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| 0014 Salt Lake Temple in Christmas night |
Posted on 22.10.2011, 05.11.2016
Brigham Young and the first band of Mormon pioneers (members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints) reached the Salt Lake Valley, back then a Mexican territory, on July 24, 1847. Over the next 22 years, more than 70,000 pioneers crossed the plains and settled in Utah. The arid desert land was deemed by the Mormons as desirable as a place where they could practice their religion without harassment. One may say that they were the founders of the Utah Territory, and then of The State of Utah.
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| 2853 Salt Lake Temple in the time of the night |
Even today Utah is the most religiously homogeneous state in the Union (in 2012, 62.2% of Utahns are reported to be members of LDS Church). Home to the headquarters of the LDS Church and Temple Square, Salt Lake City was historically considered a holy city by members of the LDS church; Brigham Young called it a "Kingdom of Heaven on Earth". Today, however, less than half the population of Salt Lake City proper are members of the LDS Church.