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Indoor Plumbing Eases the Domestic Burden
Most of us take for granted the luxury of having running water inside of our homes. But, indoor plumbing is a relatively new phenomenon that has made life significantly easier!
At the turn of the twentieth century, just 1% of homes in the United…
Claiming the Water: Violence in the Desert
Who owns common sources of water? As Mormons began to spread south throughout Utah Territory in the 1850s, conflict over watering holes in the desert turned deadly.
In the arid Utah desert, one resource takes priority over all others: water. When a…
The Civilian Conservation Corps and Desert Reclamation
During the depths of the Great Depression, thousands of young men went to work on over one thousand water projects in Utah. Learn about some of the projects that survive to this day.
In the 1930s, there was no shortage of work to be done on Utah's…
Chlorine, Giardia, and Pickles
If you or your dog have ever gotten sick drinking untreated water, you've probably heard of giardia. Chlorine is regularly used in water treatment plants across Utah today to fight this deadly water parasite, but some of its earliest opponents…
Sorority of River Rats: Gender Norms on the River
If you’ve ever been on a river trip, you probably didn’t bring along your hair curlers or a nightgown. But for women rafters in the 1930s, keeping up gender norms was part of the river experience.
Between 1936 and 1949, Norm Nevills operated a…
There’s Fluoride in the Water!
Public health campaigns have long sparked fears of government overreach. In the mid-twentieth century, for example, dentists lobbied to add fluoride to Utah’s water supply to support tooth health. Learn more about the decades-long public uproar.
In…
The City Creek Witch’s Cabin
Urban legends tell of the “Witch’s Cabin” in downtown Salt Lake’s City Creek Canyon, but is it really haunted? Learn its real history.
In the upper reaches of Memory Grove, along City Creek on the edge of downtown Salt Lake City, dog walkers…
Fighting Fire with Water
Firefighting is dangerous work. It also requires a lot of water! Today we are used to seeing fire hydrants in every neighborhood, but for many Utahns at the turn of the 20th century, such community water infrastructure was completely new.
In the…
Electrifying Utah with Steam
When we say “water is power” we are sometimes actually talking about electricity! Find out how harnessing steam electrified Utah for thousands of residents in the 20th century.
The early decades of the 1900s were marked by a growing demand for…
Adapt or Die: Utah’s Contested Water History
The story of water in Utah is complex, and rifts often arise in unexpected places. The fact that water sustains us all can sometimes be easy to overlook, but ultimately it an issue we cannot ignore and to which we must constantly adapt.
Utah is…
Fuller’s Hill: Salt Lake’s Premiere Urban Playground
Maybe you’ve heard of the Great Saltair Pleasure Resort as a prime example of Utah’s early pleasure resorts. But have you ever heard of Fuller’s Hill? At about 1100 East and 400 South in Salt Lake City, this little-known park had a covered…
Cosmic Aeroplane: Salt Lake City’s Countercultural Safe Haven
The heart of Salt Lake City’s countercultural movement found its home in a small, independent headshop in the 1960s and 70s.
Utah’s countercultural movement in the 1960s and 70s was fairly tame compared to the social movements of larger cities.…
How Big Is Too Big? Utah’s High Hat Law
In 1897, Utah passed a law regulating hat size in theaters and public places. One might ask WHY? Who did it affect? Was it warranted? And just how big is too big anyway?
Before the days of social media and television, late 19th century Utahns…
Gilgal Garden: One Man’s Beliefs in Stone
A towering arch made of boulders. Biblical quotes carved into stone pavers. A bird’s house with dozens of entrances. This is not a surreal dream land, but Gilgal Garden, a sculpture park in downtown Salt Lake City. Learn the history of this special…
Hobbitville: Allen Park’s Journey From Urban Legend to City Park
Salt Lake City’s “Hobbitville” is not actually a neighborhood for small, shoeless, fantasy people who live underground. Although it IS home to a colorful pride of peacocks. Learn about the real history of Allen Park.
“Tongues in trees, books…
The Rise/Fall/Rise of Fisher Brewing Company
An impressive mansion on Salt Lake City’s west side serves as a reminder of Utah's beer history and the prosperous titan who ran the largest brewery in the West.
Utah’s strict liquor laws are something of a hilarious nuisance for many visitors to…
The Origins of Rose Park
Rose Park began as an affordable, working class neighborhood. But the true costs for the subdivision would not be revealed until decades later.
In 1947, housing developer Alan Brockbank scoped out a plot of land not too far from the center of Salt…
Change in Rose Park
One of the most racially diverse neighborhoods in the Salt Lake Valley didn’t start out that way. Find out how Rose Park changed from a subdivision restricted to white people to become the vibrant community we know today.
Rose Park, located in the…
Utah’s Folk Music Revival
The 1960s were a time of upheaval, ushering in changes in politics, music, and society. Utah was not immune to the growing political consciousness of the youth movement, and nowhere was that more obvious than in Utah's folk music revival.
In January…
Fighting for a Museum: Daughters of Utah Pioneers vs. Marmalade Neighbors
Museums are usually established in the public trust and in the public interest. But one museum in Salt Lake City’s Marmalade District caused a whole whirlwind of drama -- and even a state Supreme Court case.
Located at the top of Salt Lake City's…