Mormon Pioneer Day in Utah
Mormon Pioneer Day, celebrated on July 24, commemorates the arrival of Brigham Young and early members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in the Great Salt Lake Valley in 1847. This day marks a significant moment in Utah's history, as it represents the establishment of a community that faced persecution and sought refuge in a remote area. First recognized as a legal holiday in 1882, the anniversary has evolved over the years to include various celebrations throughout the state.
Initially, the Mormons undertook a challenging journey across the United States, organizing themselves into groups for a more manageable migration. Upon reaching the valley, they dedicated the land and began transforming the harsh environment into a habitable settlement. Although faced with numerous hardships, including crop failures and environmental challenges, the community thrived and expanded, ultimately leading to the establishment of over 400 settlements by the late 19th century.
In contemporary observances, efforts have been made to acknowledge the broader historical context, particularly the impact of colonization on Native American populations. Events often incorporate cultural elements from these communities, promoting a more inclusive celebration that respects and recognizes their histories alongside the pioneer narrative.
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Mormon Pioneer Day in Utah
Mormon Pioneer Day in Utah
The history of Utah as a political community dates from the arrival of Brigham Young and his fellow members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, unofficially known as the Mormons, in the Great Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. This anniversary, which has been celebrated every year since 1849, was made a legal holiday by the Utah territorial legislature on March 9, 1882, and is still observed in the state.
In 1820 Joseph Smith , the Mormon founder and prophet, first aroused enmity by telling his neighbors in the area around Palmyra, New York, that he had received visions from God. Smith published the Book of Mormon, formally organized his church on April 6, 1830, and rapidly gained converts. As early as 1831, the sect, hounded by persecution and prejudice, was forced to begin its long exodus. Over the next decade the Mormons moved from New York to Kirtland, Ohio; then to several localities in Missouri including Independence and Far West; and finally to Illinois. Members of the church settled in Commerce, Illinois, which Joseph Smith renamed Nauvoo (meaning “the beautiful plantation.” Smith reigned supreme as mayor of Nauvoo, commander of its militia, and head of his religion. There too, however, nonbelievers (termed “Gentiles” by the Mormons) envied the Mormons' prosperity and political influence. Rumors about the practice of polygamy caused a stir. When Smith ordered the destruction of a newspaper that was critical of his policies, the result was mob violence and his imprisonment. He was murdered in jail at Carthage, Illinois, on June 27, 1844.
Although disputes about the succession to leadership in the church followed, with some splintering into factions, the majority of Mormons chose to follow Brigham Young. Young was a 43 -year-old churchman and a strong leader. The continued hostility in the surrounding Illinois communities after Smith's death convinced Young that the only place where the Mormons could find refuge would be in an isolated and desolate terrain, far beyond the frontier to the west. Determined that this should be the Mormon's last exile, the resolute leader meant to go so far that the “new Zion” would have time to grow to independent strength before animosity could again menace it. Familiar with the accounts of expeditions under Captain John C. Frémont and other western explorers, Young and his colleagues were drawn to an area known as the Great Salt Lake.
The autumn and winter of 1845 were devoted to preparations for the 1,000-mile trek. Instead of one mass exodus, Young organized the faithful into parties, then into companies, hundreds, fifties, and tens. Skilled craftsmen, hunters and even brass bands were assigned to each party. Scouts were sent ahead to locate suitable way stations, plant crops, build bridges and cabins, dig wells, and establish ferries. Early in 1846, after promising his followers that “the angels of God will go with you, even as they went with the children of Israel when Moses led them from the land of Egypt,” Young led the vanguard of 2,000 followers from Nauvoo across the frozen Mississippi River to Iowa. There they established the Camp of Israel.
As soon as additional companies could be assembled on the Iowa side of the river, they too started on the trail for the West. Dragging their heavily loaded wagons across Iowa, they halted only long enough to set up temporary settlements for those who followed. These settlements included Garden Grove, 150 miles from Nauvoo; Mount Pisgah, 100 miles beyond; Council Bluffs on the Missouri River; and finally Winter Quarters near Omaha, Nebraska, where more than 600 sod houses and log cabins were constructed and food was stored. Riding from Council Bluffs, Iowa, to the Mississippi River, a witness declared that 12,000 Mormons were drifting across Iowa in July 1846. Entering Nauvoo in the fall, an anti-Mormon mob found a deserted city.
