A look back at local, national and world events through Deseret News archives.
President Grover Cleveland on Saturday, Jan. 4, 1896, issued the proclamation admitting Utah to the Union as the 45th state.
Salt Lake City officials, wanting to be properly prepared for the occasion, postponed the official celebration until Monday, Jan. 6.
Historians say that early in the day, a battery of the Utah National Guard marched to Capitol Hill and fired a 21-gun salute to alert the city. Businesses closed their doors and crowds swarmed the streets, ringing bells, shooting off firecrackers and blowing whistles.
According to previous reporting in the Deseret News, Utah’s population around the time of its newfound statehood was a little less than 276,749.
Mormon Pioneer settlers had come to the Salt Lake Valley in July 1847. Soon, the Utah Territory was formed, and included all of present-day Utah, most of Nevada, and part of western Colorado and southwestern Wyoming. The territory was reduced in 1861 with the organization of Colorado and Nevada territories, and additional area was lost to Nevada in 1862 and 1866.
Through the years, Utahns have celebrated statehood day, including a big celebration in 1946 in Fillmore, the Utah Territory’s capital, and in 1996 on the centennial. Today there are about 3.5 millions Utah residents.
Here are some stories from Deseret News archives on Utah’s path to statehood:
“Utah turned 128 years old this week. Here’s the story of how Utah joined the U.S.”
“Utah statehood”
“‘There’s just nothing like it’ — The 1896 letter declaring Utah a state has come to the Beehive State”
“The document that made Utah a state fetched $27K at auction”
“Utah Territory’s creation in 1850 paved way to statehood”
“Utah remembers its roots with Statehood Day”
“In our opinion: Let Utah illuminate the country”
“12 ways Utah is leading the nation, according to the data”
The front page of the Deseret News on Jan. 6, 1896, recapping a weekend of events in which Utah achieved statehood.
“Make Fillmore the capital of Utah (again)”
“Utah battle for statehood detailed”
“Raising a flag: The mistakes and struggles that made Utah’s state flags”
Fireworks explode at the Territorial Statehouse, built in 1855 and 1856, in Fillmore during Utah’s statehood centennial in 1996. | Ravell Call, Deseret Morning News
The Dinwoodey Furniture building is pictured as the company is celebrating Utah Statehood in 1896. A piano and music store is pictured on the right and Robinson Brothers Shoes on the left. | Deseret News Archives
The front page of the Deseret News in January 1996 as Utah celebrated 100 years of statehood.
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