Kennecott is the second largest copper producer in the United States, providing approximately 25 percent of the country's copper needs. Kennecott produces approximately 275,000 tons of refined copper each year. This copper is used in electrical wiring, plumbing, roofing, coin making and more. It is one of the largest man made excavations and is visible from outer space.
The Joining of a Nation: May 10, 1869 the Union and Central Pacific Railroads joined their rails at Promontory Summit, Utah Territory and forged the destiny of a nation. Golden Spike National Historic Site shares the stories of the people and settings that define the completion of the first Transcontinental Railroad.
The Edmunds Tucker Act of 1887 was issued by Congress and prohibited the practice of polygamy. In response to this policy from the Federal Government the Manifesto of 1890 was issued. The Manifesto was a proclamation by President Wilford Woodruff that the Church had discontinued plural marriage. This was a pivotal point in our state's history. When Utah applied for statehood again, it was granted on January 4, 1896. One of the conditions for granting Utah and other western territories statehood was that a ban on polygamy be written into the state constitution.
February 14, 1853 The Salt Lake Temple had it's groundbreaking ceremony with Brigham Young. After 40 years of construction the temple was completed and dedicated April 6, 1893; three years before Utah became a state in 1893. Temple Square now covers more than 35 acres of a three block radius in Downtown Salt lake and features nearly 20 attractions centered on the history and genealogy of Mormonism, including several churches, libraries, restaurants, gardens, and even a museum. It is Utah's number one tourist attraction and brings over 5 million visitors annually. In 2007, the square saw visitors from 83 countries and each of the 50 states, according to the LDS Church.
The Utah State Constitution is a 60 page document outlining all rules and regulations regarding Utah. Utahns had drafted seven previous constitutions starting in 1849 as part of repeated attempts to become a state. However, Congress refused to admit Utah (or Deseret, as the territory originally wanted to be called), until the Mormon settlers of Utah renounced polygamy.
It took almost fifty years for lawmakers to admit Utah as an official member of the union. During that time Mormon leaders officially outlawed polygamy. In the autumn of 1895 a constitution was approved, which included granting women the right to vote (one of the first such concessions in the nation). Several months later, on January 4, 1896, Utah was admitted as the 45th state in the union.
The beehive in the center of Utah's state seal is a symbol of hard work and industry (the state motto is "INDUSTRY," and Utah's nickname is The Beehive State). The date 1847 is the year the Mormons came to Utah. 1896 is the year Utah became the 45th state. A bald eagle, the United States national bird, perches atop the shield as a symbol of protection in peace and war. The sego lilies are a symbol of peace (also the state flower of Utah), and a U.S. flag appears on each side, representing Utah's support to the nation. The state seal is also featured on the state flag of Utah
The sego lily was declared to be the State floral emblem and is a symbol of peace. Kate C. Snow, President of the Daughters of Utah Pioneers, in a letter dated April 17, 1930, says that "between 1840 and 1851" food became very scarce in Utah due to a crop-devouring plague of crickets, and that "the families were put on rations, and during this time they learned to dig for and to eat the soft, bulbous root of the sego lily. The memory of this use, quite as much as the natural beauty of the flower, caused it to be selected in after years by the Legislature as the floral emblem of the State."
During the last Ice Age, about 15,000 years ago, Lake Bonneville was the size of Lake Michigan. It covered one-third of present day Utah and parts of neighboring states. The Bonneville Salt Flats and the Great Salt Lake are remnants of ancient Lake Bonneville. Wind and water combine to create the flat surface of salt. This is what the Bonneville salt flats are most famous for. The smooth surface is perfect for high speed racing and for setting land records. Racing idol Teddy Tetzlaff was the first to set a land speed record of 142.85 mph in his Benz on August 12, 1914. Land speed records are continually set and broken year after year at the salt flats.
The California gull is considered the state bird of Utah by common consent, probably in commemoration of the fact that these gulls saved the people of the State by eating up hordes of crickets which were destroying the crops in 1848.
In 1969 Topaz became the state gem. It is a semiprecious gem found in Beaver, Juab and Tooele counties of Utah. This hard gem is an aluminum fluorisilicate and is next in hardness to carborundum and diamonds (two of the hardest natural minerals around). Wear topaz only if you wish to be clear-sighted: legend has it that it dispels all enchantment and helps to improve eyesight as well! The ancient Greeks believed that it had the power to increase strength and make its wearer invisible in times of emergency. Topaz was also said to change color in the presence of poisoned food or drink. Its mystical curative powers waxed and waned with the phases of the moon: it was said to cure insomnia, asthma, and hemorrhages. Topaz is the birthstone of November.
The Arches National Park Contains more than 2,000 Natural Arches. These are made from soft red sandstone that was deposited 150 million years ago.
In 1997 with the help of second graders from Millville Elementary School, Cherries, were designated the official state fruit. Both sweet and sour (tart or pie) cherries are grown in Utah. Utah is the second largest tart cherry producing state in the nation and fifth in the nation in the production of sweet cherries. No other state ranks in the top five in both categories. About 2 billion cherries are harvested yearly and approx. 4,800 acres of agricultural land is used for cherry production.Another interesting fact, submitted by the Millville Elementary School children, is that cherry trees were sent to Utah by the Japanese following World War II. They surround the capitol building in Salt Lake City. The cherry tree is a symbol of friendship to the Japanese.
In 2002 The Spanish Sweet Onion was named the official state vegetable. Senator Bill Wright, R-Elberta, a dairy farmer, sponsored the measure and students from Lone Peak Elementary School were the driving force behind this bill. Onion farms can be found in Davis, Weber and Box Elder counties, taking up about 2,500 acres. Onions are a $9 million business in Utah and these counties grow about 100 million pounds of onions each year. Many believe that onions may help prevent cancer, heart attacks and strokes (it naturally thins the blood).
The Utah State tree was recently changed from the Blue Spruce to the Quaking Aspen by a group of fourth graders in Sevier County. The students chose the aspen because a colony of trees develop a singular root system. They say that reminds them of Utah where we all work together to reach new heights.
We'd love to hear from you. Please send questions or feedback to the below email addresses.
Before contacting us, you may wish to visit our FAQs page which has lots of useful info on Tiki-Toki.
We can be contacted by email at: hello@tiki-toki.com.
You can also follow us on twitter at twitter.com/tiki_toki.
If you are having any problems with Tiki-Toki, please contact us as at: help@tiki-toki.com
Close