, 2018). "Why Do Mormon Bishops Talk To Youth About Sex?". KUER's RadioWest. Italic or bold markup not allowed in: |publisher= (help) History of interview questions A list of questions were first introduced in 1857 and used to qualify whether an individual could enter the Endowment House, before the first temple in Utah was built. They reflected the context of the times, including questions about branding an animal that you did not own and using another person's irrigation water.[citation needed] Since then, the temple recommend questions have changed significantly, though less so in recent years. In 1996, the first question about a belief in God, Jesus Christ, and the Holy Ghost was split into three questions. A second question was modified to ask if the member sustained the First Presidency and Quorum of the Twelve as prophets, seers, and revelators. The question about wearing the garments was qualified, added a clause about wearing them as instructed in the temple.[20] In 1999, a simplified question about financial obligations was asked of all members, not just divorced members.[21] In 2012, the question about wearing the garments was slightly modified to clarify that the garments should not be worn separately.[citation needed] Types of recommends The standard Temple Recommend authorizes a member who has been baptized at least one year prior to take part in all temple ordinances and is valid for two years. A Recommend for Living Ordinances is given to individuals who are participating in the endowment for the first time, being sealed to a spouse, or anyone being married in the temple for time only. It may only be used in conjunction with a standard Temple Recommend.[22] A Limited-use Recommend is available to members who have not yet received their endowment or who have not been a member for one year. These may also be issued to a group for a single visit to the temple.[22] These can be issued to youth 12 and older who will take part in specific temple ordinances, to single members age 8–20 who are preparing to be sealed to their parents, or for individuals, not endowed, who wish to observe specific ordinances. The church member must meet the same worthiness standards as a standard temple recommend in an interview with the member's bishop. Unlike the standard temple recommend, a limited-use recommend does not require a year's membership nor an interview with a stake president. A limited-use recommend is only valid for proxy baptisms and confirmation ordinances. Emergency access Those without recommends occasionally need to enter temples after dedication during fires, medical emergencies, or building inspections. They are escorted by temple personnel during such visits. Temples may offer introductory tours to new local firefighters and emergency medical technicians during regularly scheduled maintenance periods.[23] An LDS Temple in Omaha, Nebraska Temple weddings Main articles: Sealing (Mormonism) and Sealing room The LDS temple wedding is a process which culminates in the participation by the couple in a ritual called the sealing ordinance; which involves pronouncing the couple as having a permanent marriage bond which persists even beyond death. This ceremony, among others, is taught as being vital to an individual's and family's exaltation status, following the final judgment. With the sealing ordinance being held inside a temple, only church members in good standing who have a valid temple recommend are permitted to attend the ceremony. In many nations outside the United States, a civil ceremony, where required by the law of the land, has been immediately followed by a temple sealing. However, in the United States, a one-year waiting period between the civil ceremony and a temple sealing was required. In May 2019, to standardize sealing policies on a global scale, church leaders announced an end to the one-year waiting period in most cases, except in relation to converts to the church, who are still required to wait a year after their own confirmation before entering the temple.[24] Receptions after the temple ceremony, or engagement parties before the temple marriage, can be attended by anyone, since they are typically held at locations such as local LDS meetinghouses, homes, other churches, or other public venues. In the Latter Day Saint movement, a temple is a building dedicated to be a house of God and is reserved for special forms of worship. A temple differs from a church meetinghouse, which is used for weekly worship services.[1] Temples have been a significant part of the Latter Day Saint movement since early in its inception. Today, temples are operated by several Latter Day Saint denominations. The most prolific builder of temples of the Latter Day Saint movement is The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). There are 165 dedicated temples (153 currently open; and 9 previously dedicated, but closed for renovation), 15 under construction, and 29 announced (not yet under construction), for a total of 209. Several other variations of the church have built or attempted to build temples. The Community of Christ operates two temples in the United States, which are open to the public and are used for worship services, performances, and religious education.[2] Other denominations with temples are the Apostolic United Brethren, the Church of Christ, the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints and the Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Contents 1 History 2 Purposes 3 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 3.1 History 3.2 Construction 4 Community of Christ 5 Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite) 6 Other denominations with temples 7 Unsuccessful attempts at building temples 8 Performing ordinances in other buildings 9 See also 10 Notes 11 References 12 External links History The Kirtland Temple, owned and maintained by the Community of Christ, was the first temple of the Latter Day Saint movement and the only temple completed in the lifetime of Joseph Smith The Nauvoo Temple: built in 1846, destroyed soon after, and rebuilt in 2002 The Latter Day Saint movement was conceived as a restoration of practices believed to have been lost in a Great Apostasy from the true gospel of Jesus Christ. Temple worship played a prominent role in the Bible's Old Testament, and in the Book of Mormon.[3] On December 27, 1832, two years after the organization of the Church of Christ, the church's founder, Joseph Smith, reported receiving a revelation that called upon church members to restore the practice of temple worship. The Latter Day Saints in Kirtland, Ohio, were commanded to: "Establish a house, even a house of prayer, a house of fasting, a house of faith, a house of learning, a house of glory, a house of order, a house of God."[4] Latter Day Saints see temples as the fulfillment of a prophecy found in Malachi 3:1 (KJV): "Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me; and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the Lord of hosts." It is believed to emphasize that when the Jesus comes again, he will come "to his temple." As plans were drawn up to construct a temple in Kirtland, the decision was made to simultaneously begin work on a second temple at the church's colony in Jackson County, Missouri. Surviving plans indicate that both temples would have the same dimensions and approximately the same appearance and both were to be at the "centerplaces" of cities designed according to Smith's plan for the City of Zion. Conflict in Missouri led to the expulsion of the Mormons from Jackson County, preventing any possibility of building a temple there, but work on the temple in Kirtland continued. At great cost and sacrifice, the Latter Day Saints finished the Kirtland Temple in early 1836. On March 27, they held a lengthy dedication ceremony and numerous spiritual experiences and visitations were reported. Conflict relating to the failure of the church's Kirtland Safety Society bank, caused the church presidency to leave Kirtland and move the church's headquarters to the Mormon settlement of Far West, Missouri. Far West was also platted along the lines of the City of Zion plan and in 1838 the church began construction of a new, larger temple in the center of the town. They may also have dedicated a temple site in the neighboring Mormon settlement of Adam-ondi-Ahman. The events of the 1838 Mormon War and the expulsion of the Mormons from Missouri left these attempts at temple-building no further progressed than excavating foundations. In 1839, the Mormons regrouped at a new headquarters in Nauvoo, Illinois. They were again commanded to build a "House of the Lord"—this one even larger and greater than those that went before. Plans for the temple in Nauvoo followed the earlier models in Kirtland and Independence with lower and upper courts, but the scale was much increased. New conflicts arose that caused Joseph Smith, the prophet and president of the church, to be murdered, along with his brother Hyrum, at Carthage Jail on June 27, 1844. The Nauvoo Temple stood only half finished. Eventually, this temple was finished and dedicated. Some temple ordinances were performed before most of the Latter Day Saints followed Brigham Young west across the Mississippi River. Joseph Smith's death resulted in a succession crisis which divided the movement into different sects. The concept of temple worship evolved separately in many of these sects and until the 1990s only the sects claiming a succession through Brigham Young continued to build new temples. In April 1990, the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church) began to construct the Independence Temple, which was officially dedicated in 1994. The RLDS Church—now called the Community of Christ—owns the Kirtland Temple, which is used for worship services and special events but also open to visitors, including various Latter Day Saint denominations interested in the building's historical significance. Purposes Temple in Salt Lake City on "Temple Square" circa 1897 The Mesa Arizona Temple built in 1919 Temples have held numerous purposes in the Latter Day Saint movement, both historically and their differing expressions today. These purposes include: A House of the Lord — Joseph Smith reported a revelation in 1836 explaining that the recently dedicated Kirtland Temple was built "that the Son of Man might have a place to manifest himself to his people." (Doctrine and Covenants LDS 109:5). All Latter Day Saint denominations with temples still consider temples to be special houses of the Lord. A House of Learning — The Kirtland Temple housed the "School of the Prophets." Center of the City of Zion — Latter Day Saints often view temples as central to the establishment of Zionic communities. Examples include: the Kirtland Temple, the original (unfinished) Independence Temple, the (unfinished) Far West Temple, the (unfinished) Adam-ondi-Ahman Temple, the original Nauvoo Temple, the Salt Lake Temple, the St. George Utah Temple, the Mesa Arizona Temple, the Laie Hawaii Temple, and others. Headquarters of the church — the Kirtland Temple served as the headquarters of the early church from its completion in 1836 through the end of 1837. Sacred spaces for special ordinances — Beginning in Nauvoo, temples were spaces in which to perform special ordinances such as the endowment and baptism for the dead — see Ordinance (Mormonism). The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Columbus Ohio Temple, an example of smaller temples built under Hinckley's direction The Preston Temple in the United Kingdom in February 2009. Main article: Temple (LDS Church) See also: List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) has been the most prolific builder of temples in the Latter Day Saint movement. There are 165 dedicated temples (153 currently open; and 9 previously dedicated, but closed for renovation), 15 under construction, and 29 announced (not yet under construction), for a total of 209. In the LDS Church, temples are not only a House of the Lord, but are also where members of the church make covenants and perform sacred ordinances such as baptism for the dead, washing and anointing (or "initiatory" ordinances), the endowment, and eternal marriage sealings.[5] Ordinances are a vital part of the theology of the church, which teaches that they were practiced by God's covenant people in all dispensations. Additionally, members consider the temple a place to commune with God, seek God's aid, understand the will of God, and receive personal revelation. Upon completion (or after the completion of significant renovations), temples are open to the public for a period of time (an "open house"). During the open house, the church conducts tours of the temple with missionaries and members from the local area serving as tour guides, and all rooms of the temple are open to the public. The temple is then dedicated as a "House of the Lord," after which only members in good standing are permitted entrance. Thus, in the LDS Church, temples are not churches or meetinghouses but rather places of more consecrated worship. History In 1832, shortly after the formation of the church, Joseph Smith said that the Lord desired the Latter Day Saints build a temple;[6] and they completed the Kirtland Temple in 1836. Differing from other churches in the Latter Day Saint tradition, members feel that the first endowment ceremonies were performed in Kirtland, Ohio, although the endowment performed in Kirtland differed significantly from the endowment performed by Smith in Nauvoo. The construction of the Nauvoo Temple and the teaching of the full endowment by Smith are seen as the final steps in restoring the church founded by Jesus Christ following the Great Apostasy. Because it is an integral part of their worship, Mormon pioneers, upon arriving in the Salt Lake Valley, began plans to build temples there, and built the Endowment House to allow members to receive the endowment until the temples were completed. Construction Initially, the church constructed temples in areas where there were large concentrations of members: Utah, Idaho, Arizona, Hawaii, and Alberta. In the mid 20th century, because of the importance of temples in the theology, the church tried to balance density with the travel requirements that attending the temple imposed upon members. Thus, temples were built in Europe (Switzerland–1955 and England–1958); the Pacific Islands (New Zealand–1958); and Washington, D.C. (1974) when membership alone might not have justified the effort. Temple growth continued in the 1980s, Spencer W. Kimball directed the church to build smaller temples with similar designs. Before this time, all but the Swiss Temple were at least 45,000 square feet (4,200 m2), and the average size of the first 20 temples was 103,000 square feet (9,570 m2). The new temples varied in size but were generally less than 25,000 square feet (2,300 m2) allowing temples to be built where there were fewer members. As a result, the first temples in South America (Brazil–1978); Asia (Japan–1980); and Latin America (Mexico City–1983) were built and the number of temples doubled from 15 to 36. LDS Church president Gordon B. Hinckley (1910–2008) also accelerated the construction of temples through the use of an even smaller standardized base design[7] and set a goal to have 100 operating temples before 2001.[8] Between the brief building period from 1998 to 2001, 38 of these standardized temples were constructed and dedicated, meeting Hinckley's goal and, during Hinckley's service as president, the number of temples more than doubled from 47 to 124. Community of Christ Independence Temple of Community of Christ in Independence, Missouri, USA. Dedicated 1994 Community of Christ (formerly the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints) maintains two temples. Unlike those of the LDS Church, these temples are open to the public. Many religious functions take place including communion and a daily prayer for peace. The temple built in Kirtland, Ohio, is owned and maintained by Community of Christ. This was the first temple built by the Latter Day Saint movement and the only temple completed in the lifetime of Joseph Smith. During its 1994 World Conference, Community of Christ dedicated the Independence Temple located in Independence, Missouri. The Community of Christ describes this temple as a house of worship and education "dedicated to the pursuit of peace".