Of all the Western states, the development of Utah was the best organized. Almost as soon as the spot in Great Salt Lake Valley had been chosen, skills were allocated, streets were laid, irrigated crops were planted, and schools were set up. Under the leadership of Brigham Young, the Mormons worked in cooperative groups to turn the desert valley into a garden spot of fertile cropland. They were anticipating a great Mormon migration, and in the next few years followers came there by the thousands--some on wagons, some dragging handcarts.
The hardy Mormon colony spread north- and southward from the original site. In 1850 the population of Utah was about 11,000. By 1880 it had multiplied more than 12 times. Almost all of this development was directed by the Mormon church. Today about 70 percent of the state's people are Mormons, or members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Still an active social and political force in Utah, the church owns much property and manages many cooperative enterprises.
After the first transcontinental railroad was completed at Promontory in 1869, a steady influx of non-Mormons (referred to as Gentiles) began. The introduction of manufacturing by the end of the century also attracted many non-Mormons to Utah. Since World War II, the state's location in the heart of the West and its good transportation facilities have made it a choice area for defense plants. Cattle and sheep graze near rocket test sites, and Indians live in hogans next to working oil wells. The land, which at first seemed so unyielding, produces a wealth of minerals. But some things have not changed: water is still scarce, and religion remains a part of everyday life.
Before Utah became a territory, it was organized as the Provisional State of Deseret--a name taken from the Book of Mormon. Deseret, which is translated as honeybee, symbolizes the hard-work ethic still admired by the people of Utah. The nickname Beehive State is also a tribute to their industry. Other nicknames are the Salt Lake State and the Land of the Saints. The state was named for the Ute Indians, one of several tribes that inhabited the area before the arrival of the Mormons.
The Beehive State lies in the Western Basins and Plateaus region of the United States. It is bordered on the northeast and north by Wyoming and Idaho. To the west is Nevada. Arizona is to the south and Colorado to the east. The state's southeastern corner borders on Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado. This is the only point in the nation where four states meet. Utah's greatest length, from north to south, is 345 miles (555 kilometers). Its greatest width is 275 miles (443 kilometers). The area of the state is 84,899 square miles (219,887 square kilometers), including 2,826 square miles (7,319 square kilometers) of inland water surface.