The following spring, in April 1847, Young and his advance party organized to continue the migration. For three and a half months they journeyed across the prairie and over the mountains. Meanwhile, Young became ill with what was called “mountain fever.” For a time it looked as if he, like Moses, would seek the promised land but never enter it. In order to reach the Salt Lake Valley without delay, his party was divided into two groups. One, commanded by Orson Pratt, pushed forward and reached the destination on July 22, 1847. On July 23 Young, riding in a wagon, was driven from the trail to an elevation from which he could see the surrounding country. The Great Basin, in which the Great Salt Lake lies, was spread out before him. He said “Enough, this is the place. Drive on.” A monument was later built on that site.
At first the followers were not so sure about the new location. As they broke through the Wasatch Range, they viewed “a broad and barren plain hemmed in by mountains, blistering in the burning rays of the midsummer sun,” “the paradise of the lizard, the cricket, and the rattlesnake.” However, the pioneers were dedicated to the task of transforming their settlement into a place where they could “become a mighty people in the midst of the Rocky Mountains.” On July 24, after Young had arrived in the valley, the embryonic city was laid out with solemn ceremonies and consecrated. The land on which the faithful settled was officially Mexican territory, not to be formally ceded to the United States until 1848 in the Treaty of Guadalupe Hildago that ended the Mexican War. However, the only inhabitants for hundreds of miles were scattered bands of seminomadic native tribes.
By the end of autumn 1847, about 2,000 Mormons had reached the Salt Lake Valley. The immigrants suffered great hardships for the first year or so, especially when their fields were invaded by hordes of grasshoppers. The settlers were saved by white gulls that devoured the insects, known as Mormon crickets.
The westward movement of gold seekers to California from 1849 onwards soon made the Mormons prosperous. Their new city was on one of the routes to the West Coast, and thousands passed through the valley. Although Young thundered that “gold is for the paving of streets [and] the business of a Saint is to stay home and make his fields green,” he did not forbid his followers from making a profit by selling horses and supplies to the travelers.
New Mormon converts from the east, and also from England and Scandinavia, poured into the Salt Lake Valley. It is estimated that between 1847 and 1869, when the Union Pacific railroad to the West Coast was completed, some 80,000 followed the Mormon Trail. Most of them traveled in covered wagons, but some actually pushed their belongings all the way in handcarts. Under the guidance of the older pioneers, these settlers spread out along the western slopes of the Wasatch Mountains, then along fertile valleys with adequate water supplies. Within a few years, more than 400 communities had been established. On March 10, 1849, the Mormons organized the provisional state of Deseret, a word taken from the Book of Mormon meaning “honeybee.” On September 9, 1850, the Territory of Utah was set up, thus slowly linking the Mormons' destiny to the mainstream of American life .
After the poor harvests of 1847 and 1848, the crops of 1849 were so good that a great celebration was planned for the anniversary of the founding of the city. It was the first of many July 24 celebrations to come.
In modern times, organizers of many Pioneer Day events have become more inclusive, recognizing the impact colonizers had on Native American peoples. Events such as the annual Native American Celebration in the Park in Salt Lake City's Liberty Park share these cultures through dance, music, and song, while community events often include information and show respect for Native American history.
Esplin, Fred. "Utah's Statehood: From Struggle to Pioneer Day Celebrations." St. George News, 16 July 2023, www.stgeorgeutah.com/news/archive/2023/07/16/fce-utahs-statehood-from-struggle-to-pioneer-day-celebrations/. Accessed 1 May 2024.
Merrill, Sydni. "Native Americans Offer Perspectives on Pioneer Day." The Daily Universe, 25 July 2023, universe.byu.edu/2023/07/25/native-american-perspectives-on-pioneer-day/. Accessed 1 May 2024.