Utah Territory Project
Digital Archives
About the Utah Territory
The United States Government oversaw all aspects of the Territory of Utah from 1850 until statehood in 1896. The Utah State Archives holds some records from this time period and have made a selection available online for research.
History of Utah Territory
In February 1848 the United States government received title to much of the Southwest, including the territory that would eventually become Utah. The newly arrived Mormon migrants quickly formed a political government and created the State of Deseret (1849-1850). Congress would not admit Deseret to the Union, however, and instead created the Territory of Utah. This territorial period (1850-1896), was marked by vast population growth, agricultural development, creation of transportation and communication net works, economic expansion, and assorted conflicts.
About the Project
The invaluable records that preserve and document this period of Utah’s history can be found in numerous institutions throughout the State. Because of the scattered nature of these records, the Utah Territory Project has been created to coordinate activities among all repositories, provide access to collections, ensure the permanent preservation of territorial records, and assist where needed with the dissemination of information about Utah’s Territorial period.
Initially the project will focus on records related to governance of the territory. The long term goal of the project is to progressively build and expand its vision and services until it encompasses all known records from Utah’s territorial period.
