History of Utah in Timeline

Utah, located in the Mountain West, is a landlocked state bordering Arizona, Colorado, New Mexico, Wyoming, Idaho, and Nevada. It's the 13th largest by area but relatively sparsely populated, with just over three million residents. Population centers are primarily in the Wasatch Front, including Salt Lake City, and Washington County. The western part of Utah largely lies within the Great Basin.

1917: Simon Bamberger as Governor

In 1917, Simon Bamberger served as Governor of Utah.

1918: Utah Divided into 29 Counties

Since 1918, Utah has been divided into 29 counties, ranging from 298 to 7,819 square miles in size.

1921: Simon Bamberger Term Ended

In 1921, Simon Bamberger term ended as Governor of Utah.

1925: George Dern as Governor

In 1925, George Dern served as Governor of Utah.

December 12, 1932: Record Low Temperature for Inhabited Location

On December 12, 1932, the record low temperature for an inhabited location in Utah was recorded at Woodruff at −49 °F (−45 °C).

1933: George Dern Term Ended

In 1933, George Dern term ended as Governor of Utah.

1939: Establishment of Alta Ski Area

In 1939, the Alta Ski Area was established, marking the beginning of the development of Utah's world-renowned skiing industry.

1943: Completion of the Alaska Highway

In 1943, the Alaska Highway was completed.

1949: J. Bracken Lee as Governor

In 1949, J. Bracken Lee served as Governor of Utah.

1957: J. Bracken Lee Term Ended

In 1957, J. Bracken Lee term ended as Governor of Utah.

1957: Creation of Utah State Parks Commission

In 1957, Utah created the Utah State Parks Commission with four parks, marking the beginning of the state's park system.

1964: Utah Last Voted Democrat for President

In 1964, Utah last voted for a Democrat for president.

1970: Completion of I-70 Stretch

In 1970, the 103-mile stretch of I-70 from Salina to Green River, the country's longest stretch of interstate without services, was completed. It was the longest stretch of entirely new highway constructed in the U.S. since the Alaska Highway was completed in 1943.

1970: Utah Stars ABA Debut

In 1970, the Utah Stars competed in the ABA.

1975: "The Greatest Snow on Earth" Becomes Official Slogan

In 1975, "The Greatest Snow on Earth" became the official state slogan of Utah, although it had been in unofficial use since 1962.

1976: Utah as Most Republican-Leaning State

From 1976 to 2004, Utah was the single most Republican-leaning state in the country in every presidential election, measured by the percentage point margin between the Republican and Democratic candidates.

1976: Republicans' Best State in the Election

In 1976, Utah was the Republicans' best state in the election.

1976: Utah Stars ABA End

In 1976, the Utah Stars competed in the ABA.

1977: Execution of Gary Gilmore

In 1977, Utah was the first state to resume executions after the 1972–1976 national moratorium on capital punishment ended with Gregg v. Georgia, when Gary Gilmore was executed by firing squad.

1978: Sundance Film Festival Founded

In 1978, the Sundance Film Festival was founded in Park City.

1979: Utah Jazz Move to Salt Lake City

In 1979, the Utah Jazz of the National Basketball Association moved to Salt Lake City from New Orleans.

1980: Republicans' Best State in the Election

In 1980, Utah was the Republicans' best state in the election.

1984: Republicans' Best State in the Election

In 1984, Utah was the Republicans' best state in the election.

February 1, 1985: Record Low Temperature

On February 1, 1985, the record low temperature in Utah was recorded at Peter Sinks in the Bear River Mountains of northern Utah at −69 °F (−56 °C).

1988: Republicans' Best State in the Election

In 1988, Utah was the Republicans' best state in the election.

1990: English Spoken at Home

In 1990, 92.2% of all state residents five years of age or older spoke only English at home in Utah.

1992: Bill Clinton Finished Behind Bush and Perot

In 1992, Utah was the only state where Democratic candidate Bill Clinton finished behind Republican candidate George H.W. Bush and Independent candidate Ross Perot.

