Division of State History

The Historical Society collects Utah and western historical materials, making them available for research, study, and exhibit. They disseminate information about Utah history through a series of publications. Education is an important function, with resources available to the public and schools through tours of exhibits, seminars, annual meetings, brown bag sessions, visits to schools and other groups, and through a web site. The agency is an information resource for those interested in historic preservation and operates the state's national register program. The Division of History provides field services to local history organizations through grants, technical assistance, and setting standards for operation.

The chief administrative officer of the division is a director, who is appointed by the executive director of the Department of Community and Economic Development with the concurrence of the board of state history. The policy-making board for the division is an 11-member board of state history which is appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the Senate. At least half the members of the board must meet professional qualifications so it can act as the state review board under the provisions of the federal historic preservation act.

Many organizational changes have taken place over time. The Historical Society started the State Archives in the early 1950s; that program was moved to a general services department in 1967, The 1966 federal historic preservation act brought about the State Historic Preservation Office. About the same time, the legislature created the Antiquities Section with additional responsibility for paleontology; paleontology was later moved to the Utah Geologic Survey. In 1987, the several sections, each reporting to the director, were grouped under two major programs, each headed by an assistant director or associate director who reports to the director. These two programs are the Office of Preservation and the Office of Collections and Education. In addition, the publications program and the administrative section also report to the director.