[9] The church holds a Daily Prayer for Peace at 1:00 p.m. Central Time in the temple's 1,600 seat sanctuary. Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite) Cutlerite meetinghouse in Independence, Missouri, which serves the functions of a temple. The Church of Jesus Christ (Cutlerite) performs temple ordinances in its Independence, Missouri, meetinghouse, their only building still in active use,[10] though the church also believes in the principle of constructing special temples such as the ones in Kirtland and Nauvoo. Cutlerites do not designate their meetinghouse as a temple per se, but they believe that it serves precisely the same purpose and that the ordinances performed there are equally as valid as ones done in any pre-1844 temple.[11] These sacred services of the Cutlerites are not open to the public, and participants are forbidden to discuss them outside the room in which they are performed. Cutlerite meetinghouses are constructed with a main-floor chapel that is always open to the public unless baptisms for the dead are being performed; a second-floor room, which is closed to the public at all times, is reserved for the ordinances of the endowment. Cutlerites do not use the term "endowment" to refer to these rituals; they generally refer to them as "the priesthood ordinances." A rectangular-shaped baptismal font is accessed through a trap door beneath the floor of the main-floor chapel, which is used for baptisms of both the living and the dead. Eternal marriages are not performed by the Cutlerites, as they have always rejected that particular doctrine.[11] Other denominations with temples Four additional Latter Day Saint denominations have built temples: The Church of Christ (Wightite) built a temple near Zodiac, Texas, about three miles from Fredericksburg, at a colony founded by Lyman Wight. The only remaining material infrastructure of the colony is the Mormon Mill cemetery near Hamilton Creek, about fifty miles east by north of Fredericksburg.[12] The Righteous Branch of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, a denomination founded in 1978, built a pyramid-shaped temple near Modena, Utah.[13] This was the first time any of the polygamous Mormon fundamentalists sects built a temple of their own. The Apostolic United Brethren built a temple in Ozumba, Mexico, in the 1990s, and has had an endowment house in Utah since sometime in the 1980s. The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) built a temple at their settlement near Eldorado, Texas, in 2004. The architectural footprint of the FLDS temple roughly matches that of the original Nauvoo Temple. FLDS Temple   Righteous Branch temple Unsuccessful attempts at building temples During the life of Joseph Smith, a few years before the Kirtland temple was built, Smith dedicated a location in Independence, Missouri, for the building of a special temple, which was to be the center of a New Jerusalem. However, hostile action by non-Mormon citizens resulted in the expulsion of all Latter Day Saints from the area in 1833, and the planned temple did not proceed beyond the laying of cornerstones. As of 2011, the lot for this temple is owned and maintained by the Church of Christ (Temple Lot). The Temple Lot church endeavored to construct a temple beginning in 1929, as a result of a revelation that apostle Otto Fetting was said to have received from John the Baptist. A hole for the proposed temple basement was excavated, and architects' drawings were done, but no further work was completed due to a chronic lack of funding and the expulsion of Fetting and his followers (about one-third of the Temple Lot organization at the time) from the Temple Lot church. In 1946, the City of Independence had the hole filled in, and the lot today is mostly covered with grass, with the Church of Christ's meetinghouse and a few trees at the northeast corner.[14] Today, the Temple Lot church has no plans to build a temple but sees itself as the steward of the lot until the various Latter Day Saint factions unite around the time of Jesus Christ's Second Coming. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Strangite) endeavored to construct a temple in the mid-1840s in Voree, Wisconsin, according to a rather elaborate plan devised by their prophet James J. Strang. Poverty and factional infighting among the Strangites prevented the temple from progressing beyond the planning stage.[15] The church has made no attempt to build temples since Strang's death. Performing ordinances in other buildings From 1855 to 1889, the LDS Church performed ordinances in the Endowment House to allow members to receive the endowment during construction of temples in Utah. Before the Endowment House was built, the Council House was similarly used, between 1850 and 1855. Building currently known as the Endowment House, Spring City, Utah. Historically, there were other locations where ordinances for the living were performed, both indoors and out, as recorded in pioneer journals. One of these is a building known as the Endowment House in Spring City, Utah, built by Orson Hyde.[16] The building is still standing at 85 West 300 South. The Endowment House in Salt Lake City was razed in 1889 after church president Wilford Woodruff learned that plural marriages were being performed there without the authorization of the First Presidency. See also Latter Day Saints portal Latter-day Saints portal Endowment House Holy of Holies (LDS Church) List of temples of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Ordinance room Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement of Restorationist Christianity, initiated by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's death in 1844, the Mormons followed Brigham Young to what would become the Utah Territory. Today, most Mormons are understood to be members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church). Other Mormons may be independently religious, secular and non-practicing, or belong to another denomination. The center of Mormon cultural influence is in Utah, and North America has more Mormons than any other continent, though the majority of Mormons live outside the United States. Mormons have developed a strong sense of commonality that stems from their doctrine and history. During the 19th century, Mormon converts tended to gather to a central geographic location, and between 1852 and 1890 a minority of Mormons openly practiced plural marriage, a form of religious polygamy. Mormons dedicate large amounts of time and resources to serving in their church, and many young Mormons choose to serve a full-time proselytizing mission. Mormons have a health code which eschews alcoholic beverages, tobacco, “hot drinks”, and addictive substances. They tend to be very family-oriented and have strong connections across generations and with extended family, reflective of their belief that families can be sealed together beyond death. Mormons also have a strict law of chastity, requiring abstention from sexual relations outside heterosexual marriage and fidelity within marriage. Mormons self-identify as Christian,[9] although some non-Mormons consider Mormons non-Christian[10] and some of their beliefs differ from those of mainstream Christianity. Mormons believe in the Bible, as well as other books of scripture, such as the Book of Mormon. They have a unique view of cosmology and believe that all people are spirit-children of God. Mormons believe that returning to God requires following the example of Jesus Christ, and accepting his atonement through ordinances such as baptism. They believe that Christ's church was restored through Joseph Smith and is guided by living prophets and apostles. Central to Mormon faith is the belief that God speaks to his children and answers their prayers. The number of members in 1971 was 3,090,953[11] and as of 2018, there are 16,118,169 members worldwide.[1][12][13] Contents 1 Terminology 2 History 2.1 Beginnings 2.2 Pioneer era 2.3 Modern times 3 Culture and practices 4 Groups within Mormonism 4.1 Latter-day Saints (the "LDS") 4.2 Fundamentalist Mormons 4.3 Liberal Mormons 4.4 Cultural Mormons 5 Beliefs 6 See also 7 References 8 External reading 9 External links Terminology The word "Mormons" most often refers to members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) because of their belief in the Book of Mormon, though members often refer to themselves as Latter-day Saints or sometimes just Saints.[14] The term "Mormons" has been embraced by others, most notably Mormon fundamentalists,[15] while other Latter Day Saint denominations, such as the Community of Christ, have rejected it.[citation needed] Both LDS Church members and members of fundamentalist groups commonly use the word "Mormon" in reference to themselves.[16] LDS Church leaders have encouraged members to use the church's full name to emphasize its focus on Jesus Christ,[17][18] and have discouraged the use of the shortened form "Church of the Latter Day Saints", as well as the acronym "LDS", and the nickname "Mormons".[19][20][18] The word "Mormon" is often associated with polygamy (or plural marriage),[21] which was a distinguishing practice of many early Mormons; however, it was renounced by the LDS Church in 1890[22] and discontinued over the next 15 years.[23] Today, polygamy is practiced within Mormonism only by people that have broken with the LDS Church.[24] History Main article: History of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The history of the Mormons has shaped them into a people with a strong sense of unity and commonality.[25] From the start, Mormons have tried to establish what they call "Zion", a utopian society of the righteous.[26] Mormon history can be divided into three broad time periods: (1) the early history during the lifetime of Joseph Smith, (2) a "pioneer era" under the leadership of Brigham Young and his successors, and (3) a modern era beginning around the turn of the 20th century. In the first period, Smith had tried literally to build a city called Zion, in which converts could gather. During the pioneer era, Zion became a "landscape of villages" in Utah. In modern times, Zion is still an ideal, though Mormons gather together in their individual congregations rather than a central geographic location.[27] Beginnings See also: History of the Latter Day Saint movement A stained glass window of Joseph Smith's First Vision Mormons trace their origins to the visions that Joseph Smith reported he had in the early 1820s while living in upstate New York.[28] In 1823, Smith said an angel directed him to a buried book written on golden plates containing the religious history of an ancient people.[29] Smith published what he said was a translation of these plates in March 1830 as the Book of Mormon, named after Mormon, the ancient prophet–historian who compiled the book. On April 6, 1830, Smith founded the Church of Christ.[30] The early church grew westward as Smith sent missionaries to proselytize.[31] In 1831, the church moved to Kirtland, Ohio where missionaries had made a large number of converts[32] and Smith began establishing an outpost in Jackson County, Missouri,[33] where he planned to eventually build the city of Zion (or the New Jerusalem).[34] In 1833, Missouri settlers, alarmed by the rapid influx of Mormons, expelled them from Jackson County into the nearby Clay County, where local residents were more welcoming.[35] After Smith led a mission, known as Zion's Camp, to recover the land,[36] he began building Kirtland Temple in Lake County, Ohio, where the church flourished.[37] When the Missouri Mormons were later asked to leave Clay County in 1836, they secured land in what would become Caldwell County.[38] The Kirtland era ended in 1838, after the failure of a church-sponsored anti-bank caused widespread defections,[39] and Smith regrouped with the remaining church in Far West, Missouri.[40] During the fall of 1838, tensions escalated into the Mormon War with the old Missouri settlers.[41] On October 27, the governor of Missouri ordered that the Mormons "must be treated as enemies" and be exterminated or driven from the state.[42] Between November and April, some eight thousand displaced Mormons migrated east into Illinois.[43] Joseph Smith preaching to the Sac and Fox Indians who visited Nauvoo on August 12, 1841 In 1839, the Mormons purchased the small town of Commerce, converted swampland on the banks of the Mississippi River, and renamed the area Nauvoo, Illinois[44] and began construction of the Nauvoo Temple. The city became the church's new headquarters and gathering place, and it grew rapidly, fueled in part by converts immigrating from Europe.[45] Meanwhile, Smith introduced temple ceremonies meant to seal families together for eternity, as well as the doctrines of eternal progression or exaltation,[46] and plural marriage.[47] Smith created a service organization for women called the Relief Society, as well as an organization called the Council of Fifty, representing a future theodemocratic "Kingdom of God" on the earth.[48] Smith also published the story of his First Vision, in which the Father and the Son appeared to him while he was about 14 years old.[49] This vision would come to be regarded by some Mormons as the most important event in human history after the birth, ministry, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.[50] In 1844, local prejudices and political tensions, fueled by Mormon peculiarity and internal dissent, escalated into conflicts between Mormons and "anti-Mormons".[51] On June 27, 1844, Smith and his brother Hyrum were killed by a mob in Carthage, Illinois.[52] Because Hyrum was Smith's logical successor,[53] their deaths caused a succession crisis,[54] and Brigham Young assumed leadership over the majority of Latter Day Saints.[55] Young had been a close associate of Smith's and was senior apostle of the Quorum of the Twelve.[56] Smaller groups of Latter Day Saints followed other leaders to form other denominations of the Latter Day Saint movement.[57] Pioneer era A statue commemorating the Mormon handcart pioneers For two years after Smith's death, conflicts escalated between Mormons and other Illinois residents. To prevent war, Brigham Young led the Mormon pioneers (constituting most of the Latter Day Saints) to a temporary winter quarters in Nebraska and then, eventually (beginning in 1847), to what became the Utah Territory.[58] Having failed to build Zion within the confines of American society, the Mormons began to construct a society in isolation, based on their beliefs and values.[59] The cooperative ethic that Mormons had developed over the last decade and a half became important as settlers branched out and colonized a large desert region now known as the Mormon Corridor.[60] Colonizing efforts were seen as religious duties, and the new villages were governed by the Mormon bishops (local lay religious leaders).[61] The Mormons viewed land as commonwealth, devising and maintaining a co-operative system of irrigation that allowed them to build a farming community in the desert.[62] From 1849 to 1852, the Mormons greatly expanded their missionary efforts, establishing several missions in Europe, Latin America, and the South Pacific.[63] Converts were expected to "gather" to Zion, and during Young's presidency (1847–77) over seventy thousand Mormon converts immigrated to America.[63] Many of the converts came from England and Scandinavia, and were quickly assimilated into the Mormon community.[64] Many of these immigrants crossed the Great Plains in wagons drawn by oxen, while some later groups pulled their possessions in small handcarts. During the 1860s, newcomers began using the new railroad that was under construction.[65] In 1852, church leaders publicized the previously secret practice of plural marriage, a form of polygamy.[66] Over the next 50 years, many Mormons (between 20 and 30 percent of Mormon families)[67] entered into plural marriages as a religious duty, with the number of plural marriages reaching a peak around 1860, and then declining through the rest of the century.[68] Besides the doctrinal reasons for plural marriage, the practice made some economic sense, as many of the plural wives were single women who arrived in Utah without brothers or fathers to offer them societal support.[69] Mormon pioneers crossing the Mississippi on the ice By 1857, tensions had again escalated between Mormons and other Americans, largely as a result of accusations involving polygamy and the theocratic rule of the Utah Territory by Brigham Young.