1992: Last time Republican candidate won with plurality

The 2016 presidential election result saw Republican Donald Trump carry the state (marking the thirteenth consecutive win by the Republican presidential candidate) with only a plurality, the first time this happened since 1992.

August 11, 1993: F3 Tornado in the Uinta Mountains

On August 11, 1993, an F3 tornado, the strongest in Utah's history, occurred in the Uinta Mountains.

1994: Last Democratic Win in Utah County

Even though Utah Democratic candidates are predominantly LDS, socially conservative, and pro-life, no Democrat has won in Utah County since 1994.

1996: Republicans' Best State in the Election; Presidential Election Results

In 1996, Utah was the Republicans' best state in the election. In the 1996 Presidential elections the Republican candidate received 54% of the vote while the Democrat earned 34%.

1997: Utah Starzz WNBA Debut

In 1997, the Utah Starzz competed in the WNBA.

1998: Church promotes bipartisanship

In 1998, the church expressed concern that Utahns perceived the Republican Party as an LDS institution and authorized lifelong Democrat and Seventy Marlin Jensen to promote LDS bipartisanship.

August 11, 1999: Salt Lake City Tornado

On August 11, 1999, the Salt Lake City Tornado moved directly across downtown Salt Lake City, killing one person, injuring 60 others, and causing approximately $170 million in damage.

2000: Start of Population Growth Period

Between 2000 and 2010, Utah experienced rapid population growth, becoming the second fastest-growing state.

2000: English Spoken at Home

In 2000, 87.5% of all state residents five years of age or older spoke only English at home in Utah.

2000: Republicans' Best State in the Election

In 2000, Utah was the Republicans' best state in the election.

2000: Fastest growing state since 2000

Since 2000, Utah has been one of the fastest growing states. St. George was the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States from 2000 to 2005.

2001: "Utah! Where Ideas Connect" Approved as Slogan

In 2001, Utah Governor Mike Leavitt approved a new state slogan, "Utah! Where Ideas Connect".

2002: Antidepressant Prescription Study

A 2002 national prescription drug study determined that antidepressant drugs were "prescribed in Utah more often than in any other state, at a rate nearly twice the national average".

2002: Salt Lake City Hosted Winter Olympics

In 2002, Salt Lake City hosted the Winter Olympics, which became one of the most successful Winter Olympics in history.

2002: Increase in Tourism Following Winter Olympics

Utah has experienced an increase in tourism since the 2002 Winter Olympics.

2003: Utah's Anti-Sodomy Law Invalidated

In 2003, Utah's anti-sodomy law was invalidated by Lawrence v. Texas.

2003: Utah Starzz WNBA End

In 2003, the Utah Starzz competed in the WNBA.

2004: Utah as Most Republican-Leaning State

2004: George W. Bush Utah Vote Share in 2004

George W. Bush received 70.9% of the vote in Utah in 2004.

2004: Republicans' Best State in the Election; Bush Wins Every County

In 2004, Utah was the Republicans' best state in the election and George W. Bush won every county in the state. Utah gave him his largest margin of victory of any state.

2005: Fastest growing metropolitan area 2000-2005

From 2000 to 2005, St. George was the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States.

2005: Real Salt Lake Founded

In 2005, Real Salt Lake of Major League Soccer was founded.

March 10, 2006: New State Slogan "Life Elevated" Announced

On March 10, 2006, the Utah Travel Council and the office of Governor Jon Huntsman announced that "Life Elevated" would be the new state slogan, replacing "Utah! Where Ideas Connect".

2006: Legislation aimed at banning joint custody for non-biological parent vetoed

In 2006, the legislature passed legislation aimed at banning joint custody for a non-biological parent of a child, which was subsequently vetoed by the governor.

July 4, 2007: Record High Temperature

On July 4, 2007, the record high temperature in Utah was recorded south of St. George at 118 °F (48 °C).

