4 UTAH INTRODUCTION Utah is located in the mountain region of the west-central United States The state’s unique terrain includes snowcapped mountains sparkling lakes deep valleys barren salt flats and remote deserts Utah also has a rugged plateau region which features multicolored canyons and impressive rock formations Utah’s varied landscape makes it a great place for recreational activities The state has five national parks two national recreational areas several national monuments and 45 state parks Arches National Park in Utah has more than 2,000 arches It is the world’s most concentrated collection of these unusual rock formations In 1933 the blue spruce was chosen as the official state tree The blue spruce grows at high elevations in the Wasatch and Uinta mountains Many Utahans enjoy activities such as boating swimming fishing hiking and skiing The Colorado River which flows through southeastern Utah is used for irrigation hydroelectric power and recreation Utah entered the Union on Jan 4 1896 as the 45th state The state nickname is the Beehive State This name comes from the state’s original name Deseret a word from the Book of Mormon meaning Land of the Honeybee The beehive is a symbol of Utahans hard work and industry
INTRODUCTION 5 Utah’s location in the west is about halfway between Canada and Mexico Its neighbors include Colorado to the east Wyoming to the northeast and New Mexico to the southeast Nevada lies to the west Idaho is to the north and Arizona is to the south Utah has one international airport the Salt Lake City International Airport About 50 public and military airports serve the state Visitors to Utah can take advantage of the bus services that connect the state’s main cities Utah also offers road travelers more than 40,000 miles of public highways Salt Lake City International Airport serves more than 15 million passengers every year Utah Location Map The state flag consists of a shield on a blue background At the center of the shield is a beehive surrounded by white lilies The shield also includes an eagle and U S flags symbolizing the state’s loyalty to the nation The flag was adopted in 1913 The state capital is Salt Lake City The state motto is Industry Capital Salt Lake City Interstate highways Scale 20 0 0 32 40 64 Mi Km Population 2,233,169 Size 84,900 square miles Highest peak Kings Peak 13,528 feet
Visitors to Utah will be amazed by the state’s wealth of historical spots At This Is the Place Heritage Park people can experience a historic village that re-creates life in a typical Utah community of the mid-1800s This park remembers the many people who have called Utah home over the years Early residents of the region that became Utah include Native Americans Spanish explorers Mormon pioneers and mountain men Early Mormon settlers dealt with low rainfall in the region by building irrigation systems Many Mormons worked hard and became very successful at farming the land They built settlements and grew prosperous Today the total area of farmland in Utah is relatively small yet it is productive Hay corn barley and wheat are the state’s main crops but livestock and livestock products earn Utah farmers the most money Old Deseret Village at This Is the Place Heritage Park is a re-creation of an early pioneer town complete with houses schools churches and shops 6 UTAH Many people flock to Utah to enjoy its beautiful scenery Some residents of the town of Levan which is navel spelled backwards maintain that it was so named because it is at the center or navel of the state Every summer Wellsville hosts the Festival of the American West There people can dress up as cowboys and mountain men and listen to cowboy poetry and country music The name Utah comes from the Ute tribe Ute means People of the Mountains Salt Lake City was originally named Great Salt Lake City Great was dropped from the name in 1868
INTRODUCTION 7 Utah offers an array of cultural sites and activities including festivals and theater houses The state boasts dozens of museums and outdoor attractions that appeal to a wide variety of interests There are art galleries and national parks The state also has many science-based attractions such as botanical gardens and zoos In Utah’s early years mining and farming were key economic activities and this is still the case In more recent years manufacturing and tourism have grown considerably in the state Utah’s national parks monuments and ski resorts along with the annual Sundance Film Festival have helped the state become a popular destination for tourists Utah Lake is the largest freshwater lake in the United States west of the Mississippi River Newspaper Rock has petroglyphs that are thought to be about 2,000 years old Most of the carvings are of animals hunters and horsemen The first state song Utah We Love Thee was written to mark the state’s entrance into the Union It was adopted as the state song on Feb 17 1937 Utah This Is the Place written in 1996 in honor of Utah’s centennial celebration became the new state song in 2003 Utah is the second driest state Only Nevada receives less precipitation The Sundance Film Festival is held in Park City every year This festival which features independent films is held for 10 days in late January