[70] In 1857, U.S. President James Buchanan sent an army to Utah, which Mormons interpreted as open aggression against them. Fearing a repeat of Missouri and Illinois, the Mormons prepared to defend themselves, determined to torch their own homes in the case that they were invaded.[71] The relatively peaceful Utah War ensued from 1857 to 1858, in which the most notable instance of violence was the Mountain Meadows massacre, when leaders of a local Mormon militia ordered the killing of a civilian emigrant party that was traveling through Utah during the escalating tensions.[72] In 1858, Young agreed to step down from his position as governor and was replaced by a non-Mormon, Alfred Cumming.[73] Nevertheless, the LDS Church still wielded significant political power in the Utah Territory.[74] At Young's death in 1877, he was followed by other LDS Church presidents, who resisted efforts by the United States Congress to outlaw Mormon polygamous marriages.[75] In 1878, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Reynolds v. United States that religious duty was not a suitable defense for practicing polygamy, and many Mormon polygamists went into hiding; later, Congress began seizing church assets.[75] In September 1890, church president Wilford Woodruff issued a Manifesto that officially suspended the practice of polygamy.[76] Although this Manifesto did not dissolve existing plural marriages, relations with the United States markedly improved after 1890, such that Utah was admitted as a U.S. state in 1896. After the Manifesto, some Mormons continued to enter into polygamous marriages, but these eventually stopped in 1904 when church president Joseph F. Smith disavowed polygamy before Congress and issued a "Second Manifesto" calling for all plural marriages in the church to cease. Eventually, the church adopted a policy of excommunicating members found practicing polygamy, and today seeks actively to distance itself from "fundamentalist" groups that continue the practice.[77] Modern times Further information: Mormonism as a world religion During the early 20th century, Mormons began to reintegrate into the American mainstream. In 1929, the Mormon Tabernacle Choir began broadcasting a weekly performance on national radio, becoming an asset for public relations.[78] Mormons emphasized patriotism and industry, rising in socioeconomic status from the bottom among American religious denominations to middle-class.[79] In the 1920s and 1930s, Mormons began migrating out of Utah, a trend hurried by the Great Depression, as Mormons looked for work wherever they could find it.[80] As Mormons spread out, church leaders created programs that would help preserve the tight-knit community feel of Mormon culture.[81] In addition to weekly worship services, Mormons began participating in numerous programs such as Boy Scouting, a Young Women organization, church-sponsored dances, ward basketball, camping trips, plays, and religious education programs for youth and college students.[82] During the Great Depression, the church started a welfare program to meet the needs of poor members, which has since grown to include a humanitarian branch that provides relief to disaster victims.[83] The 360-member, all-volunteer Mormon Tabernacle Choir During the later half of the 20th century, there was a retrenchment movement in Mormonism in which Mormons became more conservative, attempting to regain their status as a "peculiar people".[84] Though the 1960s and 1970s brought changes such as Women's Liberation and the civil rights movement, Mormon leaders were alarmed by the erosion of traditional values, the sexual revolution, the widespread use of recreational drugs, moral relativism, and other forces they saw as damaging to the family.[85] Partly to counter this, Mormons put an even greater emphasis on family life, religious education, and missionary work, becoming more conservative in the process. As a result, Mormons today are probably less integrated with mainstream society than they were in the early 1960s.[86] Although black people have been members of Mormon congregations since Joseph Smith's time, before 1978, black membership was small. From 1852 to 1978, the LDS Church enforced a policy that restricted men of black African descent from being ordained to the church's lay priesthood.[87] The church was sharply criticized for its policy during the civil rights movement, but the policy remained in force until a 1978 reversal that was prompted in part by questions about mixed-race converts in Brazil.[88] In general, Mormons greeted the change with joy and relief.[88] Since 1978, black membership has grown, and in 1997 there were approximately 500,000 black members of the church (about 5 percent of the total membership), mostly in Africa, Brazil and the Caribbean.[89] Black membership has continued to grow substantially, especially in West Africa, where two temples have been built.[90] Many black Mormons are members of the Genesis Group, an organization of black members that predates the priesthood ban, and is endorsed by the church.[91] Global distribution of LDS Church members in 2009 The LDS Church grew rapidly after World War II and became a worldwide organization as missionaries were sent across the globe. The church doubled in size every 15 to 20 years,[92] and by 1996, there were more Mormons outside the United States than inside.[93] In 2012, there were an estimated 14.8 million Mormons,[94] with roughly 57 percent living outside the United States.[95] It is estimated that approximately 4.5 million Mormons – roughly 30% of the total membership – regularly attend services.[96] A majority of U.S. Mormons are white and non-Hispanic (84 percent).[97] Most Mormons are distributed in North and South America, the South Pacific, and Western Europe. The global distribution of Mormons resembles a contact diffusion model, radiating out from the organization's headquarters in Utah.[98] The church enforces general doctrinal uniformity, and congregations on all continents teach the same doctrines, and international Mormons tend to absorb a good deal of Mormon culture, possibly because of the church's top-down hierarchy and a missionary presence. However, international Mormons often bring pieces of their own heritage into the church, adapting church practices to local cultures.[99] Chile, Uruguay, and several areas in the South Pacific have a higher percentage of Mormons than the United States (which is at about 2 percent).[100] South Pacific countries and dependencies that are more than 10 percent Mormon include American Samoa, the Cook Islands, Kiribati, Niue, Samoa, and Tonga. Culture and practices Main article: Culture of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Isolation in Utah had allowed Mormons to create a culture of their own.[101] As the faith spread around the world, many of its more distinctive practices followed. Mormon converts are urged to undergo lifestyle changes, repent of sins, and adopt sometimes atypical standards of conduct.[101] Practices common to Mormons include studying scriptures, praying daily, fasting regularly, attending Sunday worship services, participating in church programs and activities on weekdays, and refraining from work on Sundays when possible. The most important part of the church services is considered to be the Lord's Supper (commonly called sacrament), in which church members renew covenants made at baptism.[102] Mormons also emphasize standards they believe were taught by Jesus Christ, including personal honesty, integrity, obedience to law, chastity outside marriage and fidelity within marriage.[103] In 2010, around 13–14 percent of Mormons lived in Utah, the center of cultural influence for Mormonism.[104] Utah Mormons (as well as Mormons living in the Intermountain West) are on average more culturally and/or politically conservative than those living in some cosmopolitan centers elsewhere in the U.S.[105] Utahns self-identifying as Mormon also attend church somewhat more on average than Mormons living in other states. (Nonetheless, whether they live in Utah or elsewhere in the U.S., Mormons tend to be more culturally and/or politically conservative than members of other U.S. religious groups.)[106] Utah Mormons often place a greater emphasis on pioneer heritage than international Mormons who generally are not descendants of the Mormon pioneers.[99] A Mormon meetinghouse used for Sunday worship services in Brazil Mormons have a strong sense of communality that stems from their doctrine and history.[107] LDS Church members have a responsibility to dedicate their time and talents to helping the poor and building the church. The church is divided by locality into congregations called "wards", with several wards or branches to create a "stake".[108] The vast majority of church leadership positions are lay positions, and church leaders may work 10 to 15 hours a week in unpaid church service.[109] Observant Mormons also contribute 10 percent of their income to the church as tithing, and are often involved in humanitarian efforts. Many LDS young men, women and elderly couples choose to serve a proselytizing mission, during which they dedicate all of their time to the church, without pay.[110] Mormons adhere to the Word of Wisdom, a health law or code that is interpreted as prohibiting the consumption of tobacco, alcohol, coffee and tea,[111] while encouraging the use of herbs, grains, fruits, and a moderate consumption of meat.[112] The Word of Wisdom is also understood to forbid other harmful and addictive substances and practices, such as the use of illegal drugs and abuse of prescription drugs.[113] Mormons are encouraged to keep a year's supplies that include a food supply and a financial reserve.[114] Mormons also oppose behaviors such as viewing pornography and gambling.[103] The concept of a united family that lives and progresses forever is at the core of Latter-day Saint doctrine, and Mormons place a high importance on family life.[115] Many Mormons hold weekly Family Home Evenings, in which an evening is set aside for family bonding, study, prayer and other activities they consider to be wholesome. Latter-day Saint fathers who hold the priesthood typically name and bless their children shortly after birth to formally give the child a name. Mormon parents hope and pray that their children will gain testimonies of the "gospel"[vague] so they can grow up and marry in temples.[116] Mormons have a strict law of chastity, requiring abstention from sexual relations outside opposite-sex marriage and strict fidelity within marriage. All sexual activity (heterosexual and homosexual) outside marriage is considered a serious sin, with marriage recognized as only between a man and a woman.[117] Same-sex marriages are not performed or supported by the LDS Church. Church members are encouraged to marry and have children, and Latter-day Saint families tend to be larger than average. Mormons are opposed to abortion, except in some exceptional circumstances, such as when pregnancy is the result of incest or rape, or when the life or health of the mother is in serious jeopardy.[118] Many practicing adult Mormons wear religious undergarments that remind them of covenants and encourage them to dress modestly. Latter-day Saints are counseled not to partake of any form of media that is obscene or pornographic in any way, including media that depicts graphic representations of sex or violence. Tattoos and body piercings are also discouraged, with the exception of a single pair of earrings for LDS women.[119] LGBT Mormons, or Mormons who self-identify as gay, lesbian, or bisexual, remain in good standing in the church if they abstain from homosexual relations and obey the law of chastity.[120] While there are no official numbers, LDS Family Services estimates that there are on average four or five members per LDS ward who experience same-sex attraction.[121] Gary Watts, former president of Family Fellowship, estimates that only 10 percent of homosexuals stay in the church.[122] Many of these individuals have come forward through different support groups or websites discussing their homosexual attractions and concurrent church membership.[123][124][125] Groups within Mormonism See also: Mormon spectrums of orthodoxy and -praxy, List of denominations in the Latter Day Saint movement, and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints membership statistics Note that the categories below are not necessarily mutually exclusive. Latter-day Saints (the "LDS") Members of the LDS Church, also known as Latter-day Saints, constitute over 95 percent of Mormons.[126] The beliefs and practices of LDS Mormons are generally guided by the teachings of LDS Church leaders. However, several smaller groups substantially differ from "mainstream" Mormonism in various ways. LDS Church members who do not actively participate in worship services or church callings are often called "less-active" or "inactive" (akin to the qualifying expressions non-observant or non-practicing used in relation to members of other religious groups).[127] The LDS Church does not release statistics on church activity, but it is likely that about 40 percent of Mormons in the United States and 30 percent worldwide regularly attend worship services.[128] Reasons for inactivity can include lifestyle issues and problems with social integration.[129] Activity rates tend to vary with age, and disengagement occurs most frequently between age 16 and 25. A majority of less active members return to church activity later in life.[130] Former Latter-day Saints who seek to disassociate themselves from the religion are often referred to as ex-Mormons. Fundamentalist Mormons Members of sects that broke with the LDS Church over the issue of polygamy have become known as fundamentalist Mormons; these groups differ from mainstream Mormonism primarily in their belief in and practice of plural marriage. There are thought to be between 20,000 and 60,000 members of fundamentalist sects, (0.1–0.4 percent of Mormons), with roughly half of them practicing polygamy.[131] There are a number of fundamentalist sects, the largest two being the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (FLDS Church) and the Apostolic United Brethren (AUB). In addition to plural marriage, some of these groups also practice a form of Christian communalism known as the law of consecration or the United Order. The LDS Church seeks to distance itself from all such polygamous groups, excommunicating their members if discovered practicing or teaching it,[132] and today a majority of Mormon fundamentalists have never been members of the LDS Church.[133] Liberal Mormons Liberal Mormons, also known as Progressive Mormons, take an interpretive approach to LDS teachings and scripture.[127] They look to the scriptures for spiritual guidance, but may not necessarily believe the teachings to be literally or uniquely true. For liberal Mormons, revelation is a process through which God gradually brings fallible human beings to greater understanding.[134] Liberal Mormons place doing good and loving fellow human beings above the importance of believing correctly.[135] In a separate context, members of small progressive breakaway groups have also adopted the label. Cultural Mormons Cultural Mormons are individuals who may not believe in certain doctrines or practices of the institutional LDS Church yet identify as member of the Mormon ethnic identity.[136][127][137] Usually this is a result of having been raised in the LDS faith, or as having converted and spent a large portion of one's life as an active member of the LDS Church.[138] Cultural Mormons may or may not be actively involved with the LDS church. In some cases they may not be members of the LDS Church. Beliefs Main articles: Mormonism and Mormon cosmology Mormons have a scriptural canon consisting of the Bible (both Old and New Testaments), the Book of Mormon, and a collection of revelations and writings by Joseph Smith known as the Doctrine and Covenants and Pearl of Great Price. Mormons, however, have a relatively open definition of scripture. As a general rule, anything spoken or written by a prophet, while under inspiration, is considered to be the word of God.[139] Thus, the Bible, written by prophets and apostles, is the word of God, so far as it is translated correctly. The Book of Mormon is also believed to have been written by ancient prophets, and is viewed as a companion to the Bible. By this definition, the teachings of Smith's successors are also accepted as scripture, though they are always measured against, and draw heavily from the scriptural canon.