2007: Utah Ranked Top State for Economic Dynamism

According to the 2007 State New Economy Index, Utah was ranked the top state in the nation for Economic Dynamism, determined by factors such as being knowledge-based, globalized, entrepreneurial, information technology-driven, and innovation-based.

2007: Deer Valley Ranked Top Ski Resort

Between 2007 and 2011 Deer Valley Park City was ranked the top ski resort in North America in a survey organized by Ski Magazine.

2008: Real Salt Lake Women Began Play

In 2008, Real Salt Lake Women began play in the Women's Premier Soccer League.

2008: Utah as Third-Most Republican State

In 2008, Utah was only the third-most Republican state (after Wyoming and Oklahoma).

2008: Release of Forever Strong

In 2008, the movie Forever Strong inspired growth in the sport of Rugby.

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2008: John McCain Utah Vote Share in 2008

In the 2008 United States presidential election, John McCain polled 62.5% of the vote in Utah.

2008: Start of Yearly Tax Decrease

Since 2008, Utah's personal income tax rate has been steadily decreasing by 0.05% points yearly, starting from 5%.

February 2009: Africanized honeybees found in southern Utah

In February 2009, Africanized honeybees were found in southern Utah. By May 2017, the bees had spread into eight counties, as far north as Grand and Emery counties.

August 11, 2009: Gary Herbert Sworn in as Governor

On August 11, 2009, Gary Herbert was sworn in as governor after Jon Huntsman Jr. resigned to serve as U.S. Ambassador to China.

2009: BYU Rugby Wins National Championship

In 2009, BYU won the National Championship in college rugby.

2009: Real Salt Lake Wins MLS Cup

In 2009, Real Salt Lake won the MLS Cup.

2009: Utah Ski Resorts Ranked Highly

In the 2009 Ski Magazine reader survey, six of the top ten resorts deemed most "accessible" and six of the top ten with the best snow conditions were located in Utah.

November 2010: Salt Lake City area called "the new economic Zion"

In November 2010, an article in Newsweek magazine called Utah and particularly the Salt Lake City area as "the new economic Zion", examining how the area has been able to bring in high-paying jobs and attract high-tech corporations to the area during a recession.

2010: LDS Church Membership

According to results from the 2010 U.S. census, combined with official LDS Church membership statistics, church members represented 62.1% of Utah's total population.

2010: Utah's Population Growth

According to the 2010 census, Utah was the second fastest-growing state in the United States between 2000 and 2010.

2010: Utah Ranked Number One for Volunteerism

According to the Corporation for National and Community Service, between 2008 and 2010, Utah had an average of 884,000 volunteers, equating to $3.8 billion of service contributed, ranking Utah number one for volunteerism in the nation.

2010: Gary Herbert Elected as Governor

In 2010, Gary Herbert was elected to serve out the remainder of the term in a special election, defeating Democratic nominee Salt Lake County Mayor Peter Corroon.

2010: Religious Adherents in Utah

In 2010, the Association of Religion Data Archives (ARDA) reported that the three largest denominational groups in Utah were the LDS Church with 1,910,504 adherents, the Catholic Church with 160,125 adherents, and the Southern Baptist Convention with 12,593 adherents.

2010: Population growth since 2010

Since 2010, Utah has had the fastest population growth in the nation, as confirmed by the 2020 U.S. census.

2010: County Growth Statistics

The three fastest-growing counties from 2000 to 2010 were Wasatch County, Washington County, and Tooele County. However, Utah County added the most people.

January 12, 2011: New St. George Regional Airport Opens

On January 12, 2011, a new regional airport at St. George opened.

2011: Deer Valley Ranked Top Ski Resort

Between 2007 and 2011 Deer Valley Park City was ranked the top ski resort in North America in a survey organized by Ski Magazine.

2011: Ethnic Minorities in Utah

In 2011, 28.6% of Utah's population younger than the age of one were ethnic minorities, meaning they had at least one parent who was of a race other than non-Hispanic white.

