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While doing some research, Local Government Records Specialist Heidi (yes, we have two Heidi’s in our office!) came across this funny little case in the Sanpete County Justice Court: Gunnison Precinct records. On June 13, 1904, six boys appeared before the Justice of the Peach for the theft of ice cream and cake! Looks like all the boys were charged

A recent patron was researching our Sanpete County Territorial Probate Court records and pointed out an unusual court case. Have you ever heard of a “case of profanity”? In May 1863, Albert Lewis was seen in the Manti Justice Court for just that!  “Defendant came forward and acknowledged having been guilty of profanity in taking the name of Deity in vain.”  a

The Latter-day Saints settled the Salt Lake Valley in 1847, and for the next fifty years they and following settlers fought for statehood. It took seven attempts to finally realize that goal. 1849 The Latter-day Saints settled the Salt Lake Valley in 1847. Part of the appeal of the land was that it belonged to Mexico. They felt they had

Heidi found this absolutely stunning page of marble inside the Ogden City Court Judgement Book, which is part of Series 5332. Having never seen colors quite like these before, we’re so glad she shared with us! She also gave us a glimpse inside the book: this page from 1937 shows the records of fines paid to the Ogden City Court

This record describes the Provo River Bridge, which was built in 1914 and dismantled in 1941 prior to the filling of the new Deer Creek Reservoir. Heidi discovered this file while searching in Series 920 for a patron. This series contains bridge structural condition files created by the Road Commission to track the condition of bridges on state roads, as well

Each year, over 7,000 Utah students, from grades 4-12, embark on a research project for Utah History Day, part of the larger National History Day contest. Students choose a historical topic related to the annual theme, and then conduct primary and secondary research in libraries, archives, and museums. The final projects are presented in one of five ways: an exhibit, documentary, performance,

In the last post, we explored the political obstacles that prevented Utah from becoming a state until 1896. There was another large obstacle that made Congress wary of giving Utah statehood: polygamy. Polygamy started in April of 1841 when Joseph Smith married his first plural wife. By the time the Latter-Day Saints moved from Nauvoo, Illinois, to the Salt Lake

Those who have used Polk City Directories in their research know how valuable they can be in tracking individuals, institutions, and businesses over time. But it’s hard to know exactly how the directories were assembled and why information is presented as it is. A receipt found among records from the Murray City School District sheds just a sliver of light on

As we continue our series on Utah’s Road to Statehood, we will explore the obstacles that prevented Utah from becoming a state until 1896. In early Utah, religion and politics were so closely intertwined that Congress refused to entertain the idea of statehood until the 1890s. Council of Fifty When the Territory of Utah was created in 1850, President Millard

Welcome back to our series about Utah’s road to statehood. In this post we will explore some of the history of the Latter-day Saint pioneers who settled in the Salt Lake Valley in the later half of the nineteenth century. Immigration to Salt Lake Valley The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints was founded in 1830 in New York