[140] Mormons see Jesus Christ as the premier figure of their religion.[141] Mormons believe in "a friendly universe", governed by a God whose aim it is to bring his children to immortality and eternal life.[142] Mormons have a unique perspective on the nature of God, the origin of man, and the purpose of life. For instance, Mormons believe in a pre-mortal existence where people were literal spirit children of God,[143] and that God presented a plan of salvation that would allow his children to progress and become more like him. The plan involved the spirits receiving bodies on earth and going through trials in order to learn, progress, and receive a "fulness of joy".[143] The most important part of the plan involved Jesus, the eldest of God's children, coming to earth as the literal Son of God, to conquer sin and death so that God's other children could return. According to Mormons, every person who lives on earth will be resurrected, and nearly all of them will be received into various kingdoms of glory.[144] To be accepted into the highest kingdom, a person must fully accept Christ through faith, repentance, and through ordinances such as baptism and the laying on of hands.[145] A Latter Day Saint confirmation c. 1852 According to Mormons, a deviation from the original principles of Christianity, known as the Great Apostasy, began not long after the ascension of Jesus Christ.[146] It was marked with the corruption of Christian doctrine by Greek and other philosophies,[147] with followers dividing into different ideological groups.[148] Mormons claim the martyrdom of the Apostles[149] led to a loss of Priesthood authority to administer the church and its ordinances.[150] Mormons believe that God restored the early Christian church through Joseph Smith. In particular, Mormons believe that angels such as Peter, James, John, John the Baptist, Moses, and Elijah appeared to Smith and others and bestowed various priesthood authorities on them. Mormons believe that their church is the "only true and living church" because of the divine authority restored through Smith. Mormons self-identify as being Christian,[151] while many Christians, particularly evangelical Protestants, disagree with this view.[152] Mormons view other religions as having portions of the truth, doing good works, and having genuine value.[153] The LDS Church has a top-down hierarchical structure with a president–prophet dictating revelations for the whole church. Lay Mormons are also believed to have access to inspiration, and are encouraged to seek their own personal revelations.[154] Mormons see Joseph Smith's First Vision as proof that the heavens are open, and that God answers prayers. They place considerable emphasis on "asking God" to find out if something is true. Most Mormons do not claim to have had heavenly visions like Smith's in response to prayers, but feel that God talks to them in their hearts and minds through the Holy Ghost. Though Mormons have some beliefs that are considered strange in a modernized world, they continue to hold onto their beliefs because they feel God has spoken to them.[155] Utah (/ˈjuːtɑː/ YOO-tah, /ˈjuːtɔː/ (listen) YOO-taw) is a state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. Utah is a landlocked U.S. state bordered to its east by Colorado, to its northeast by Wyoming, to its north by Idaho, to its south by Arizona, and to its west by Nevada. Utah also touches a corner of New Mexico in the southeast. Of the fifty U.S. states, Utah is the 13th-largest by area; with a population over three million, it is the 30th-most-populous and 11th-least-densely populated. Urban development is mostly concentrated in two areas: the Wasatch Front in the north-central part of the state, which is home to roughly two-thirds of the population and includes the capital city, Salt Lake City; and Washington County in the southwest, with more than 180,000 residents.[9] Most of the western half of Utah lies in the Great Basin. Utah has been inhabited for thousands of years by various indigenous groups such as the ancient Puebloans, Navajo and Ute. The Spanish were the first Europeans to arrive in the mid-16th century, though the region's difficult geography and harsh climate made it a peripheral part of New Spain and later Mexico. Even while it was Mexican territory, many of Utah's earliest settlers were American, particularly Mormons fleeing marginalization and persecution from the United States. Following the Mexican–American War in 1848, the region was annexed by the U.S., becoming part of the Utah Territory, which included what is now Colorado and Nevada. Disputes between the dominant Mormon community and the federal government delayed Utah's admission as a state; only after the outlawing of polygamy was it admitted in 1896 as the 45th. People from Utah are known as Utahns.[10] Slightly over half of all Utahns are Mormons, the vast majority of whom are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), which has its world headquarters in Salt Lake City;[11] Utah is the only state where a majority of the population belongs to a single church.[12] The LDS Church greatly influences Utahn culture, politics, and daily life,[13] though since the 1990s the state has become more religiously diverse as well as secular. Utah has a highly diversified economy, with major sectors including transportation, education, information technology and research, government services, mining, and tourism. Utah has been one of the fastest growing states since 2000,[14] with the 2020 U.S. Census confirming the fastest population growth in the nation since 2010. St. George was the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States from 2000 to 2005.[15] Utah ranks among the overall best states in metrics such as healthcare, governance, education, and infrastructure.[16] It has the 14th-highest median average income and the least income inequality of any U.S. state. Over time and influenced by climate change, droughts in Utah have been increasing in frequency and severity,[17] putting a further strain on Utah's water security and impacting the state’s economy.[18] Contents 1 Etymology 2 History 2.1 Pre-Columbian 2.2 Spanish exploration (1540) 2.3 Latter Day Saint settlement (1847) 2.4 Utah Territory (1850–1896) 2.5 20th century to present 3 Geography and geology 3.1 Adjacent states 3.2 Climate 3.3 Wildlife 3.3.1 Mammals 3.3.2 Birds 3.3.3 Invertebrates 3.4 Vegetation 4 Demographics 4.1 Health and fertility 4.2 Ancestry and race 4.3 Religion 4.4 Languages 4.5 Age and gender 5 Economy 5.1 Taxation 5.2 Tourism 5.2.1 Branding 5.3 Mining 5.3.1 Incidents 5.4 Energy 6 Transportation 7 Law and government 7.1 Counties 7.2 Women's rights 7.3 Free-range parenting 7.4 Constitution 7.5 Alcohol, tobacco and gambling laws 7.6 Same-sex marriage 7.7 Politics 8 Major cities and towns 9 Colleges and universities 10 Culture 10.1 Sports 10.2 Entertainment 11 See also 12 Notes 13 References 14 Further reading 15 External links 15.1 General 15.2 Government 15.3 Military 15.4 Maps and demographics 15.5 Tourism and recreation 15.6 Other Etymology The name Utah is said to derive from the name of the Ute tribe, meaning 'people of the mountains'.[19] However, no such word actually exists in the Utes' language, and the Utes refer to themselves as Noochee. The meaning of Utes as 'the mountain people' has been attributed to the neighboring Pueblo Indians,[20] as well as to the Apache word Yuttahih, which means 'one that is higher up' or 'those that are higher up'.[19] In Spanish it was pronounced Yuta; subsequently English-speaking people may have adapted the word as Utah.[21] History Main article: History of Utah Pre-Columbian Map showing Utah in 1838 when it was part of Mexico, Britannica 7th edition Thousands of years before the arrival of European explorers, the Ancestral Puebloans and the Fremont people lived in what is now known as Utah, some of which spoke languages of the Uto-Aztecan group. Ancestral Pueblo peoples built their homes through excavations in mountains, and the Fremont people built houses of straw before disappearing from the region around the 15th century. Another group of Native Americans, the Navajo, settled in the region around the 18th century. In the mid-18th century, other Uto-Aztecan tribes, including the Goshute, the Paiute, the Shoshone, and the Ute people, also settled in the region. These five groups were present when the first European explorers arrived.[22][23] Spanish exploration (1540) Main articles: New Spain, The Californias § History, First Mexican Empire, Provisional Government of Mexico, First Mexican Republic, and Centralist Republic of Mexico The southern Utah region was explored by the Spanish in 1540, led by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado, while looking for the legendary Cíbola. A group led by two Catholic priests—sometimes called the Domínguez–Escalante expedition—left Santa Fe in 1776, hoping to find a route to the coast of California. The expedition traveled as far north as Utah Lake and encountered the native residents. The Spanish made further explorations in the region but were not interested in colonizing the area because of its desert nature. In 1821, the year Mexico achieved its independence from Spain, the region became known as part of its territory of Alta California. European trappers and fur traders explored some areas of Utah in the early 19th century from Canada and the United States. The city of Provo, Utah, was named for one Étienne Provost, who visited the area in 1825. The city of Ogden, Utah, was named after Peter Skene Ogden, a Canadian explorer who traded furs in the Weber Valley. In late 1824, Jim Bridger became the first known English-speaking person to sight the Great Salt Lake. Due to the high salinity of its waters, he thought he had found the Pacific Ocean; he subsequently learned this body of water was a giant salt lake. After the discovery of the lake, hundreds of American and Canadian traders and trappers established trading posts in the region. In the 1830s, thousands of migrants traveling from the Eastern United States to the American West began to make stops in the region of the Great Salt Lake, then known as Lake Youta.[citation needed] Latter Day Saint settlement (1847) Main articles: Mexican–American War, Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, and Mexican Cession Brigham Young led the first Mormon pioneers to the Great Salt Lake. Following the death of Joseph Smith in 1844, Brigham Young, as president of the Quorum of the Twelve, became the leader of the LDS Church in Nauvoo, Illinois.[24] To address the growing conflicts between his people and their neighbors, Young agreed with Illinois Governor Thomas Ford in October 1845 that the Mormons would leave by the following year.[25] Young and the first group of Mormon pioneers reached the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. Over the next 22 years, more than 70,000 pioneers crossed the plains and settled in Utah.[26] For the first few years, Brigham Young and the thousands of early settlers of Salt Lake City struggled to survive. The arid desert land was deemed by the Mormons as desirable as a place where they could practice their religion without harassment. Settlers buried thirty-six Native Americans in one grave after an outbreak of measles occurred during the winter of 1847.[27] The first group of settlers brought African slaves with them, making Utah the only place in the western United States to have African slavery.[28] Three slaves, Green Flake, Hark Lay, and Oscar Crosby, came west with the first group of settlers in 1847.[29] The settlers also began to purchase Indian slaves in the well-established Indian slave trade,[30] as well as enslaving Indian prisoners of war.[31][32] Utah was Mexican territory when the first pioneers arrived in 1847. Early in the Mexican–American War in late 1846, the United States had taken control of New Mexico and California. The entire Southwest became U.S. territory upon the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, February 2, 1848. The treaty was ratified by the United States Senate on March 11. Learning that California and New Mexico were applying for statehood, the settlers of the Utah area (originally having planned to petition for territorial status) applied for statehood with an ambitious plan for a State of Deseret. The Mormon settlements provided pioneers for other settlements in the West. Salt Lake City became the hub of a "far-flung commonwealth"[33] of Mormon settlements. With new church converts coming from the East and around the world, Church leaders often assigned groups of church members as missionaries to establish other settlements throughout the West. They developed irrigation to support fairly large pioneer populations along Utah's Wasatch front (Salt Lake City, Bountiful and Weber Valley, and Provo and Utah Valley).[34] Throughout the remainder of the 19th century, Mormon pioneers established hundreds of other settlements in Utah, Idaho, Nevada, Arizona, Wyoming, California, Canada, and Mexico—including in Las Vegas, Nevada; Franklin, Idaho (the first European settlement in Idaho); San Bernardino, California; Mesa, Arizona; Star Valley, Wyoming; and Carson Valley, Nevada. Prominent settlements in Utah included St. George, Logan, and Manti (where settlers completed the LDS Church's first three temples in Utah, each started after but finished many years before the larger and better known temple built in Salt Lake City was completed in 1893), as well as Parowan, Cedar City, Bluff, Moab, Vernal, Fillmore (which served as the territorial capital between 1850 and 1856), Nephi, Levan, Spanish Fork, Springville, Provo Bench (now 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. Young had an expansionist's view of the territory that he and the Mormon pioneers were settling, calling it Deseret—which according to the Book of Mormon was an ancient word for "honeybee". This is symbolized by the beehive on the Utah flag, and the state's motto, "Industry".[35] Utah Territory (1850–1896) Main articles: Organic act § List of organic acts, Utah Territory, Admission to the Union, and List of U.S. states by date of admission to the Union A sketch of Salt Lake City in 1860 Deseret Village recreates Utah pioneer life for tourists. The Golden Spike where the First Transcontinental Railroad was completed in the U.S. on May 10, 1869, in Promontory, Utah The Utah Territory was much smaller than the proposed state of Deseret, but it still contained all of the present states of Nevada and Utah as well as pieces of modern Wyoming and Colorado.[36] It was created with the Compromise of 1850, and Fillmore, named after President Millard Fillmore, was designated the capital. The territory was given the name Utah after the Ute tribe of Native Americans. Salt Lake City replaced Fillmore as the territorial capital in 1856. By 1850, there were around 100 black people in the territory, the majority of whom were slaves.[37] In Salt Lake County, 26 slaves were counted.[27] In 1852, the territorial legislature passed the Act in Relation to Service and the Act for the relief of Indian Slaves and Prisoners formally legalizing slavery in the territory. Slavery was abolished in the territory during the Civil War. In 1850, Salt Lake City sent out a force known as the Nauvoo Legion and engaged the Timpanogos in the Battle at Fort Utah.[31]: 71  Disputes between the Mormon inhabitants and the U.S. government intensified due to the practice of plural marriage, or polygamy, among members of the LDS Church. The Mormons were still pushing for the establishment of a State of Deseret with the new borders of the Utah Territory. Most, if not all, of the members of the U.S. government opposed the polygamous practices of the Mormons. Members of the LDS Church were viewed as un-American and rebellious when news of their polygamous practices spread. In 1857, particularly heinous accusations of abdication of government and general immorality were leveled by former associate justice William W. Drummond, among others. The detailed reports of life in Utah caused the administration of James Buchanan to send a secret military "expedition" to Utah. When the supposed rebellion should be quelled, Alfred Cumming would take the place of Brigham Young as territorial governor. The resulting conflict is known as the Utah War, nicknamed "Buchanan's Blunder" by the Mormon leaders. In September 1857, about 120 American settlers of the Baker–Fancher wagon train, en route to California from Arkansas, were murdered by Utah Territorial Militia and some Paiute Native Americans in the Mountain Meadows massacre.