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Why were Mormons successful in building Salt Lake City?

Why were Mormons successful in building Salt Lake City?

The area surrounding the Great Salt Lake was a challenging place to live. It was difficult to grow crops on the land and there was little shelter from the blazing sun. Yet, despite these challenges, the Mormons were still able to build a fruitful settlement.

How was the Salt Lake Temple built?

Pioneers began construction on the temple in 1853 using oxen to haul mammoth blocks of granite 15 miles down a canyon and across the valley to the building site. This process was slow and difficult, and limited progress on the temple. Building was halted briefly in 1858 when Johnston’s Army made an expedition to Utah.

How did the Mormons settle in Salt Lake City?

Young led the Mormons on their great trek westward through the wilderness some 1,300 miles to the Rocky Mountains—a rite of passage they saw as necessary in order to find their promised land. Young, and 148 Mormons, crossed into the Great Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. …

Why do Mormon towns have wide streets?

The streets would be wide, also to support agricultural practices, like moving horses and cattle. And the grid would have defined edges and compact development. Most importantly, it would center around a community space — in this case the temple.

Why are the streets in Salt Lake City so wide?

It’s not just Salt Lake City’s blocks that are wide. Its streets are too: At 130 feet, they’re double the width of those in Manhattan, Portland and San Francisco. This layout is a byproduct of the city’s Mormon heritage. Smith called for a temple at the center of a grid and for large blocks that enabled family farming.

Why are Utah roads so wide?

To say Salt Lake City’s roads are incredibly wide is an understatement. Initially, this width was derived from former Mormon Governor of the Utah territory who stipulated that a team of oxen and their cart should be able to turn around in the street.

How many blocks is a mile in Salt Lake City?

seven blocks
Think of a “block” as a unit of measure. There are just under seven blocks to the mile in Salt Lake. And because a “street” is not necessarily the same as a “block”, it’s important to understand the difference. For instance, if you were walking from Fifth East to Sixth East, you might pass Oak Street.

How long is a city block in Salt Lake City?

660
Typical Salt Lake City blocks are 660-by-660-foot squares.

How did the Mormons get to Salt Lake City?

Mormon pioneers, sketched by Ortho Fairbanks. In April 1847 the first group of Mormon settlers left and headed west along the California Trail. Brigham Young led a group of two children, three women, and 143 men. They traveled on horseback or in oxen-pulled wagons for three months; then, on July 22, the first men entered the Salt Lake Valley.

Who was the founder of Salt Lake City?

Salt Lake City is also known as the “Crossroads of the West”. The city was founded in 1847 by a group of Mormon pioneers led by the prophet Brigham Young, who fled hostility from the midwest. Salt Lake City is now the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the L.D.S. or Mormon Church.)

Why did the Mormons move to the west?

Though the Mormons had been considering migrating West, beyond the reach of the United States government, before their founder’s murder, the crime solidified this intention. And Brigham Young, who emerged as de facto leader after Smith’s death, had just the place in mind. The murder of Joseph Smith. (Credit: Bettmann Archive/Getty Images)

Who was the leader of the Mormon pioneers?

Later that year, Young rejoined the main body of pioneers in Iowa, who named him president and prophet of the church. Having formally inherited the authority of Joseph Smith, he led thousands of more Mormons to the Great Salt Lake in 1848. Other large waves of Mormon pioneers followed.

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