Estimated read time: 8-9 minutes
Take a glance at the majestic red rocks of southern Utah or the rugged forests of northern Utah and you'll get a sense that this place was around long before humans laid eyes on it. From the plethora of dinosaur fossils found throughout the state to evidence of Ice Age mammoths, the Beehive State's history reaches back further than you might imagine.
In recent history, as in the last couple of centuries, lots of monumental events have taken place in Utah. Here is a look at some of the biggest moments in Utah's contemporary history, starting with its discovery by Europeans.
1776: Dominguez-Escalante Expedition
In 1776, two Franciscan priests named Atanasio Domínguez and Silvestre Vélez de Escalante were tasked with finding an overland route from New Mexico to the Catholic mission in Monterey, California. The area had been largely unexplored until the priest's expedition.
The traveling party—made up of 12 Spanish colonials and two Utes as guides—set off through the Colorado Plateau on July 29, 1776, according to the National Parks Service. They discovered a paradise when they reached the Utah Valley, bursting with plentiful water, timber, croplands, game, and fish.
The group was eventually set back by an early winter and returned to Santa Fe through southern Utah, crossing the Colorado River at a location that is now at the bottom of Lake Powell.
Though it was a difficult journey for the friars, their charting and journaling of the area opened up the routes for future trade and exploration.
1847: Arrival of Latter-day Saint pioneers
You've heard the famous Brigham Young quote, "This is the place." The first group of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints pioneers descended into the Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847, after thousands of miles and more than a year of travel.
The founding group of 148 pioneers began tilling land and planting crops that very day. In that year alone, History.com reports about 1,600 people arrived in the Valley.
Each group traveled in companies that included wagons, oxen, handcarts and had an organized leadership structure. According to the Church, an estimated 60,000 to 70,000 pioneers traveled to Utah between the years 1847 and 1868.
1869: The Golden Spike
The era of overland travel by wagon or handcart ended with the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad in 1869. On May 10, members of both the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads met in Promontory, Utah to drive four symbolic spikes into the ground, according to Utah.com. Two of these railroad spikes are 17.6 karat gold alloyed with copper, the Union Pacific website states.
This ceremony symbolized an incredible trade and travel milestone for the United States. People could now travel by train from one side of the U. S. to the other on the transcontinental railroad.
Today, history buffs and locomotive enthusiasts alike can visit the site of the Golden Spike in Promontory to learn more.
1896: Utah becomes a state
Utah gained statehood on January 4, 1896, but it was a long and arduous road to get there. The process was delayed for years because of strained relations between the Mormon settlers and the government.
President James Buchanan sent a military force to replace the state's religiously-controlled government in 1857, resulting in the Utah or "Mormon" War. That was just one of many hurdles on the path to statehood.
PBS says Utah leaders applied for statehood many times over the course of four decades and Congress denied each one until 1890.
To be admitted to the Union, the Utah territory had to comply with the Edmunds-Tucker act, which limited the political power of the church and outlawed polygamy.
Once Church President Wilford Woodruff ended the practice of plural marriage in 1890, there were no more roadblocks and Utah became the 45th state in 1896.
1963: Glen Canyon Dam completion
Lake Powell is one of the crown jewels in a state known for stunning beauty and outdoor recreation. But the lake isn't naturally occurring—it was created by the completion of the Glen Canyon Dam in 1963. Lake Powell is formed by the waters of the Colorado River, attracting more than three million people from all over every year, according to the Bureau of Reclamation.
The dam itself is a few miles south of the Utah border in Page, Arizona. It is the second-highest concrete-arch dam in the country, falling in line after the Hoover Dam.
Its construction allowed for hydroelectric power generation as well as water storage for the arid region. According to the Bureau of Reclamation, Lake Powell can hold 25.16 million acre-feet of water. The powerplant in the dam can produce a maximum of 1,021,248 kilowatts of energy, powering the southwest region of the U.S., including Arizona, Utah, Colorado and more.