[38] Before troops led by Albert Sidney Johnston entered the territory, Brigham Young ordered all residents of Salt Lake City to evacuate southward to Utah Valley and sent out the Nauvoo Legion to delay the government's advance. Although wagons and supplies were burned, eventually the troops arrived in 1858, and Young surrendered official control to Cumming, although most subsequent commentators claim that Young retained true power in the territory. A steady stream of governors appointed by the president quit the position, often citing the traditions of their supposed territorial government. By agreement with Young, Johnston established Camp Floyd, 40 miles (60 km) away from Salt Lake City, to the southwest. Salt Lake City was the last link of the First Transcontinental Telegraph, completed in October 1861. Brigham Young was among the first to send a message, along with Abraham Lincoln and other officials. Because of the American Civil War, federal troops were pulled out of Utah Territory in 1861. This was a boon to the local economy as the army sold everything in camp for pennies on the dollar before marching back east to join the war. The territory was then left in LDS hands until Patrick E. Connor arrived with a regiment of California volunteers in 1862. Connor established Fort Douglas just 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Salt Lake City and encouraged his people to discover mineral deposits to bring more non-Mormons into the territory. Minerals were discovered in Tooele County and miners began to flock to the territory. 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, but fights continued to break out until additional federal troops were sent in to suppress the Ghost Dance of 1872. The war is unique among Indian Wars because it was a three-way conflict, with mounted Timpanogos Utes led by Antonga Black Hawk fighting federal and LDS authorities. On May 10, 1869, the First Transcontinental Railroad was completed at Promontory Summit, north of the Great Salt Lake.[39] The railroad brought increasing numbers of people into the territory and several influential businesspeople made fortunes there. During the 1870s and 1880s laws were passed to punish polygamists due, in part, to stories from Utah. Notably, Ann Eliza Young—tenth wife to divorce Brigham Young, women's advocate, national lecturer and author of Wife No. 19 or My Life of Bondage and Mr. and Mrs. Fanny Stenhouse, authors of The Rocky Mountain Saints (T. B. H. Stenhouse, 1873) and Tell It All: My Life in Mormonism (Fanny Stenhouse, 1875). Both Ann Eliza and Fanny testify to the happiness of the very early Church members before polygamy. They independently published their books in 1875. These books and the lectures of Ann Eliza Young have been credited with the United States Congress passage of anti-polygamy laws by newspapers throughout the United States as recorded in "The Ann Eliza Young Vindicator", a pamphlet which detailed Ms Young's travels and warm reception throughout her lecture tour. T. B. H. Stenhouse, former Utah Mormon polygamist, Mormon missionary for thirteen years and a Salt Lake City newspaper owner, finally left Utah and wrote The Rocky Mountain Saints. His book gives a witnessed account of life in Utah, both the good and the bad. He finally left Utah and Mormonism after financial ruin occurred when Brigham Young sent Stenhouse to relocate to Ogden, Utah, according to Stenhouse, to take over his thriving pro-Mormon Salt Lake Telegraph newspaper. In addition to these testimonies, The Confessions of John D. Lee, written by John D. Lee—alleged "Scape goat" for the Mountain Meadow Massacre—also came out in 1877. The corroborative testimonies coming out of Utah from Mormons and former Mormons influenced Congress and the people of the United States. In the 1890 Manifesto, the LDS Church banned polygamy. When Utah applied for statehood again, it was accepted. One of the conditions for granting Utah statehood was that a ban on polygamy be written into the state constitution. This was a condition required of other western states that were admitted into the Union later. Statehood was officially granted on January 4, 1896. 20th century to present Children reading in Santa Clara, Utah, in 1940 Beginning in the early 20th century, with the establishment of such national parks as Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park, Utah became known for its natural beauty. Southern Utah became a popular filming spot for arid, rugged scenes featured in the popular mid-century western film genre. From such films, most US residents recognize such natural landmarks as Delicate Arch and "the Mittens" of Monument Valley.[40] During the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, with the construction of the Interstate highway system, accessibility to the southern scenic areas was made easier. Since the establishment of Alta Ski Area in 1939 and the subsequent development of several ski resorts in the state's mountains, Utah's skiing has become world-renowned. The dry, powdery snow of the Wasatch Range is considered some of the best skiing in the world (the state license plate once claimed "the Greatest Snow on Earth").[41][42] Salt Lake City won the bid for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games, and this served as a great boost to the economy. The ski resorts have increased in popularity, and many of the Olympic venues built along the Wasatch Front continue to be used for sporting events. Preparation for the Olympics spurred the development of the light-rail system in the Salt Lake Valley, known as TRAX, and the re-construction of the freeway system around the city. In 1957, Utah created the Utah State Parks Commission with four parks. Today, Utah State Parks manages 43 parks and several undeveloped areas totaling over 95,000 acres (380 km2) of land and more than 1,000,000 acres (4,000 km2) of water. Utah's state parks are scattered throughout Utah, from Bear Lake State Park at the Utah/Idaho border to Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum deep in the Four Corners region and everywhere in between. Utah State Parks is also home to the state's off highway vehicle office, state boating office and the trails program.[43] During the late 20th century, the state grew quickly. In the 1970s growth was phenomenal in the suburbs of the Wasatch Front. Sandy was one of the fastest-growing cities in the country at that time. Today, many areas of Utah continue to see boom-time growth. Northern Davis, southern and western Salt Lake, Summit, eastern Tooele, Utah, Wasatch, and Washington counties are all growing very quickly. Management of transportation and urbanization are major issues in politics, as development consumes agricultural land and wilderness areas and transportation is a major reason for poor air quality in Utah. Geography and geology See also: List of canyons and gorges in Utah, List of Utah counties, and List of earthquakes in Utah Utah county boundaries Utah is known for its natural diversity and is home to features ranging from arid deserts with sand dunes to thriving pine forests in mountain valleys. It is a rugged and geographically diverse state at the convergence of three distinct geological regions: the Rocky Mountains, the Great Basin, and the Colorado Plateau. Utah covers an area of 84,899 sq mi (219,890 km2). It is one of the Four Corners states and is bordered by Idaho in the north, Wyoming in the north and east, by Colorado in the east, at a single point by New Mexico to the southeast, by Arizona in the south, and by Nevada in the west. Only three U.S. states (Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming) have exclusively latitude and longitude lines as boundaries. One of Utah's defining characteristics is the variety of its terrain. Running down the middle of the state's northern third is the Wasatch Range, which rises to heights of almost 12,000 ft (3,700 m) above sea level. Utah is home to world-renowned ski resorts made popular by light, fluffy snow and winter storms that regularly dump up to three feet of it overnight. In the state's northeastern section, running east to west, are the Uinta Mountains, which rise to heights of over 13,000 feet (4,000 m). The highest point in the state, Kings Peak, at 13,528 feet (4,123 m),[44] lies within the Uinta Mountains. At the western base of the Wasatch Range is the Wasatch Front, a series of valleys and basins that are home to the most populous parts of the state. It stretches approximately from Brigham City at the north end to Nephi at the south end. Approximately 75 percent of the state's population lives in this corridor, and population growth is rapid. Western Utah is mostly arid desert with a basin and range topography. Small mountain ranges and rugged terrain punctuate the landscape. The Bonneville Salt Flats are an exception, being comparatively flat as a result of once forming the bed of ancient Lake Bonneville. Great Salt Lake, Utah Lake, Sevier Lake, and Rush Lake are all remnants of this ancient freshwater lake,[45] which once covered most of the eastern Great Basin. West of the Great Salt Lake, stretching to the Nevada border, lies the arid Great Salt Lake Desert. One exception to this aridity is Snake Valley, which is (relatively) lush due to large springs and wetlands fed from groundwater derived from snow melt in the Snake Range, Deep Creek Range, and other tall mountains to the west of Snake Valley. Great Basin National Park is just over the Nevada state line in the southern Snake Range. One of western Utah's most impressive, but least visited attractions is Notch Peak, the tallest limestone cliff in North America, located west of Delta. Much of the scenic southern and southeastern landscape (specifically the Colorado Plateau region) is sandstone, specifically Kayenta sandstone and Navajo sandstone. The Colorado River and its tributaries wind their way through the sandstone, creating some of the world's most striking and wild terrain (the area around the confluence of the Colorado and Green Rivers was the last to be mapped in the lower 48 United States). Wind and rain have also sculpted the soft sandstone over millions of years. Canyons, gullies, arches, pinnacles, buttes, bluffs, and mesas are the common sights throughout south-central and southeast Utah. This terrain is the central feature of protected state and federal 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. The Navajo Nation also extends into southeastern Utah. Southeastern Utah is also punctuated by the remote, but lofty La Sal, Abajo, and Henry mountain ranges. Eastern (northern quarter) Utah is a high-elevation area covered mostly by plateaus and basins, particularly the Tavaputs Plateau and San Rafael Swell, which remain mostly inaccessible, and the Uinta Basin, where the majority of eastern Utah's population lives. Economies are dominated by mining, oil shale, oil, and natural gas-drilling, ranching, and recreation. Much of eastern Utah is part of the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation. The most popular destination within northeastern Utah is Dinosaur National Monument near Vernal. Southwestern Utah is the lowest and hottest spot in Utah. It is known as Utah's Dixie because early settlers were able to grow some cotton there. Beaverdam Wash in far southwestern Utah is the lowest point in the state, at 2,000 feet (610 m).[44] The northernmost portion of the Mojave Desert is also located in this area. Dixie is quickly becoming a popular recreational and retirement destination, and the population is growing rapidly. Although the Wasatch Mountains end at Mount Nebo near Nephi, a complex series of mountain ranges extends south from the southern end of the range down the spine of Utah. Just north of Dixie and east of Cedar City is the state's highest ski resort, Brian Head. Like most of the western and southwestern states, the federal government owns much of the land in Utah. Over 70 percent of the land is either BLM land, Utah State Trustland, or U.S. National Forest, U.S. National Park, U.S. National Monument, National Recreation Area or U.S. Wilderness Area.[46] Utah is the only state where every county contains some national forest.[47] Arches National Park Arches National Park   Pariette Wetlands Pariette Wetlands   Little Cottonwood Canyon Little Cottonwood Canyon   Deer Creek Reservoir Deer Creek Reservoir   American Fork Canyon American Fork Canyon   Kolob Canyons at Zion National Park Kolob Canyons at Zion National Park Adjacent states Idaho (north) Wyoming (east and north) Colorado (east) Nevada (west) Arizona (south) Climate Köppen climate types of Utah, using 1991-2020 climate normals. Utah features a dry, semi-arid to desert climate,[48] although its many mountains feature a large variety of climates, with the highest points in the Uinta Mountains being above the timberline. The dry weather is a result of the state's location in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada in California. The eastern half of the state lies in the rain shadow of the Wasatch Mountains. The primary source of precipitation for the state is the Pacific Ocean, with the state usually lying in the path of large Pacific storms from October to May. In summer, the state, especially southern and eastern Utah, lies in the path of monsoon moisture from the Gulf of California. Most of the lowland areas receive less than 12 inches (305 mm) of precipitation annually, although the I-15 corridor, including the densely populated Wasatch Front, receives approximately 15 inches (381 mm). The Great Salt Lake Desert is the driest area of the state, with less than 5 inches (127 mm). Snowfall is common in all but the far southern valleys. Although St. George receives only about 3 inches (76 mm) per year, Salt Lake City sees about 60 inches (1,524 mm), enhanced by the lake-effect snow from the Great Salt Lake, which increases snowfall totals to the south, southeast, and east of the lake. Some areas of the Wasatch Range in the path of the lake-effect receive up to 500 inches (12,700 mm) per year. This micro climate of enhanced snowfall from the Great Salt Lake spans the entire proximity of the lake. The cottonwood canyons adjacent to Salt Lake City are located in the right position to receive more precipitation from the lake.[49] The consistently deep powder snow led Utah's ski industry to adopt the slogan "the Greatest Snow on Earth" in the 1980s. In the winter, temperature inversions are a common phenomenon across Utah's low basins and valleys, leading to thick haze and fog that can last for weeks at a time, especially in the Uintah Basin. Although at other times of year its air quality is good, winter inversions give Salt Lake City some of the worst wintertime pollution in the country. Previous studies have indicated a widespread decline in snowpack over Utah accompanied by a decline in the snow–precipitation ratio while anecdotal evidence claims have been put forward that measured changes in Utah's snowpack are spurious and do not reflect actual change. A 2012 study[50] found that the proportion of winter (January–March) precipitation falling as snow has decreased by nine percent during the last half century, a combined result from a significant increase in rainfall and a minor decrease in snowfall. Meanwhile, observed snow depth across Utah has decreased and is accompanied by consistent decreases in snow cover and surface albedo. Weather systems with the potential to produce precipitation in Utah have decreased in number with those producing snowfall decreasing at a considerably greater rate.