Utah State Capitol

3 Aug 2010--Went into Salt Lake City today to see the Capitol Building, and also to get a picture of the state flag and the state license plate. We saw 2 other plates, both about "Skiing Utah", but we think they may be ones you pay more for than this one, which we think is the official state plate. The rock formation is of a spot in Arches National Park, which is where we are going next after leaving this area in 3 weeks.

The flag has 2 dates on it. They have 1847 to commemorate the date of the 1st Mormon settlements, and 1896, which is the year that Utah became the 45th state of the US.

Utah is known as The Beehive State, and has a beehive on it's state flag in the center. The Morons wanted the state to be called "Deseret", which means honeybee in the Book of Mormon, but when Congress made the state a US Territory in 1850 they named it Utah, after the Ute Indians. The Mormons believe beehives stand for industry, thrift and perseverance, so you see beehives in a lot of places here.

The Capitol building was completed in 1915 and was fashioned after the US Capitol building in Washington, DC.

This is the view looking out from the Capitol steps. The chapel on the left is one that Brigham Young used to belong to, moved here brick for brick from its original residence. The building on the right is called Council Hall, was the original City Hall and Territorial Legislature, and is now a Visitor's Center.

The building inside is quite beautiful, with large staircases left and right leading to the House of Representatives, the Senate and the Supreme Court. The paintings in the center, and up into the dome, depict different events in the journey of the Mormons, from Joseph Smith and Brigham Young to the story of the seagulls saving the crops that I told you about in Wyoming. We were surprised again to find out that Utah's legislature is a part-time body, only meeting 45 days a year to do the state's business. What is with all these southern and western states having almost no government?

Brigham Young was the 2nd leader of the Mormons, was known by many as the greatest colonizer of the American West, and as "the American Moses." He lived from 1801 to 1877, and while the leader of his church for almost 30 years, was also the presidentially-appointed Governor of Utah Territory and the Superintendent of Indian Affairs from 1851-1857. It seems there wasn't much concern for "separation of church and state" back then. haha

Another little tidbit of interest--before Utah became a territory, women had the right to vote, but when it became a US Territory, that privilege was taken away. However, to their credit, women were again given the right to vote in 1895, a full 25 years ahead of the majority of the rest of the country.

As you leave thru the back of the building and turn the corner, this is the scenery. I guess if you have to work, this wouldn't be a bad spot to have to do it at, huh?

P.S. I haven't gotten the skinny on what happened to polygamy here, but I am still on the hunt.