Archives News

Featured image for “New Finding Aids at the Archives: July 2023”
August 9, 2023

New Finding Aids at the Archives: July 2023

Our archivists write inventories as finding aids to describe records. Here is the newest one created during July 2023: Inventory of Minute Books from District Court (Sixth District : Sanpete County), 1896- The following series inventories were also updated: Inventory of Death certificates from Office of Vital Records and Statistics, i 1904-
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December 29, 2021

The Law of the River: The Central Utah Project

This is the third (and final) in a series of blog posts that will explore records held by the Utah State Archives that help illuminate the story of Utah’s role in the larger western movement to tame and develop the Colorado River as a vital resource in the arid west. ENVISIONING THE CENTRAL UTAH PROJECT Due to circumstances of geology and
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December 20, 2021

Sanpete County Records Now Online

A small digital collection that contained only the earliest Spring City Council minutes has now been expanded to include several maps from the same city. Records in this collection were created by various local government entities in Sanpete County and document the history of the county. Sanpete County, located in central Utah, is a largely agricultural county founded in 1850.
Featured image for “Reflections From the Past: Smallpox in Turn-of-the-Century Utah”
October 19, 2021

Reflections From the Past: Smallpox in Turn-of-the-Century Utah

Dr. Hubert F. Andrews had just graduated from the Chicago College of Physicians and Surgeons when he settled in Gunnison, Utah, in the summer of 1899, taking a job as a Sanpete County quarantine doctor. A year earlier in 1898, Utah’s State Board of Health directed local governments to form their own health boards to oversee the diagnosis of contagious
Featured image for “Highlights with Heidi: Ice Cream Theft”
July 21, 2021

Highlights with Heidi: Ice Cream Theft

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
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July 7, 2021

Highlights with Heidi: Case of Profanity

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
Featured image for “New Finding Aids at the Archives: January 2021”
February 2, 2021

New Finding Aids at the Archives: January 2021

Our archivists write inventories as finding aids to describe records. Here are the newest ones created during January 2021: Inventory of Administrative records from Huntington (Utah), 1954-1974. Inventory of Business bonds from Huntington (Utah), 1923-1931. Inventory of City council minutes from Huntington (Utah), 1913-2004 Inventory of Official bonds from Huntington (Utah), 1917-1948 Inventory of Ordinances and resolutions from Huntington (Utah),
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July 17, 2018

2017-2018 in the Utah State Digital Archives

An infographic visualizing the last year in the Digital Archives with information on number of items, statistics on use, and notable additions.
Featured image for “The Law of the River: The Central Utah Project”
May 22, 2015

The Law of the River: The Central Utah Project

  This is the third (and final) in a series of blog posts that will explore records held by the Utah State Archives that help illuminate the story of Utah’s role in the larger western movement to tame and develop the Colorado River as a vital resource in the arid west. ENVISIONING THE CENTRAL UTAH PROJECT Due to circumstances of geology