[51] Snow in Rose Park, Salt Lake City Utah's temperatures are extreme, with cold temperatures in winter due to its elevation, and very hot summers statewide (with the exception of mountain areas and high mountain valleys). Utah is usually protected from major blasts of cold air by mountains lying north and east of the state, although major Arctic blasts can occasionally reach the state. Average January high temperatures range from around 30 °F (−1 °C) in some northern valleys to almost 55 °F (13 °C) in St. George. Temperatures dropping below 0 °F (−18 °C) should be expected on occasion in most areas of the state most years, although some areas see it often (for example, the town of Randolph averages about fifty days per year with temperatures that low). In July, average highs range from about 85 to 100 °F (29 to 38 °C). However, the low humidity and high elevation typically leads to large temperature variations, leading to cool nights most summer days. The record high temperature in Utah was 118 °F (48 °C), recorded south of St. George on July 4, 2007,[52] and the record low was −69 °F (−56 °C), recorded at Peter Sinks in the Bear River Mountains of northern Utah on February 1, 1985.[53] However, the record low for an inhabited location is −49 °F (−45 °C) at Woodruff on December 12, 1932.[54] Utah, like most of the western United States, has few days of thunderstorms. On average there are fewer than 40 days of thunderstorm activity during the year, although these storms can be briefly intense when they do occur. They are most likely to occur during monsoon season from about mid-July through mid-September, especially in southern and eastern Utah. Dry lightning strikes and the general dry weather often spark wildfires in summer, while intense thunderstorms can lead to flash flooding, especially in the rugged terrain of southern Utah. Although spring is the wettest season in northern Utah, late summer is the wettest period for much of the south and east of the state. Tornadoes are uncommon in Utah, with an average of two striking the state yearly, rarely higher than EF1 intensity.[55] One exception of note, however, was the unprecedented Salt Lake City Tornado that moved directly across downtown Salt Lake City on August 11, 1999. The F2 tornado killed one person, injured sixty others, and caused approximately $170 million in damage;[56] it was the second strongest tornado in the state behind an F3 on August 11, 1993, in the Uinta Mountains.[56][57] The only other reported tornado fatality in Utah's history was a 7-year-old girl who was killed while camping in Summit County on July 6, 1884.[56] The last tornado of above (E)F0 intensity occurred on September 8, 2002, when an F2 tornado hit Manti.[56] Wildlife The Rocky Mountain elk is the Utah state mammal. The California gull is the Utah state bird. See also: List of fauna of Utah Utah is home to more than 600 vertebrate animals[58] as well as numerous invertebrates and insects.[59] Mammals Main article: List of mammals of Utah Mammals are found in every area of Utah. Non-predatory larger mammals include the plains bison,[60][61] elk,[62] moose,[63] mountain goat,[63] mule deer,[63] pronghorn,[64] and multiple types of bighorn sheep.[65][66][67] Non-predatory small mammals include muskrat,[63] and nutria.[68] Large and small predatory mammals include the black bear,[63] cougar,[63] Canada lynx,[69] bobcat,[63] fox (gray, red, and kit),[63] coyote,[63] badger,[63] black-footed ferret,[70] mink,[63] stoat,[63] long-tailed weasel,[63] raccoon,[63] and otter.[71] The brown bear was formerly found within Utah, but has been extirpated.[72] There are no confirmed mating pairs of gray wolf in Utah, though there have been sightings in northeastern Utah along the Wyoming border.[73][74] Birds Main article: List of birds of Utah As of January 2020, there were 466 species included in the official list managed by the Utah Bird Records Committee (UBRC).[75][76] Of them, 119 are classed as accidental, 29 are classed as occasional, 57 are classed as rare, and 10 have been introduced to Utah or North America. Eleven of the accidental species are also classed as provisional. Due to the miracle of the gulls incident in 1848, the most well known bird in Utah is the California gull, which is the Utah state bird.[77][78] A monument in Salt Lake City commemorates this event, known as the "Miracle of the Gulls".[78] Other gulls common to Utah include Bonaparte's gull,[79] the ring-billed gull, and Franklin's gull. Other birds commonly found include the American robin,[80] the common starling, finches (black rosy,[81] Cassin's,[82] and goldfinch),[83] the black-billed magpie,[84] mourning doves, sparrows (house, tree,[85] black-chinned,[86] black-throated,[87] Brewer's,[88] and chipping),[89] Clark's grebe,[90] the ferruginous hawk, geese (snow, cackling,[91] and Canada),[92] eagles (golden and bald),[93] California quail,[94] mountain bluebird, and hummingbirds (calliope,[95] black-chinned,[96] and broad-tailed).[97] Invertebrates Western black widow spider Main articles: List of arachnids of Utah, List of butterflies and moths of Utah, and List of mollusks of Utah Utah is host to a wide variety of arachnids, insects, mollusks, and other invertebrates. Arachnids include the Arizona bark scorpion,[98] Western black widow spiders,[99] crab spiders,[100] hobo spiders (Tegenaria agrestis),[101] cellar spiders, American grass spiders, woodlouse spiders.[99] Several spiders found in Utah are often mistaken for the brown recluse spider, including the desert recluse spider (found only in Washington County), the cellar spider, and crevice weaving spiders.[102][103][104] The brown recluse spider has not been officially confirmed in Utah as of summer 2020.[105] One of the most rare insects in Utah is the Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle, found only in Coral Pink Sand Dunes State Park, near Kanab.[106] It was proposed in 2012 to be listed as a threatened species,[107] but the proposal was not accepted.[108] Other insects include grasshoppers,[109] green stink bugs,[110] the Army cutworm,[111] the monarch butterfly,[112] and Mormon fritillary butterfly.[112] The white-lined sphinx moth is common to most of the United States, but there have been reported outbreaks of large groups of their larvae damaging tomato, grape and garden crops in Utah.[113] Four or five species of firefly are also found across the state.[114] In February 2009, Africanized honeybees were found in southern Utah.[115][116] The bees had spread into eight counties in Utah, as far north as Grand and Emery counties by May 2017.[117] Vegetation Main article: List of flora of Utah Pando, considered one of the heaviest and oldest organisms on Earth.[118][119] Joshua trees, yuccas, and cholla cactus occupy the far southwest corner of the state in the Mojave Desert Several thousand plants are native to Utah,[120] including a variety of trees, shrubs, cacti, herbaceous plants, and grasses. As of 2018, there are 3,930 species of plants in Utah, with 3,128 of those being indigenous and 792 being introduced through various means.[121] Common trees include pines/piñons (white fir, Colorado, single-leaf, Great Basin bristlecone, ponderosa, Engelmann spruce, Rocky Mountain white), and Acer grandidentatum, quaking aspen, bigtooth maple, Utah juniper, speckled alder, red birch, Gambel oak, desert willow, blue spruce, and Joshua trees. Utah has a number of named trees, including the Jardine Juniper, Pando,[118][119] and the Thousand Mile Tree. Shrubs include a number of different ephedras (pitamoreal, Navajo, Arizona, Nevada, Torrey's jointfir, and green Mormon tea), sagebrushes (little, Bigelow, silver, Michaux's wormwood, black, pygmy, bud, and Great Basin), blue elderberry, Utah serviceberry, chokecherry, and skunkbush sumac. Western poison oak, poison sumac, and western poison ivy are all found in Utah.[122] There are many varieties of cacti in Utah's varied deserts, especially in the southern and western parts of the state. Some of these include desert prickly pear, California barrel cactus, fishhook cactus, cholla, beavertail prickly pear, and Uinta Basin hookless cactus. Despite the desert climate, many different grasses are found in Utah, including Mormon needlegrass, bluebunch wheatgrass, western alkali grass, squirreltail, desert saltgrass, and cheatgrass. Several invasive species of plants are considered noxious weeds by the state, including Bermuda grass, field bindweed, henbane, jointed goatgrass, Canada thistle, Balkan and common toadflax, giant cane, couch grass, St. John's wort, hemlock, sword grass, Russian olive, myrtle spurge, Japanese knotweed, salt cedar, and goat's head.[123] Demographics Main article: Demographics of Utah "Welcome to Utah" sign At the 2020 U.S. census, Utah had a population of 3,271,616. The U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the population of Utah was 3,205,958 on July 1, 2019, a 16.00% increase since the 2010 U.S. census.[124] The center of population of Utah is located in Utah County in the city of Lehi.[125] 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. Growth outside the Wasatch Front is also increasing. The St. George metropolitan area is currently the second fastest-growing in the country after the Las Vegas metropolitan area, while the Heber micropolitan area is also the second fastest-growing in the country (behind Palm Coast, Florida).[126] Utah contains five metropolitan areas (Logan, Ogden-Clearfield, Salt Lake City, Provo-Orem, and St. George), and six micropolitan areas (Brigham City, Heber, Vernal, Price, Richfield, and Cedar City). Health and fertility Utah ranks among the highest in total fertility rate, 47th in teenage pregnancy, lowest in percentage of births out of wedlock, lowest in number of abortions per capita, and lowest in percentage of teen pregnancies terminated in abortion. However, statistics relating to pregnancies and abortions may also be artificially low from teenagers going out of state for abortions because of parental notification requirements.[127][128] Utah has the lowest child poverty rate in the country, despite its young demographics.[129] According to the Gallup-Healthways Global Well-Being Index as of 2012, Utahns ranked fourth in overall well-being in the United States.[130] A 2002 national prescription drug study determined that antidepressant drugs were "prescribed in Utah more often than in any other state, at a rate nearly twice the national average".[131] The data shows that depression rates in Utah are no higher than the national average.[132] Ancestry and race This article contains too many pictures, charts or diagrams for its overall length. Relevant discussion may be found on the talk page. Please help to improve this article by removing or adjusting images in accordance with the Manual of Style on use of images. (Learn how and when to remove this template message) Historical population Census Pop. %± 1850 11,380 — 1860 40,273 253.9% 1870 86,336 114.4% 1880 143,963 66.7% 1890 210,779 46.4% 1900 276,749 31.3% 1910 373,351 34.9% 1920 449,396 20.4% 1930 507,847 13.0% 1940 550,310 8.4% 1950 688,862 25.2% 1960 890,627 29.3% 1970 1,059,273 18.9% 1980 1,461,037 37.9% 1990 1,722,850 17.9% 2000 2,233,169 29.6% 2010 2,763,885 23.8% 2020 3,271,616 18.4% Source: 1910–2020[133] Ethnic composition as of the 2020 census  Race and Ethnicity[134] Alone Total White (non-Hispanic) 75.3%   78.9%   Hispanic or Latino[a] — 15.1%   Asian 2.4%   3.6%   African American (non-Hispanic) 1.1%   1.8%   Pacific Islander 1.1%   1.7%   Native American 0.9%   1.8%   Other 0.4%   1.1%   Historical racial demographics  Racial composition 1970[135] 1990[135] 2000[136] 2010[137] White 97.4% 93.8% 89.2% 86.1% Hispanic (of any race) 4.1% 4.9% 9.0% 13.0% Asian 0.6% 1.9% 1.7% 2.0% Native 1.1% 1.4% 1.3% 1.2% Black 0.6% 0.7% 0.8% 1.0% Native Hawaiian and other Pacific Islander – – 0.7% 0.9% Other race 0.2% 2.2% 4.2% 6.0% Two or more races – – 2.1% 2.7% Utah population density map The largest ancestry groups in the state are: 26.0% English 11.9% German 11.8% Scandinavian (5.4% Danish, 4.0% Swedish, 2.4% Norwegian) 9.0% Mexican 6.6% American 6.2% Irish 4.6% Scottish 2.7% Italian 2.4% Dutch 2.2% French 2.2% Welsh 1.4% Scotch Irish 1.3% Swiss In 2011 one-third of Utah's workforce was reported to be bilingual, developed through a program of acquisition of second languages beginning in elementary school, and related to Mormonism's missionary goals for its young people.[138] In 2011, 28.6% of Utah's population younger than the age of one were ethnic minorities, meaning they had at least one parent who was of a race other than non-Hispanic white.[139] Religion Further information: Demographics of Utah § Religion Religion in Utah as of 2014[140] Religion Percent Latter-day Saints   55% Unaffiliated   22% Protestant   13% Catholic   5% Other faiths   2% Buddhist   1% Muslim   1% The LDS Salt Lake Temple, the primary attraction in the city's Temple Square First Presbyterian Church in Salt Lake City Sri Sri Radha Krishna (Hindu) Temple Mormons are the largest religious group in Utah. However, the percentage of Mormons to the overall population has been decreasing. In 2017, 62.8% of Utahns were members of the LDS Church.[141][142] This declined to 61.2% in 2018[143] and to 60.7% in 2019.[144] Members of the LDS Church currently make up between 34%–41% of the population within Salt Lake City. However, many of the other major population centers such as Provo, Logan, Tooele, and St. George tend to be predominantly LDS, along with many suburban and rural areas. The LDS Church has the largest number of congregations, numbering 4,815 wards.[145] According to results from the 2010 U.S. Census, combined with official LDS Church membership statistics, church members represented 62.1% of Utah's total population. The Utah county with the lowest percentage of church members was Grand County, at 26.5%, while the county with the highest percentage was Morgan County, at 86.1%. In addition, the result for the most populated county, Salt Lake County, was 51.4%.[13] Though the LDS Church officially maintains a policy of neutrality in regard to political parties,[146] the church's doctrine has a strong regional influence on politics.[147] Another doctrine effect can be seen in Utah's high birth rate (25 percent higher than the national average; the highest for a state in the U.S.).[148] The Mormons in Utah tend to have conservative views when it comes to most political issues and the majority of voter-age Utahns are unaffiliated voters (60%) who vote overwhelmingly Republican.[149] Mitt Romney received 72.8% of the Utahn votes in 2012, while John McCain polled 62.5% in the 2008 United States presidential election and 70.9% for George W. Bush in 2004. In 2010 the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) reported that the three largest denominational groups in Utah are the LDS Church with 1,910,504 adherents; the Catholic Church with 160,125 adherents, and the Southern Baptist Convention with 12,593 adherents.[150] According to a Gallup poll, Utah had the third-highest number of people reporting as "Very Religious" in 2015, at 55% (trailing only Mississippi and Alabama). However, it was near the national average of people reporting as "Nonreligious" (31%), and featured the smallest percentage of people reporting as "Moderately Religious" (15%) of any state, being eight points lower than second-lowest state Vermont.[151] In addition, it had the highest average weekly church attendance of any state, at 51%.[152] Languages The official language in the state of Utah is English. Utah English is primarily a merger of Northern and Midland American dialects carried west by LDS Church members, whose original New York dialect later incorporated features from northeast Ohio and central Illinois. Conspicuous in the speech of some in the central valley, although less frequent now in Salt Lake City, is a cord-card merger, so that the vowels /ɑ/ an /ɔ/ are pronounced the same before an /ɹ/, such as in the words cord and card.[153] In 2000, 87.5% of all state residents five years of age or older spoke only English at home, a decrease from 92.2% in 1990. Top 14 Non-English Languages Spoken in Utah Language Percentage of population (as of 2010)[154] Spanish 7.4% German 0.6% Navajo 0.5% French 0.4% Pacific Island languages including Chamorro, Hawaiian, Ilocano, Tagalog, and Samoan 0.4% Chinese 0.4% Portuguese 0.3% Vietnamese 0.3% Japanese 0.2% Arapaho 0.1% Age and gender Utah has the highest total birth rate[148] and accordingly, the youngest population of any U.S. state. In 2010, the state's population was 50.2% male and 49.8% female. The life expectancy is 79.3 years. Economy Main article: Economy of Utah See also: Utah locations by per capita income The Wasatch Front region has seen large growth and development despite the economic downturn. Shown is the City Creek Center project, a development in downtown Salt Lake City with a price tag of $1.5–2.5 billion. One out of every 14 flash memory chips in the world is produced in Lehi, Utah.