Portal:Utah

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Utah is a western state of the United States, in the Rocky Mountain region. The name Utah is derived from the Southern Ute word for "higher up." In addition to the Ute Tribe, the Paiute, Navajo, and Goshute nations also inhabit portions of the state.

Utah had a population of 2,389,039 in 2004, according to a Census Bureau estimate. About 85% of Utah's population resides in the valleys and on the western slope of the Wasatch Mountains in northern and central Utah. Residents are called Utahns. The state is generally rugged and arid, and has spectacular natural scenery. It is a popular summer and winter tourist destination. Salt Lake City, the ski resorts in the Wasatch Range, and the national parks of the south are the most popular destinations.

Utah's capital is Salt Lake City, a vibrant metropolitan city. The small community of Fillmore, in Millard County, was designated as the territorial capital in 1854, four years after Utah Territory was organized. In 1856, the capital was moved back to Salt Lake City, which became the capital of the state when Utah was admitted to the Union in 1896. Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics, which gave a significant boost to the state's tourist industry (especially the ski resorts).

Salt Lake City, Utah is also the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, of which approximately 60% of Utah residents are members. The LDS Church has a strong cultural influence on the state, resulting in Utah being one of just two states where gambling is illegal.

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Credit: Shannon Martin

Tower of Babel in Arches National Park

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The Mormon handcart pioneers were participants in the migration of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (also known as the Mormon or LDS Church) to Salt Lake City, Utah who used handcarts to transport their belongings. The Mormon handcart movement began in 1856 and lasted until 1860. Motivated to join their fellow Church members but lacking funds for full ox or horse teams, nearly 3,000 Mormon pioneers from England, Wales, and Scandinavia made the journey to Utah in 10 handcart companies. The trek was disastrous for two of the companies after they started their journey dangerously late and were caught by heavy snow and severe temperatures in central Wyoming. Despite a dramatic rescue effort, more than 210 of the 980 pioneers in the two companies died along the way. John Chislett, a survivor of one of these companies, wrote, "Many a father pulled his cart, with his little children on it, until the day preceding his death."

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Brandon Flowers (born June 21, 1981) is the vocalist and keyboardist in the American alternative rock band The Killers.

Flowers was born in Las Vegas, Nevada and later raised in Nephi, Utah. In Nephi, he claims he was the only Smiths fan. Since Nephi was a little farm town of just 2,000 people, football was everything as Brandon played golf and listened to Elton John and The Cars. He grew up a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints with four older sisters and an older brother. He begged his parents to return to Las Vegas and finally did at the age of fifteen to live with his aunt and attend Chaparral High School.

While listening to the radio in his car after his very first college class, Flowers heard the song "Changes" by David Bowie. He fell in love with the piece and realized he wanted to be part of the music industry. Teaching himself keyboards, he passed on college to take a job as a caddy at a private golf course, where he encountered a fellow music fan who is also a keyboard player. Together they formed the first workings of the band that would become Blush Response. Brandon began writing and recording original tunes with his band. The endeavor was short-lived, however, when the band booted Flowers in 2001 because he refused to move with the rest of them to Los Angeles, California.

After being dumped by Blush Response, Brandon worked as a bellhop at Gold Coast Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas. The bellhop job paid enough for him to buy CDs, a keyboard, and a 4-track recorder. After answering a "Musicians Wanted" ad in the Las Vegas Weekly with a guitarist looking for a vocalist in order to form a band, he hit it off with his new bandmate, Dave Keuning, in late 2001. The Killers were spawned shortly thereafter. By 2002, Ronnie Vannucci became the drummer and Mark Stoermer had become the bassist.

They played some of their early gigs at a gay drag club, called Tramps, in Las Vegas. The name "The Killers" came about when the band was watching New Order's music video for "Crystal," in which New Order was a fictitious band of perfecto called "The Killers." Flowers was inspired and felt the desire to be as perfect as (and ultimately becoming) "The Killers."

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Did you know...

...that Rainbow Bridge (pictured) is the world's largest natural bridge?
...that Gunnison, Utah was named for John W. Gunnison, an explorer and early advocate of Mormon self-rule in Utah?
...that at 11,928 feet (3,636 m), Mount Nebo is the highest mountain in the Wasatch Range?