Today, as I post this, is July 24. Here in Utah it’s a big day.
Pioneer Day. A state holiday. Lots of folks who work for a living get the day
off. There’s a big parade in downtown Salt Lake City and fireworks will light
up the sky tonight at many places around the state.
For some reason, Utah’s Pioneer Day holiday is confusing to a lot
of people. Immigrants enjoy the day off, but can’t wrap their heads around the
reason for it—well, lots of them know the why of it, but still don’t grasp why
that why matters.
It all started back in 1847 when Mormon leader Brigham Young’s
wagon pulled into the Salt Lake Valley and he raised up from his sickbed and
said this was the place the Mormons (having been chased out of New York, Ohio,
Missouri, and Illinois) would settle. His declaration was no big surprise—some
advance members of the expedition were already here plowing when Brother
Brigham showed up—but he made it official. He hadn’t asked permission to settle
here, either from the bands of Ute and Shoshoni and other Indians who
frequented the area, or from Mexico, which held title, such as it was, to the
place.
But here the Mormons settled anyway, intending to form their own
little nation with a theocratic-type government. But, much to their surprise,
they soon ended up back in the United States in 1848 when the land was seized following
the Mexican-American War.
Commemorating the arrival of those Mormon pioneers in the Salt
Lake Valley is the reason for all the hoopla. I don’t know why that’s so
confusing. When I lived in Nevada, most of that state shut down for a day in
late October to celebrate Nevada Day, commemorating statehood. (Nevada, by the
way, was originally part of Utah before the federal government started slicing
off chunks to make and add to the new state. The same thing happened with parts
of Colorado and Wyoming, too. The Mormons originally claimed big chunks of
California, Arizona, New Mexico, and Oregon as well, but the government never
recognized that claim. It’s all covered in a chapter of my book, The
Lost Frontier.)
But never mind all that. Just have a happy holiday. We could all
use an excuse to celebrate.
Nice comments. It's not a big deal in Idaho Falls, but I remember how nice it was when I lived and worked in Utah to have two legal holidays in July, not just one. I frequently read D&C 136, and marvel at the energy in that little revelation. President Hinckley said in conference once: "I can scarcely imagine the magnitude of Brigham Young's faith." Amen to that and Happy 24th.
ReplyDeleteBrother Brigham was certainly willing to take on the world to find safety for the Mormons. It is unlikely anyone else could have done it. Thanks, Carla.
DeleteKansas Day doesn't mean squat, Rod. Maybe because it occurs at the end of January, just the most dismal time of year -- except for NCAA basketball. But KU is always better in December and, I hope and pray, in March. In any case, in my Catholic grade school we studied Kansas history almost as much as, say, the differences between a business letter and a personal letter. Still, all the guys I hang with love Kansas to a fault. Even if we don't know exactly why. JB
ReplyDeleteWe get a double dose of Utah history here, John -- in school and in church, as the two are pretty intertwined. As for college sports, the rivalry between Utah and BYU is one thing that divides Mormons into opposing camps. But for me, there is nothing in sports as satisfying as watching our Real Salt Lake soccer team trounce Sporting Kansas City (which they do -- on occasion).
DeleteRod, Sporting KC enjoys this miraculous stadium in -- of all places -- proximity to the NASCAR Kansas Speedway. Out where 435 cuts across I70. Intersectional in a way a man might never imagine. I enjoy the clash of cultures from a barbecue joint midway between. As you know, brother, even the historic among us now and then need a real safe place to hide. Stay right there, young cowboy. JB
DeleteOh. I'll be eternally grateful to you for Danny Ainge. The 1986 Celts, with my hero of heroes Mr. Larry Bird, will always to my mind be the greatest basketball team ever. Should you now and then need some spiritual uplift, my friend, one could do worse than some YouTube of those boys showing lesser mortals what b-ball might be. It's not shooting, sir. It's passing. JB
DeleteEnjoy celebrating your history, Rod. Happy Pioneer Day.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tanja. We'll be celebrating at the Days of '47 Rodeo tonight.
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