[155] Zion National Park in southern Utah is one of five national parks in the state. Farms and ranches According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the gross state product of Utah in 2012 was US$130.5 billion, or 0.87% of the total United States GDP of US$14.991 trillion for the same year.[156] The per capita personal income was $45,700 in 2012. Major industries of Utah include: mining, cattle ranching, salt production, and government services. According to the 2007 State New Economy Index, Utah is ranked 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 2014, Utah was ranked number one in Forbes' list of "Best States For Business".[157] A November 2010 article in Newsweek magazine highlighted Utah and particularly the Salt Lake City area's economic outlook, calling it "the new economic Zion", and examined how the area has been able to bring in high-paying jobs and attract high-tech corporations to the area during a recession.[158] As of September 2014, the state's unemployment rate was 3.5%.[159] In terms of "small business friendliness", in 2014 Utah emerged as number one, based on a study drawing upon data from more than 12,000 small business owners.[160] In eastern Utah petroleum production is a major industry.[161] 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. 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. This is due to the standard ten percent of all earnings that Mormons give to the LDS Church.[129] According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, Utah had an average of 884,000 volunteers between 2008 and 2010, each of whom contributed 89.2 hours per volunteer. This figure equates to $3.8 billion of service contributed, ranking Utah number one for volunteerism in the nation.[162] Taxation Utah collects personal income tax; since 2008 the tax has been a flat five percent for all taxpayers.[163] The state sales tax has a base rate of 6.45 percent,[164] 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 does not impose an inheritance tax. Tourism Tourism is a major industry in Utah. With five national parks (Arches, Bryce Canyon, Canyonlands, Capitol Reef, and Zion), Utah has the third most national parks of any state after Alaska and California. In addition, Utah features eight national monuments (Cedar Breaks, Dinosaur, Grand Staircase-Escalante, Hovenweep, Natural Bridges, Bears Ears, Rainbow Bridge, and Timpanogos Cave), two national recreation areas (Flaming Gorge and Glen Canyon), seven national forests (Ashley, Caribou-Targhee, Dixie, Fishlake, Manti-La Sal, Sawtooth, and Uinta-Wasatch-Cache), and numerous state parks and monuments. The Moab area, in the southeastern part of the state, is known for its challenging mountain biking trails, including Slickrock. Moab also hosts the famous Moab Jeep Safari semiannually. Utah has seen an increase in tourism since the 2002 Winter Olympics. Park City is home to the United States Ski Team. Utah's ski resorts are primarily located in northern Utah near Salt Lake City, Park City, Ogden, and Provo. Between 2007 and 2011 Deer Valley in Park City, has been ranked the top ski resort in North America in a survey organized by Ski Magazine.[165] Utah has many significant ski resorts. The 2009 Ski Magazine reader survey concluded that six of the top ten resorts deemed most "accessible", and six of the top ten with the best snow conditions, were located in Utah.[166] In Southern Utah, Brian Head Ski Resort is located in the mountains near Cedar City. Former Olympic venues including Utah Olympic Park and Utah Olympic Oval are still in operation for training and competition and allows the public to participate in numerous activities including ski jumping, bobsleigh, and speed skating. Utah features many cultural attractions such as Temple Square, the Sundance Film Festival, the Red Rock Film Festival, the DOCUTAH Film Festival, the Utah Data Center, and the Utah Shakespearean Festival. Temple Square is ranked as the 16th most visited tourist attraction in the United States by Forbes magazine, with more than five million annual visitors.[167] Other attractions include Monument Valley, the Great Salt Lake, the Bonneville Salt Flats, and Lake Powell. Bryce Canyon National Park Amphitheater (winter view) Branding The state of Utah relies heavily on income from tourists and travelers visiting the state's parks and ski resorts, and thus the need to "brand" Utah and create an impression of the state throughout the world has led to several state slogans, the most famous of which being "The Greatest Snow on Earth", which has been in use in Utah officially since 1975 (although the slogan was in unofficial use as early as 1962) and now adorns nearly 50 percent 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.[168] Mining Mining has been a large industry in Utah since it was first settled. The Bingham Canyon Mine in Salt Lake County is one of the largest open pit mines in the world. Beginning in the late 19th century with the state's mining boom (including the Bingham Canyon Mine, among the world's largest open pit mines), companies attracted large numbers of immigrants with job opportunities. Since the days 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, Park City in Summit County and numerous coal mining camps throughout Carbon County such as Castle Gate, Spring Canyon, and Hiawatha.[169] These settlements were characteristic of the boom and bust cycle that dominated mining towns of the American West. Park City, Utah, and Alta, Utah were a boom towns in the early twentieth centuries. Rich silver mines in the mountains adjacent to the towns led to many people flocking to the towns in search of wealth. During the early part of 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 including coal, petroleum, and natural gas continue to play a large role in Utah's economy, especially in the eastern part of the state in counties such as Carbon, Emery, Grand, and Uintah.[169] Incidents In 2007, nine people were killed at the Crandall Canyon Mine collapse. On March 22, 2013, one miner died and another was injured after they became trapped in a cave-in at a part of the Castle Valley Mining Complex, about 16 kilometres (9.9 mi) west of the small mining town of Huntington in Emery County.[170] Energy See also: List of power stations in Utah Utah extracts more coal and generates more electricity than it consumes.[171] The state has the potential to generate 31.6 TWh/year from 13.1 GW of wind power, and 10,290 TWh/year from solar power using 4,048 GW of photovoltaic (PV), including 5.6 GW of rooftop photovoltaic, and 1,638 GW of concentrated solar power.[172] The Blue Castle Project is working toward building the state's first nuclear power plant near Green River, Utah. It is projected to be completed in 2030.[173] Transportation Further information: List of state highways in Utah and Utah Transit Authority Salt Lake International Airport is the largest airport in Utah FrontRunner commuter rail serves select cities from Ogden to Provo via Salt Lake City. TRAX light rail serves Salt Lake County I-15 and I-80 are the main interstate highways in the state, where they intersect and briefly merge near downtown Salt Lake City. I-15 traverses the state north-to-south, entering from Arizona near St. George, paralleling the Wasatch Front, and crossing into Idaho near Portage. I-80 spans northern Utah east-to-west, entering from Nevada at Wendover, crossing the Wasatch Mountains east of Salt Lake City, and entering Wyoming near Evanston. I-84 West enters from Idaho near Snowville (from Boise) and merges with I-15 from Tremonton to Ogden, then heads southeast through the Wasatch Mountains before terminating at I-80 near Echo Junction. I-70 splits from I-15 at Cove Fort in central Utah and heads east through mountains and rugged desert terrain, providing quick access to the many national parks and national monuments of southern Utah, and has been noted for its beauty. The 103 mi (166 km) stretch from Salina to Green River is the country's longest stretch of interstate without services and, when completed in 1970, was the longest stretch of entirely new highway constructed in the U.S. since the Alaska Highway was completed in 1943. TRAX, a light rail system in the Salt Lake Valley, consists of three lines. The Blue Line (formerly Salt Lake/Sandy Line) begins in the suburb of Draper and ends in Downtown Salt Lake City. The Red Line (Mid-Jordan/University Line) begins in the Daybreak Community of South Jordan, a southwestern valley suburb, and ends at the University of Utah. The Green Line begins in West Valley City, passes through downtown Salt Lake City, and ends at Salt Lake City International Airport. The Utah Transit Authority (UTA), which operates TRAX, also operates a bus system that stretches across the Wasatch Front, west into Grantsville, and east into Park City. In addition, UTA provides winter service to the ski resorts east of Salt Lake City, Ogden, and Provo. Several bus companies also provide access to the ski resorts in winter, and local bus companies also serve the cities of Cedar City, Logan, Park City, and St. George. A commuter rail line known as FrontRunner, also operated by UTA, runs between Ogden and Provo via Salt Lake City. Amtrak's California Zephyr, with one train in each direction daily, runs east–west through Utah with stops in Green River, Helper, Provo, and Salt Lake City. Salt Lake City International Airport is the only international airport in the state and serves as one of the hubs for Delta Air Lines. The airport has consistently ranked first in on-time departures and had the fewest cancellations among U.S. airports.[174] The airport has non-stop service to more than a hundred destinations throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico, as well as to Amsterdam, London and Paris. Canyonlands Field (near Moab), Cedar City Regional Airport, Ogden-Hinckley Airport, Provo Municipal Airport, St. George Regional Airport, and Vernal Regional Airport all provide limited commercial air service. A new regional airport at St. George opened on January 12, 2011. SkyWest Airlines is also headquartered in St. George and maintains a hub at Salt Lake City. Law and government Further information: Government of Utah, List of Utah Governors, List of Utah State Legislatures, Utah State Senate, and Utah State House of Representatives Jake Garn (top-right), former Senator of Utah (1974–1993), and astronaut on Space Shuttle flight STS-51-D Utah government is divided into three branches: executive, legislative, and judicial. The current governor of Utah is Spencer Cox,[175] who was sworn in on January 4, 2021. The governor is 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 45-day session. The Utah Supreme Court is the court of last resort in Utah. It consists of five justices, who are appointed by the governor, and then subject to retention election. The Utah Court of Appeals handles cases from the trial courts.[176] Trial level courts are the district courts and justice courts. All justices and judges, like those on the Utah Supreme Court, are subject to retention election after appointment. In a 2020 study, Utah was ranked as the 3rd easiest state for citizens to vote in.[177] Counties Main article: List of counties in Utah Utah is divided into political jurisdictions designated as counties. Since 1918 there have been 29 counties in the state, ranging from 298 to 7,819 square miles (772 to 20,300 km2). County name County seat Year founded 2020 U.S. Census Largest County City Percent of total Area % of state Beaver Beaver 1856 7,072 Beaver 0.22% 2,589 sq mi (6,710 km2) 3.2% Box Elder Brigham City 1856 57,666 Brigham City 1.76% 5,745 sq mi (14,880 km2) 7.0% Cache Logan 1856 133,154 Logan 4.07% 1,164 sq mi (3,010 km2) 1.4% Carbon Price 1894 20,412 Price 0.62% 1,478 sq mi (3,830 km2) 1.8% Daggett Manila 1918 935 Manila 0.03% 696 sq mi (1,800 km2) 0.8% Davis Farmington 1852 362,679 Layton 11.09% 298 sq mi (770 km2) 0.4% Duchesne Duchesne 1915 19,596 Roosevelt 0.60% 3,240 sq mi (8,400 km2) 3.9% Emery Castle Dale 1880 9,825 Huntington 0.30% 4,462 sq mi (11,560 km2) 5.4% Garfield Panguitch 1882 5,051 Panguitch 0.15% 5,175 sq mi (13,400 km2) 6.3% Grand Moab 1890 9,669 Moab 0.30% 3,671 sq mi (9,510 km2) 4.5% Iron Parowan 1852 57,289 Cedar City 1.75% 3,296 sq mi (8,540 km2) 4.0% Juab Nephi 1852 11,786 Nephi 0.36% 3,392 sq mi (8,790 km2) 4.1% Kane Kanab 1864 7,667 Kanab 0.23% 3,990 sq mi (10,300 km2) 4.9% Millard Fillmore 1852 12,975 Delta 0.40% 6,572 sq mi (17,020 km2) 8.0% Morgan Morgan 1862 12,295 Morgan 0.38% 609 sq mi (1,580 km2) 0.7% Piute Junction 1865 1,438 Circleville 0.04% 757 sq mi (1,960 km2) 0.9% Rich Randolph 1868 2,510 Garden City 0.08% 1,028 sq mi (2,660 km2) 1.3% Salt Lake Salt Lake City 1852 1,185,238 Salt Lake City, State Capital. 36.23% 742 sq mi (1,920 km2) 0.9% San Juan Monticello 1880 14,518 Blanding 0.44% 7,819 sq mi (20,250 km2) 9.5% Sanpete Manti 1852 28,437 Ephraim 0.87% 1,590 sq mi (4,100 km2) 1.9% Sevier Richfield 1865 21,522 Richfield 0.66% 1,910 sq mi (4,900 km2) 2.3% Summit Coalville 1854 42,357 Park City 1.29% 1,871 sq mi (4,850 km2) 2.3% Tooele Tooele 1852 72,698 Tooele 2.22% 6,941 sq mi (17,980 km2) 8.4% Uintah Vernal 1880 35,620 Vernal 1.09% 4,479 sq mi (11,600 km2) 5.5% Utah Provo 1852 659,399 Provo, third largest city in UT. 20.16% 2,003 sq mi (5,190 km2) 2.4% Wasatch Heber 1862 34,788 Heber City 1.06% 1,175 sq mi (3,040 km2) 1.4% Washington St. George 1852 180,279 St. George 5.51% 2,426 sq mi (6,280 km2) 3.0% Wayne Loa 1892 2,486 Loa 0.08% 2,460 sq mi (6,400 km2) 3.0% Weber Ogden 1852 262,223 Ogden 8.02% 576 sq mi (1,490 km2) 0.7% Total Counties: 29 Total 2020 population: 3,271,616[178] Total state area: 82,154 sq mi (212,780 km2) Women's rights Further information: Women's suffrage in Utah 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.[179] However, in 1887 the initial Edmunds-Tucker Act was passed by Congress in an effort to curtail Mormon influence in the territorial government. One of the provisions of the Act was the repeal of women's suffrage; full suffrage was not returned until Utah was admitted to the Union in 1896. Utah is one of the 15 states that have not ratified the U.S. Equal Rights Amendment.[180] Free-range parenting In March 2018, Utah passed United States' first "free-range parenting" bill. The bill was signed into law by Republican Governor Gary Herbert and states that parents who allow their children to engage in certain activities without supervision are not considered neglectful.[181][182] Constitution Main article: Constitution of Utah The constitution of Utah was enacted May 8, 1895.[183] Notably, the constitution outlawed polygamy, as requested by Congress when Utah had applied for statehood, and reestablished the territorial practice of women's suffrage. Utah's Constitution has been amended many times since its inception.[184] Alcohol, tobacco and gambling laws See also: List of alcohol laws of the United States Utah's laws in regard to alcohol, tobacco and gambling are strict. Utah is an alcoholic beverage control state. The Utah Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control regulates the sale of alcohol; wine and spirituous liquors may be purchased only at state liquor stores, and local laws may prohibit the sale of beer and other alcoholic beverages on Sundays. The state bans the sale of fruity alcoholic drinks at grocery stores and convenience stores. The law states that such drinks must now have new state-approved labels on the front of the products that contain capitalized letters in bold type telling consumers the drinks contain alcohol and at what percentage. The Utah Indoor Clean Air Act is a statewide smoking ban that prohibits it in many public places.[185] Utah and Hawaii are the only two states in the United States to outlaw all forms of gambling. Same-sex marriage Main article: Same-sex marriage in Utah Same-sex marriage became legal in Utah on December 20, 2013, when U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Shelby issued a ruling in Kitchen v. Herbert.[186][187] As of close of business December 26, more than 1,225 marriage licenses were issued, with at least 74 percent, or 905 licenses, issued to gay and lesbian couples.[188] The Utah Attorney General's office was granted a stay of the ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court on January 6, 2014, while the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals considered the case.