1978: First Sundance Film Festival
Sundance Film Festival changed Utah's history by bringing a bit of glam and celebrity to the state.
According to the Sundance Institute website, actor Robert Redford bought some land in Provo Canyon where he built a cabin—on his own. Just eight years later in 1969, Redford bought 5,000 acres of land in the same area and called it Sundance. Sundance Mountain Resort opened the same year.
Nearly 10 years later, the moderately successful U.S./Utah Film Festival took place in Salt Lake City, Megan Friedman writes for Time.com.
In 1981, the festival moved to Park City in January to attract Hollywood visitors during ski season. By 1984, the festival's name was officially changed to Sundance Film Festival and headed by Robert Redford's Sundance Film Institute. Sundance has grown and flourished ever since, becoming America's premiere film festival on par with the likes of Cannes.
Some blockbuster films to come out of the Utah-based film festival are "500 Days of Summer," "Napoleon Dynamite," and "Get Out."
1979: Utah Jazz are the state's first pro team
On June 8, 1979, Utah became home to its first-ever NBA team. Originally from New Orleans, the Jazz uprooted across the country to settle in Salt Lake City, according to the NBA. Though the name The Jazz was fitting enough in Louisiana, it seemed out of place in the Salt Lake Valley.
But Utah's sports fans embraced the name — and the team — with open arms.
The Jazz's popularity (and their win percentage) boomed along with the growth of the NBA in the 1980s and 1990s. By the mid-90s, the Jazz were a force to be reckoned with. A KSL Sports article reports the team's first trip to the NBA finals happened after John Stockton put up 3 points at — literally — the last second.
Today the Jazz enjoy huge popularity in their home state and an average attendance of more than 18,000 fans per game during the 2022-23 season, according to Statista.
1982: First permanent artificial heart transplant
The world's first-ever permanent artificial heart transplant took place in the Beehive State. In 1982, a team of innovative surgeons at the University of Utah successfully replaced a man named Barney Clark's tattered heart with an artificial heart called the Jarvik-7, according to U of U Health.
Dr. William DeVries led the team of surgeons through the operation. A resulting media storm converged on the hospital, blasting headlines across the globe.
Some equated this advancement to the medical equivalent of putting a man on the moon.
7 fascinating Utah places you aren't allowed to visit
No matter how intrigued you may be, there are certain areas you're forbidden to explore. In Utah, this includes a few abandoned structures, a haunted ranch, a dangerous spelunking cave and more. The following places may tantalize your curiosity — but keep out.2002: Salt Lake Winter Olympics
Perhaps the most well-known event ever to take place in Utah was the 2002 Winter Olympics. People from every corner of the world flew into the Beehive State with dreams of breaking records and winning medals.
Utah was the eighth American city to host the Olympic Games, reports Kelley Ekert for NBC New York. It was a rare honor to win out over bidding countries like Switzerland, and Sweden.
The Games were considered a huge success and were the catalyst for major infrastructure advancements throughout the state. According to Olympics.com, the Games also brought more than five billion dollars to the state.
Additionally, hosting the Olympics had a long-lasting effect on Utah's tourism economy. From 2002 to 2019, the number of ski visitors increased by 72%.
Siegfried & Jensen
Since 1990, Siegfried & Jensen have been helping the people of Utah and surrounding states who have suffered needless injuries and death caused by car accidents, truck accidents, medical malpractice, defective drugs, dog bites, wrongful death, and other types of personal injury.
The firm is committed to keeping Utah families and communities safe by ensuring wrongdoers are held accountable. While a lawsuit isn't always the answer when it is needed having someone on your side can mean the difference between declaring bankruptcy and rebuilding your life and moving forward, especially when you're up against an insurance company or a hospital.
Siegfried & Jensen has represented more than 35,000 clients and recovered over $1.2 billion for them.
