Pioneer Jubilee

Anyone who has spent a summer in Utah has learned about Pioneer Day (July 24).

Every year the people of the United States of America celebrate Independence Day on July 4th as a reminder of the founding of our nation and all of the sacrifices made by our first citizens to create the world in which we live today.

In Utah, a short 20 days after the national celebration, Pioneer Day takes over our towns with festivities as large as any 4th of July. Utah’s celebration mirrors the nation’s in many ways: banks and offices close for the holiday, families gather for parades and picnics, and many cities even provide a fireworks show. The sentiment behind the celebration is much the same as well. It is a day to remember the founders of our state and the sacrifices that were made to create the world in which we live today.

This short exhibit examines the documents of Utah’s Pioneer Jubilee Celebration, on which today’s modern Pioneer Day celebrations are based. If we can understand that first celebration, maybe we can understand how it changed the way we view the pioneers and our state’s founders.

Visitors to the exhibit can take the guided tour through the images by selecting the “Start Here” button at the bottom of this page.

“May the Historical Society of Utah...stand as a beacon light in the history of our progress and a star of promise to those who shall come after us.” Dr. Ellen B. Ferguson

Credits

The images in this exhibit are part of two record series housed at the Utah State Archives. The Book of the Pioneers (Series 14107) and The State Historical Society Administrative Files (Series 3192).

Images digitized by Rod Swaner and the J. Willard Marriott Library. They were made available on the Utah State Digital Archives by Gina Strack, Digital Archives Manager.

Exhibit interpretation provided by Rae Gifford.

Originally published in July 2017

Start Here