2011: Bilingual Workforce

In 2011, one-third of Utah's workforce was reported to be bilingual, developed through a program of acquisition of second languages beginning in elementary school.

2012: Study on Snowpack Decline

A 2012 study found that the proportion of winter precipitation falling as snow in Utah had decreased by nine percent during the last half century, due to increased rainfall and decreased snowfall. Observed snow depth across Utah has decreased and is accompanied by consistent decreases in snow cover and surface albedo.

2012: Gross State Product

According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, the gross state product of Utah in 2012 was US$130.5 billion.

2012: Utah's Well-Being Ranking

According to the Gallup-Healthways Global Well-Being Index as of 2012, Utahns ranked fourth in overall well-being in the United States.

2012: BYU Rugby Wins National Championship

In 2012, BYU won the National Championship in college rugby.

2012: Gary Herbert Re-elected as Governor

In 2012, Gary Herbert won election to a full four-year term, defeating the Democrat Peter Cooke.

2012: Republicans' Best State in the Election

In 2012, Utah was the Republicans' best state in the election.

2012: Proposed Listing of Coral Pink Sand Dunes Tiger Beetle

In 2012, it was proposed that the Coral Pink Sand Dunes tiger beetle be listed as a threatened species, but the proposal was not accepted.

2012: Utah Returns to Most Republican State

In 2012, with Mormon Mitt Romney atop the Republican ticket, Utah returned to its position as the most Republican state.

2012: Mitt Romney Utah Vote Share in 2012

Mitt Romney received 72.8% of the Utahn votes in 2012.

December 20, 2013: Same-Sex Marriage Legalized in Utah

On December 20, 2013, same-sex marriage became legal in Utah when U.S. District Court Judge Robert J. Shelby issued a ruling in Kitchen v. Herbert.

2013: Rugby Team Growth

As of 2013, Utah rugby team had grown to 70 with more than 3,000 players.

January 6, 2014: Stay of Same-Sex Marriage Ruling

On January 6, 2014, the Utah Attorney General's office was granted a stay of the ruling by the U.S. Supreme Court, putting a halt to same-sex marriages while the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals considered the case.

September 2014: Utah Unemployment Rate

As of September 2014, the state's unemployment rate was 3.5%.

October 6, 2014: Same-Sex Marriages Commence Again

On October 6, 2014, the U.S. Supreme Court declined a writ of certiorari, and the 10th Circuit Court issued their mandate, lifting their stay on same-sex marriages, which commenced again in Utah that day.

2014: BYU Rugby Wins National Championship

In 2014, BYU won the National Championship in college rugby.

2014: Same-Sex Marriage Legalized and Anti-Discrimination Laws Enacted

In 2014, same-sex marriage became legal in Utah after federal courts ruled the state's ban unconstitutional. Additionally, statewide anti-discrimination laws now cover sexual orientation and gender identity in employment and housing.

2015: Gallup Poll on Religiousness

According to a Gallup poll, in 2015, Utah had the third-highest number of people reporting as "Very Religious" in the United States, at 55%.

2015: BYU Rugby Wins National Championship

In 2015, BYU won the National Championship in college rugby.

2015: Real Monarchs Begin Play

In 2015, Real Monarchs began to play in Rio Tinto Stadium.

2016: Real Salt Lake Women moved to United Women's Soccer

In 2016, Real Salt Lake Women moved to United Women's Soccer.

2016: Salt Lake City Stars Move to Utah

In 2016, the Salt Lake City Stars, the G League affiliate of the Jazz, moved from Idaho to Utah.

2016: Trump wins Utah with plurality

May 2017: Spread of Africanized Honeybees

By May 2017, Africanized honeybees had spread into eight counties in Utah, reaching as far north as Grand and Emery counties, after first being discovered in southern Utah in February 2009.

2017: LDS Church Membership

In 2017, 62.8% of Utahns were members of the LDS Church.

