Utah - Fun Facts, State Symbols, Photos, Visitor Info

"I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them."

President

James Madison

"The happy Union of these States is a wonder; their Constitution a miracle; their example the hope of Liberty throughout the world."

President

James Monroe

"With a firm reliance on the protection of Almighty God, I shall forwith commence the duties of the high trust to which you have called me."

President

Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Let us never forget that government is ourselves and not an alien power over us. The ultimate rulers of our democracy are not a President and senators and congressmen and government officials, but the voters of this country."

President

Utah
Entered the Union: January 4, 1896 (45)	Capital: Salt Lake City
Origin of Name: From the Ute tribe, meaning “people of the mountains”
State Nickname: Beehive State	State Motto: Industry
State Bird: California Gull	State Flower: Sego Lily
State Animal: Rocky Mountain Elk	State Tree: Blue Spruce
State Song: “Utah, We Love Thee"
National Parks: 6 • National Forests: 6 • State Parks: 43
Famous for: Rock formations, Great Salt Lake, skiing
Famous Utahans: Butch Cassidy (outlaw), John Moses Browning (gunsmith), Philo Farnsworth (television pioneer), Jake Garn (first U.S. Senator to fly in space), Willard Marriott (hotel chain founder), Peter Skene Ogden (fur trader/trapper), Merlin Olsen (football), Donny & Marie Osmond (singers), James Woods (actor), Brigham Young (governor and religious leader), Loretta Young (actress)
Native Animals and Birds: Click on photos of the animals and birds on this page to find out more about them and to hear the sounds they make.

State Fair: Salt Lake City

Utah Forests

Utah National Parks

Utah State Parks

Utah Historic Sites

Utah Attractions

Skiing in Utah

Fishing in Utah

Hunting in Utah

Utah Jazz (NBA) - Salt Lake City

Utah Homeschooling

Listen to Sea Gull's Song

Utah Photo Gallery

Utah Butterfly Gallery

Utah Resorts

Utah RV Parks

Utah Hotels & Reviews

Gosiute, Paiute, Shoshone, and Ute Indian tribes lived in Utah.

The Utah region was first explored for Spain by Franciscan friars Escalante and Dominguez in 1776. In 1821, Mexico gained independence of Spain and took control of Utah.

In 1824 the famous American frontiersman, Jim Bridger, discovered the Great Salt Lake. The first permanent settlers in Utah were members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Mormons). At the end of the Mexican War in 1848, Utah came under control of the United States.

The world's first transcontinental railroad was completed at Promontory where the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads met on May 10, 1869. The location is now known as Golden Spike National Historic Site .

Rainbow Bridge is the world's largest natural bridge. The bridge rises 290 feet above the floor of Bridge Canyon and is 270 feet long.

The Great Salt Lake is 3 to 5 times saltier than the ocean. Fish free, the lake's largest aquatic critters are brine shrimp.

Of the 50 states, Utah has the youngest population; one of the highest birth rates; the second lowest death rate; the healthiest population; the highest literacy rate; the highest percentage of high school graduates; and the highest number of people with a college education.

Salt Lake City was the host for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games.

Utah is a great vacationland with 11,000 miles of fishing streams and 147,000 acres of lakes and reservoirs.

The average snowfall in the mountains near Salt Lake City is 500 inches.

Because of the state's inland location Utah's snow is unusually dry. Earning it the reputation of having the world's greatest powder. 14 Alpine ski resorts operate in Utah.

Annual precipitation varies from less than five inches in Utah's arid Great Salt Lake Desert to more than 60 inches in the northern mountain ranges.

The gull is considered the state bird of Utah in commemoration of the fact that these gulls saved the people of the State by eating up the Rocky mountain crickets which were destroying the crops in 1848.

Kanab is called "Park Central" because it is located only minutes away from a grand array of three (3) national parks, three (3) national monuments, one (1) national recreation area and two (2) state parks. Two (2) national forests and the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) wilderness areas also surround Kanab.

Kanab is known as Utah's Little Hollywood because of the large number of motion pictures that are filmed in the area.

The television series "Touched by an Angel" was filmed in Utah.

Utahan's Ethnic Roots: English 29%, German 11.6%, Native American 6.8%, Danish 6.5%, Mexican 6.1%

Religion in Utah: LDS 57%, Christian 18% (12% Protestant, 6% Catholic), No Religion 17%, Muslim 1%

The Cleveland-Lloyd Dinosaur Quarry is one of the world's foremost dinosaur fossil sources. Includes more than 30 complete skeletons, several thousand individual bones, intact dinosaur eggs, and tons of other remains.

Utah is the Jello capital of the world. More jello is eaten in Utah than any where else in the world.

Thanksgiving Day

Thanksgiving - Thanking God for His blessings

Thanksgiving Day November 28, 2024
In 1621, 52 Pilgrims and approx. 50 Native Americans celebrated a 3-day feast thanking God for His blessings enabling their survival in the New World. Thanksgiving Day is celebrated on the 4th Thursday of November.

Advent

December 1, 2024
Advent begins 4 weeks before Christmas and remembers the longing and waiting of God's people for the coming of the Messiah.

Bill of Rights Day

December 15, 1791
Bill of Rights Day
Celebrating the 10 amendments to the Constitution which protect individual rights by placing specific limits on government power. These freedoms do not exist in many countries of the world.

Christmas Day

December 25th Christmas celebrates the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of the World. This joyous festival is enjoyed by Christians and nonChristians alike all over the world.