Philip F. Notarianni Utah History Encyclopedia, 1994 Mining for metals, coal, hydrocarbons, and minerals was a vital aspect of Utah’s economic, industrial, political, and social growth and development. The mining industry has touched all aspects of life in Utah and has contributed greatly to the state’s history. Mormon gold miners participated in the initial discovery of gold in California, and …
Colorado River
Robert McPherson Utah History Encyclopedia, 1994 The Colorado River is one of the most important water systems in the United States. Draining watersheds from seven western states, it is divided into two major districts, the Upper Basin comprised of Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico, and the Lower Basin formed by Nevada, Arizona, and California. With its headwaters in Wyoming …
Navajo Indians
Robert S. McPherson Utah History Encyclopedia, 1994 The Navajo Indians in Utah reside on a reservation of more than 1,155,000 acres in the southeastern corner of the state. According to the 1990 census, more than half of the population of San Juan County is comprised of Navajo people, the majority of whom live south of the San Juan River. Scholars …
Black Hawk War
John A. Peterson Utah History Encyclopedia, 1994 The Black Hawk Indian War was the longest and most destructive conflict between pioneer immigrants and Native Americans in Utah History. The traditional date of the war’s commencement is 9 April 1865 but tensions had been mounting for years. On that date bad feelings were transformed into violence when a handful of Utes …
The Ute Trek to South Dakota in 1906 Ended in Disappointment
Jeffrey D. Nichols History Blazer, June 1995 The May 26, 1906, Vernal Express spread the alarm: “Many of the residents of Uintah county may not be aware of the fact, but it is nevertheless true, that Indian trouble of gigantic proportion is brewing . . . .” A band of White River Utes from the Uintah and Ouray Reservation, numbering …
Latinos at the Kennecott Copper Mine
Miriam B. Murphy History Blazer, November 1996 During the copper strike of 1912 Utah Copper Company brought many Mexican and Mexican American strikebreakers to the Bingham mine. According to historian Vicente V. Mayer, most of them did not remain after the settlement of the strike. Company records reveal, though, that by 1918-19 large numbers of Spanish-surnamed individuals began to be …
The Wenner Family Enjoyed Life on Fremont Island
Yvette D. Ison History Blazer, May 1995 When Kate and Uriah James Wenner arrived in Salt Lake City in 1880 they expected to establish permanent residence in the city. The newlyweds built a home on East South Temple, and Wenner opened a law office. The couple soon became prominent members of Salt Lake society. In 1883 Wenner was appointed as …
Silver in the Beehive State
John S. McCormick Beehive History 16 The history of silver in Utah is a long and fascinating one. Some evidence exists that Spaniards and Mexicans, and perhaps Native Americans, engaged in mining at various locations throughout the state—including present-day Iron County, Utah Valley, Summit County near Kamas, and Minersville–before permanent white settlement began with the arrival of the Mormons in …
Settlement and Exploration
Thomas G. Alexander Utah, The Right Place Some judgments can be made on the valley from Fremont’s descriptions, from the experience of the Mormon pioneers, and from later explorations such as those by Howard Stansbury and John Wesley Powell. The deposits dropped by Lake Bonneville and by mountain streams provided fertile soil for Euro-mountain streams provided fertile soil for Euro-American …
John Wesley Powell’s Headquarters at Kanab
Lyndia Carter History Blazer, December 1996 When John Wesley Powell’s crew of topographers, geologists, other scientists, artists, and photographers arrived in Kanab in 1871, the settlement was in its infancy. Only a few scattered houses stood outside the fort. Fruit trees, shade trees, and vines were just getting a start. Yet the town was a haven for men who had …