2017: Utah Second Least Populous State with Major Sports Franchise

In 2017, Utah became the second-least populous U.S. state to have a major professional sports league franchise after the Vegas Golden Knights joined the National Hockey League.

2017: Utah Warriors Founded

In 2017, the Utah Warriors are a Major League Rugby team based in Salt Lake City.

March 2018: Utah Passes Free-Range Parenting Bill

In March 2018, Utah passed the United States' first "free-range parenting" bill, stating that parents who allow their children to engage in certain activities without supervision are not considered neglectful. Governor Gary Herbert signed it into law.

2018: Plant Species in Utah

As of 2018, there were 3,930 species of plants in Utah, with 3,128 being indigenous and 792 being introduced.

2018: LDS Church Membership

In 2018, LDS Church membership in Utah declined to 61.2%.

2018: Real Monarchs move to Zions Bank Stadium

In 2018, Real Monarchs move to Zions Bank Stadium.

July 1, 2019: Estimated Population of Utah

On July 1, 2019, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that the population of Utah was 3,205,958, a 16.00% increase since the 2010 U.S. census.

2019: Ben McAdams Represents Utah in Congress

From 2019 to 2021, Ben McAdams represented Utah in Congress, representing the 4th congressional district.

2019: Real Salt Lake Women Folding

In 2019, Real Salt Lake Women folding.

2019: Utah's Anti-Sodomy Law Repealed

In 2019, Utah's anti-sodomy law was fully repealed by the state legislature.

2019: LDS Church Membership

In 2019, the percentage of Utahns who were members of the LDS Church declined to 60.7%.

January 2020: Utah Bird Records Committee Official List

As of January 2020, the official list managed by the Utah Bird Records Committee (UBRC) included 466 species of birds.

March 18, 2020: 5.7 Magnitude Earthquake in Utah

On March 18, 2020, Utah experienced a 5.7 magnitude earthquake originating 3.7 mi (6.0 km) northeast of Magna, near Salt Lake City.

2020: Spider Identification in Utah

As of the summer of 2020, the brown recluse spider had not been officially confirmed in Utah, although several other spiders are often mistaken for it.

2020: Burgess Owens Defeats Ben McAdams

In 2020, Burgess Owens, a Republican, defeated Ben McAdams in the election for the 4th congressional district.

2020: Real Salt Lake Shuttered Royals

In 2020, Real Salt Lake shuttered the Royals after the 2020 season, selling its player-related assets to a new Kansas City franchise.

2020: 2020 U.S. Census Population

In 2020, according to the U.S. census, Utah had a population of 3,271,616.

2020: Associated Press Profiles Utah's Political Culture

In 2020, the Associated Press profiled Utah's political culture, noting a more bipartisan environment and conservative support for liberal causes.

2020: Utah Ranked 3rd Easiest State to Vote In

In a 2020 study, Utah was ranked as the 3rd easiest state for citizens to vote in.

January 4, 2021: Spencer Cox Sworn in as Governor

On January 4, 2021, Spencer Cox was sworn in as the current governor of Utah.

2022: Homeless Population Estimate

According to HUD's 2022 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, there were an estimated 3,557 homeless people in Utah.

2022: Births to Unmarried Women

In 2022, Utah had the lowest percent of births to unmarried women of any US state, at 20.3 percent.

2023: Paper Challenging Mormon Percentage

In 2023, a paper challenged the perception that most Utahns are Mormons, claiming only 42% are, although most statistics still show a majority of Utah residents belong to the LDS church.

2024: J. Bracken Lee as the Most Recent Non-LDS Governor

As of 2024, J. Bracken Lee (1949–1957) was the most recent of three Governors of Utah who was not a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).

2024: University Conference Changes

In 2024, Utah moved from the Pac-12 Conference to the Big 12 Conference.

2024: Utah Mammoth Established

In 2024, the Utah Mammoth was established, beginning play during the 2024–25 National Hockey League season. The team was established using the existing roster, staff and draft picks of the Arizona Coyotes.