UTGenWeb part of the USGenWeb
 
 
Utah's central location in the western United States has always meant a steady flow of traffic across its expanse, and has earned the state nickname "The Crossroads of the West." As early as the 18th century Spaniards and New Mexicans began exploring Utah in search of "short-cut" routes to the western coast. Their efforts resulted in a popular trade route known as "the Old Spanish Trail." In the first half of the 19th century trappers and mountain men further explored the state, plotting and mapping routes as they went. Their trails were later used by thousands of pioneers and adventurers heading to California and Oregon. U.S. government explorers began crossing Utah in the 1840s; one of the most notable of these was John C. Fremont, who mapped trails and wrote detailed reports of the plant and animal life in the area.

On July 24, 1847, Brigham Young, in search of "a place nobody else wanted," first entered the Salt Lake Valley with a company of Mormon pioneers. The group was escaping religious persecution in the Midwest, and sought a life of peace and isolation from outside interference.

Early accounts of the Salt Lake Valley describe "a vast desert whose dry and parched soil seemed to bid defiance." Undaunted by the landscape, within days of their arrival the pioneers had established the work ethic and resourcefulness that would become their trademark. Crops were planted and an ingenious irrigation system implemented. A "tent school" educated the children. Homes and forts were built and the surrounding area explored.

Hundreds of Mormons from all over the world continued the migration to Utah, and within three years a newspaper was in circulation, a theatre was built, and a territorial government was established. By 1900 the Mormons had founded nearly 500 settlements in Utah and surrounding states.



Information courtesy of the Governor's Office
Photographs used on this site with permission: http://en.wikipedia.org


 

Jump to a County



Search UTGenWeb Counties
 

Search for

(wildcards allowed)

UTGenWeb A-R counties

UTGenWeb S-Z counties

The Web

click your choice, before you search

Neighboring States
IDGenWeb Project
NVGenWeb Project
AZGenWeb Project
WYGenWeb Project
COGenWeb Project
NMGenWeb Project
 
Contacts:
UTGenWeb State Coordinator:
 MaryAlice Schwanke
  
UTGenWeb Asst. State Coordinator:
 Shirley Cullum
 
USGenWeb National Coordinator:
 
Denise Wells
 
UTGenWeb County Related State Links Searchable Databases
UTGenWeb county Sites --
menu of counties sites
 
County Map - clickable
 
City names in Utah --
find towns by county, by Lori Laird
 
Cyndi's List: Utah State
 
Cyndi's List: Utah Local
 
UT discussion lists --
menu of county discussion lists
 
UT resources on Rootsweb
 
Utah: United States Resources
 
Utah: Genealogy Trails --
menu of counties sites
 
Utah: Linkpendium --
menu of links
 
State of Utah -- links to
 county and city websites
 
Utah State Historical Society
 
Utah State Archives
 
Utah: Ancestor Hunt
 
Utah: Afro-American Genealogy
 
Utah: Cinnamon Toast
 
Utah: Kindred Trails
 
WSU --
useful links
 
State Timeline
 
 
WorldGenWeb 
Index to Marriage and Death Notices in the Deseret News Weekly (1852-1888) -- Complete
 
Index to Marriage and Death Notices unique to the Deseret News Semi-Weekly (1865-1900) -- Complete
 
Utah State Death Certificates (1904-1951) -- now available at the Family History Library
 
Western States Marriage Records Index
 
State of Idaho Death Index
 
Eastern Idaho Obituary Index
 
Tracing Mormon Pioneers
 
Pedigree Resource File
 
WorldConnect by RootsWeb
 
Research Aids for Utah Lookups, Research Assistance Maps, etc.
Ancestry.com --
requires login trial or $
  
Familysearch.org --
 
Utah Research Outline
 
Tracing LDS Families
 
DNA: Genomic Genealogy
 
1850 US Census Images
 
1860 US Census Images
 
Post Queries or Surnames for Unknown Utah Counties
 

 
Join the Utah Mailing list at RootsWeb
 
List Descriptions -- descriptions and subscribing information
 
Subscribe to the UTAH mailing list:
Standard or Digest mode
 
ROOTS-L Databases
and Files -- Utah

  
Gedcoms for Utah --
100s of gedcoms by towns

 
Random Acts of Genealogical Kindness
 
Resources at RootsWeb -- County Resources Index
 
ROOTS Databases and Files -- Utah
 
Utah Mailing Lists
 
Wikipedia --
generic genealogy information, wiki, a new tool
  
Family Tree Magazine --
101 genealogy sites
 
Resources at RootsWeb -- Utah
 
UTGenWeb County Coordinators
 
Help for County Coordinators --
useful for those who maintain county sites

 
UTGenWeb Logos
 
UTGenWeb County Map Graphics
 
USGenWeb Bylaws
 
USGenWeb Logos
 
USGenWeb Standards/Guidelines
 
Anyplace America: Utah --
topographic maps for Utah
 
USGS Mapping Information
 
Google Maps --
interactive maps, Lat/Lon, aerial photos
 
Google Earth --
interactive maps, Lat/Lon, aerial photos, segmental driving directions

 
MSN Maps -- BING
interactive driving maps of Utah
 
A9 BlockView Maps --
street-level photos of homes, businesses, and streets in Salt Lake City
  
 
USGenWeb Projects for Utah
 
UTGenWeb Census Project
  
UTGenWeb Archives Census Project
  
Utah Family Group Sheet Project
  
Utah Tombstone Transcription Project
 
Utah Gravestones
 
Utah Marriage Records Project
 
Utah Digital Map Library
 
 

External Links Disclaimer:
Links to web sites that are not part of the USGenWeb Project are provided for your convenience
and do not imply any endorsement of the web sites or their contents by The USGenWeb Project.
 
Copyright © 2000- UTGenWeb Project. All Rights Reserved.

Last Updated 10.17.2017