[189] On October 6, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court declined a writ of certiorari, and the 10th Circuit Court issued their mandate later that day, lifting their stay. Same-sex marriages commenced again in Utah that day.[190] Politics Further information: Political party strength in Utah and United States presidential elections in Utah Party registration as of July 18, 2022[191] Party Total voters Percentage Republican 954,518 50.66% Unaffiliated 556,361 29.53% Democratic 267,217 14.18% Other 106,095 5.63% Total 1,884,191 100% The Utah State Capitol, Salt Lake City The Scott Matheson Courthouse is the seat of the Utah Supreme Court. In the late 19th century, the federal government took issue with polygamy in the LDS Church. The LDS Church discontinued plural marriage in 1890, and 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.[192] These tensions have played a large part in Utah's history (Liberal Party vs. People's Party). Utah votes predominantly Republican. Self-identified Latter-day Saints are more likely to vote for the Republican ticket than non-Mormons. Utah is one of the most Republican states in the nation.[193][194] Utah was the single most Republican-leaning state in the country in every presidential election from 1976 to 2004, measured by the percentage point margin between the Republican and Democratic candidates. In 2008 Utah was only the third-most Republican state (after Wyoming and Oklahoma), but in 2012, with Mormon Mitt Romney atop the Republican ticket, Utah returned to its position as the most Republican state. However, the 2016 presidential election result saw Republican Donald Trump carry the state (marking the thirteenth consecutive win by the Republican presidential candidate) with only a plurality, the first time this happened since 1992. Both of Utah's U.S. Senators, Mitt Romney and Mike Lee, are Republican. Three more Republicans—Rob Bishop, Chris Stewart, and John Curtis—represent Utah in the United States House of Representatives. Ben McAdams was the sole Democratic member of the Utah delegation, representing the 4th congressional district, based in Salt Lake City, from 2019 to 2021, though he lost re-election to Burgess Owens, a Republican, in 2020. After Jon Huntsman Jr. resigned to serve as U.S. Ambassador to China in 2009, Gary Herbert was sworn in as governor on August 11, 2009. Herbert was elected to serve out the remainder of the term in a special election in 2010, defeating Democratic nominee Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon with 64% of the vote. He won election to a full four-year term in 2012, defeating the Democrat Peter Cooke with 68% of the vote. The LDS Church maintains an official policy of neutrality with regard to political parties and candidates.[146] 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.[195] Although the LDS Church has officially repudiated such statements on many occasions, Democratic candidates—including LDS Democrats—believe Republicans capitalize on the perception that the Republican Party is doctrinally superior.[196] Political scientist and pollster Dan Jones explains this disparity by noting that the national Democratic Party is associated with liberal positions on gay marriage and abortion, both of which the LDS Church is against.[197] The Republican Party in heavily Mormon Utah County presents itself as the superior choice for Latter-day Saints. Even though Utah Democratic candidates are predominantly LDS, socially conservative, and pro-life, no Democrat has won in Utah County since 1994.[198] David Magleby, dean of Social and Behavioral Sciences at Brigham Young University, a lifelong Democrat and a political analyst, asserts that the Republican Party actually has more conservative positions than the LDS Church. Magleby argues that the locally conservative Democrats are in better accord with LDS doctrine.[199] For example, the Republican Party of Utah opposes almost all abortions while Utah Democrats take a more liberal approach, although more conservative than their national counterparts. On Second Amendment issues, the state GOP has been at odds with the LDS Church position opposing concealed firearms in places of worship and in public spaces. In 1998 the church expressed concern that Utahns perceived the Republican Party as an LDS institution and authorized lifelong Democrat and Seventy Marlin Jensen to promote LDS bipartisanship.[195] Utah is much more conservative than the United States as a whole, primarily on social issues. Compared to other Republican-dominated states in the Mountain West such as Idaho and Wyoming, Utah politics have a more moralistic and less libertarian character, according to David Magleby.[200] About 80% of Utah's Legislature are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,[201] while members account for 61 percent of the population.[202] Since becoming a state in 1896, Utah has had only two non-Mormon governors.[203] In 2006, the legislature passed legislation aimed at banning joint-custody for a non-biological parent of a child. The custody measure passed the legislature and was vetoed by the governor, a reciprocal benefits supporter. Carbon County's Democrats are generally made up of members of the large Greek, Italian, and Southeastern European communities, whose ancestors migrated in the early 20th century to work in the extensive mining industry. The views common amongst this group are heavily influenced by labor politics, particularly of the New Deal Era.[204] The state's most Republican areas tend to be Utah County, which is the home to Brigham Young University in the city of Provo, and nearly all the rural counties.[205][206] These areas generally hold socially conservative views in line with that of the national Religious Right. The most Democratic areas of the state lie currently in and around Salt Lake City proper. The state has not voted for a Democrat for president since 1964. Historically, Republican presidential nominees score one of their best margins of victory here. Utah was the Republicans' best state in the 1976,[207] 1980,[208] 1984,[209] 1988,[210] 1996,[211] 2000,[212] 2004[213] and 2012 elections. In 1992, Utah was the only state in the nation where Democratic candidate Bill Clinton finished behind both Republican candidate George HW Bush and Independent candidate Ross Perot.[214] In 2004, Republican George W. Bush won every county in the state and Utah gave him his largest margin of victory of any state. He won the state's five electoral votes by a margin of 46 percentage points with 71.5% of the vote. In the 1996 Presidential elections the Republican candidate received a smaller 54% of the vote while the Democrat earned 34%.[215] In 2020, the Associated Press wrote a piece profiling Utah's political culture during that year's presidential election. The article noted a more bipartisan and cooperative environment, along with conservative support of liberal causes such as LGBT rights and marijuana use, despite the Republican dominance in the state and the political polarization seen in other parts of the U.S. at the time.[216] Major cities and towns Main article: List of municipalities in Utah See also: Utah locations by per capita income Utah's population is concentrated in two areas, the Wasatch Front in the north-central part of the state, with over 2.6 million residents; and Washington County, in southwestern Utah, locally known as "Dixie", with more than 175,000 residents in the metropolitan area. According to the 2010 Census, Utah was the second fastest-growing state (at 23.8 percent) in the United States between 2000 and 2010 (behind Nevada). St. George, in the southwest, is the second fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States, trailing Greeley, Colorado. The three fastest-growing counties from 2000 to 2010 were Wasatch County (54.7%), Washington County (52.9%), and Tooele County (42.9%). However, Utah County added the most people (148,028). Between 2000 and 2010, Saratoga Springs (1,673%), Herriman (1,330%), Eagle Mountain (893%), Cedar Hills (217%), South Willard (168%), Nibley (166%), Syracuse (159%), West Haven (158%), Lehi (149%), Washington (129%), and Stansbury Park (116%) all at least doubled in population. West Jordan (35,376), Lehi (28,379), St. George (23,234), South Jordan (20,981), West Valley City (20,584), and Herriman (20,262) all added at least 20,000 people.[217] Utah Rank City Population (2020) within city limits Land area Population density (/mi2) Population density (/km2) County 1 Salt Lake City 199,723 109.1 sq mi (283 km2) 1,830.6 706 Salt Lake 2 West Valley City 140,230 35.4 sq mi (92 km2) 3,961.3 1,524 Salt Lake 3 West Jordan 116,961 30.9 sq mi (80 km2) 3,785.1 1,462 Salt Lake 4 Provo 115,162 39.6 sq mi (103 km2) 2,908.1 1,118 Utah County 5 Orem 98,129 18.4 sq mi (48 km2) 5,333.1 2,044 Utah County 6 Sandy 96,904 22.3 sq mi (58 km2) 4,345.5 1,671 Salt Lake 7 St. George 95,342 64.4 sq mi (167 km2) 1,480.5 571 Washington 8 Ogden 87,321 26.6 sq mi (69 km2) 3,282.7 1,266 Weber 9 Layton 81,773 22.0 sq mi (57 km2) 3,717 1,434 Davis 10 South Jordan 77,487 22.05 sq mi (57 km2) 3,514.1 1,359 Salt Lake 11 Lehi 75,907 26.3 sq mi (68 km2) 2,886.2 1,116 Utah 12 Millcreek 63,380 13.7 sq mi (35 km2) 4,626.3 1,811 Salt Lake 13 Taylorsville 60,448 10.7 sq mi (28 km2) 5,649.3 2,159 Salt Lake Combined statistical area Population (2010) Salt Lake City-Ogden-Clearfield comprises: Salt Lake City and Ogden-Clearfield Metropolitan Areas and Brigham City and Heber Micropolitan Areas (as listed below) 1,744,886 Utah Rank Metropolitan area Population (2017) Counties 1 Salt Lake City* 1,203,105 Salt Lake, Tooele, Summit 2 Ogden-Clearfield* 665,358 Weber, Davis, Morgan 3 Provo-Orem 617,675 Utah 4 St. George 165,662 Washington 5 Logan 138,002 Cache, Franklin (Idaho) Until 2003, the Salt Lake City and Ogden-Clearfield metropolitan areas were considered as a single metropolitan area.[citation needed] Utah Rank Micropolitan area Population (2010) 1 Brigham City 49,015 2 Cedar City 44,540 3 Vernal 29,885 4 Heber 21,066 5 Price 19,549 6 Richfield 18,382 Salt Lake City Salt Lake City   Logan Logan   Ogden Ogden   Park City Park City   Provo Provo   Sandy Sandy   St. George St. George   Layton Layton Colleges and universities Main article: List of colleges and universities in Utah The Huntsman Cancer Institute on the campus of the University of Utah in Salt Lake City The Eyring Science Center on the campus of Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah Bridgerland Technical College in Logan Broadview College in West Jordan Brigham Young University in Provo (satellite campus in Salt Lake City) Davis Technical College in Kaysville Eagle Gate College in Murray and Layton Ensign College (formerly LDS Business College) in Salt Lake City Joyce University of Nursing and Health Sciences (formerly Ameritech College of Healthcare) in Draper Mountainland Technical College in Lehi Neumont College of Computer Science in South Jordan Noorda College of Osteopathic Medicine in Provo Ogden–Weber Technical College in Ogden Provo College in Provo Rocky Mountain University of Health Professions in Provo Roseman University in South Jordan, Utah Salt Lake Community College in Taylorsville Snow College in Ephraim and Richfield Southern Utah University in Cedar City Southwest Technical College in Cedar City Tooele Technical College in Tooele Uintah Basin Technical College in Roosevelt University of Phoenix at various locations statewide University of Utah in Salt Lake City Utah State University in Logan (satellite campuses at various state locations) Utah State University Eastern in Price Utah Tech University in St. George (formerly Dixie State University) as of May 2022, and legal effect in July 2022.[218]) Utah Valley University in Orem Weber State University in Ogden Western Governors University an online only university, headquartered in Salt Lake City Westminster College in Salt Lake City Culture Sports See also: List of professional sports teams in Utah The Utah Jazz playing against the Houston Rockets Robbie Russell playing for Real Salt Lake Utah is the second-least populous U.S. state to have a major professional sports league franchise, after the Vegas Golden Knights joined the National Hockey League in 2017. The Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association play at Vivint Arena[219] in Salt Lake City. The team moved to the city from New Orleans in 1979 and has been one of the most consistently successful teams in the league (although they have yet to win a championship). Salt Lake City was previously host to the Utah Stars, who competed in the ABA from 1970 to 1976 and won one championship, and to the Utah Starzz of the WNBA from 1997 to 2003. Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer was founded in 2005 and play their home matches at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy. RSL remains the only Utah major league sports team to have won a national championship, having won the MLS Cup in 2009.[220] RSL currently operates three adult teams in addition to the MLS side. Real Monarchs, competing in the third-tier MLS Next Pro, is the official reserve side for RSL. The team began play in the 2015 season at Rio Tinto Stadium,[221] remaining there until moving to Zions Bank Stadium, located at RSL's training center in Herriman, for the 2018 season and beyond.[222] Utah Royals FC, which shares ownership with RSL and also plays at Rio Tinto Stadium, has played in the National Women's Soccer League, the top level of U.S. women's soccer, since 2018.[223] Before the creation of the Royals, RSL's main women's side had been Real Salt Lake Women, which began play in the Women's Premier Soccer League in 2008 and moved to United Women's Soccer in 2016. RSL Women currently play at Utah Valley University in Orem. Utah's highest level Minor League Baseball team is the Triple-A Salt Lake Bees, who play at Smith's Ballpark in Salt Lake City as a part of the Pacific Coast League. Utah also has one minor league hockey team, the Utah Grizzlies, who play at the Maverik Center and compete in the ECHL. Utah has seven universities that compete in Division I of the NCAA. Three of the schools have football programs that participate in the top-level Football Bowl Subdivision: Utah in the Pac-12 Conference, Utah State in the Mountain West Conference, and BYU as an independent (although BYU competes in the non-football West Coast Conference for most other sports). In addition, Weber State and Southern Utah (SUU) compete in the Big Sky Conference of the FCS. Utah Tech, with an FCS football program, and Utah Valley, with no football program, are members of the Western Athletic Conference (WAC). Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics. After early financial struggles and scandal, the 2002 Olympics eventually became among the most successful Winter Olympics in history from a marketing and financial standpoint.[citation needed] Watched by more than two billion viewers, the Games ended up with a profit of $100 million.[224] Utah has hosted professional golf tournaments such as the Uniting Fore Care Classic and currently the Utah Championship. Rugby has been growing quickly in the state of Utah, growing from 17 teams in 2009 to 70 as of 2013 with more than 3,000 players, and more than 55 high school varsity teams.[225][226] The growth has been inspired in part by the 2008 movie Forever Strong.[226] Utah fields two of the most competitive teams in the nation in college rugby—BYU and Utah.[225] BYU has won the National Championship in 2009, 2012, 2013, 2014, and 2015. Formed in 2017, the Utah Warriors are a Major League Rugby team based in Salt Lake City.[227] Entertainment See also: List of appearances of Monument Valley in the media and Category:Films shot in Utah Utah is the setting of or the filming location for many books, films,[228] television series,[228] music videos, and video games.
  • Region of Origin: US
  • Framing: Unframed
  • Country/Region of Manufacture: United States
  • Size Type/Largest Dimension: Medium (Up to 10")
  • Listed By: Dealer or Reseller
  • Date of Creation: 1930-1939
  • Color: Black & White
  • Subject: Architecture & Cityscape
  • Time Period Manufactured: Vintage & Antique (Pre-1940)
  • Original/Reprint: Original Print
  • Type: Photograph

PicClick Insights - Mormon Church Salt Lake City Utah 1932 Photo - Latter Day Sints - Vintage PicClick Exclusive

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