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The Mormon Corridor is a term for the areas of Western North America that were settled between 1850 and approximately 1890 by members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who are commonly known as Mormons.^[1]

In academic literature, the area is also commonly called the "Mormon culture region."^[2]^[3] It has also been referred to as the "Book of Mormon belt" as a cultural reference to the Bible Belt of the southeastern United States, and the Book of Mormon.

Location

Beginning in Utah, the corridor extends northward through western Wyoming and eastern Idaho to Yellowstone National Park and reaches south to San Bernardino, California on the west and through Mesa, Arizona on the east, extending to the U.S.-Mexico border. Settlements in Utah south of the Wasatch Front stretched from St. George in the southwest to Nephi in the northeast and including the Sevier River valley, the corridor is roughly congruent with the area between present-day Interstate 15 and U.S. Route 89. Most of the population of the state that is not along the Wasatch Front or in Utah's Cache Valley resides in this corridor. Outside the Western United States, more isolated Mormon settlements were also founded in Western Canada and Mexico.

History

The larger chain of Mormon settlements, ranging from Canada to Mexico, were initially established as agricultural centers or to gain access to metals and other materials needed by the expanding Mormon population. The communities also served as waystations for migration and trade centered on Salt Lake City during the mid- to late 19th century.

Communities in the generally fertile but relatively dry valleys of the Great Basin, Southeastern Idaho, Nevada and Arizona were dependent on water supplies. Irrigation systems, including wells, dams, canals, headgates, and ditches, were one of the first projects for a new community. Road access to timber in the mountains and pasturage for stock were important, as were carefully tended crops, gardens and orchards.

During his lifetime, Brigham Young, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, personally supervised the founding of many outlying communities. At times, Young or his agents met incoming wagon trains of Mormon Pioneers, assigning the groups a secondary destination to establish a new community. After a relatively brief rest in the growing communities of the Salt Lake Valley, the groups would restock needed supplies and materials, gather livestock, and travel on. In addition, new colonizeers could be called from the pulpit. Young read the names of men and their families who were "called" to move to outlying regions. These "missions" for church members often lasted for years, as the families were to remain in their assigned area until released from the calling or given a new assignment. Colonizers traveled at their own expense and success depended on appropriate supplies and personal resourcefulness, as well as uncontrolled variables such as water supplies and weather.

Several of these colonies could also have provided support for a second migration of the Latter-day Saints which might have become necessary due to pressure by the U.S. government, starting with the Utah War. Some settlements were associated with existing or prior towns, and many were abandoned once the threat of persecution decreased after the 1890 Manifesto, and the transportation system in the Western United States matured. The First Transcontinental Railroad was especially significant in reinforcing or altering settlement patterns.

"Jell-O Belt"

The region has also been identified as the "Jell-O Belt",^[4]^[5]^[6] referring to the 20th century Mormon cultural stereotype that Mormons have an affection for Jell-O (a gelatin-based food). In support of this image, Jell-O was designated Utah's official state snack food in 2001.^[7] When drafting the resolution, the Utah Legislature gave many reasons to recognize Jell-O,^[8] including that Utah had been the highest per capita consumer of Jell-O for many years, and how citizens of Utah had rallied to "Take Back the Title" after Des Moines, Iowa exceeded Utah in Jell-O consumption in 1999. The culture of Utah, petitions by Utahns, and campaigning by students of Brigham Young University were also mentioned as reasons for recognizing Jell-O.

References

^ Origin of the term from a part of the National Park Service's "The Old Mormon Fort: Birthplace of Las Vegas, Nevada"
^ The Current State of the Mormon Culture Region This reference also includes a map, by county of Leading Church Bodies from 2000
^ Transformation of the Mormon Culture Region by Ethan R. Yorgason, University of Illinois Press (Selected text)
^ Washington Post
^ Films about Latter-day Saints
^ Crump, Steve. " Don't ask me. Getting jiggly outside the Jell-O Belt." The Twin Falls Idaho Times-News. March 21, 2004, p. B01.
^ BBC: "Utah loves Jell-O - official"
^ Utah Legislature, Resolution Urging Jell-O Recognition, 2001 General Session, State of Utah, Sponsor: Leonard M. Blackham

External links

Map Gallery of Religion in the United States from American Ethnic Geography

[1] Origin of the term from a part of the National Park Service's "The Old Mormon Fort: Birthplace of Las Vegas, Nevada"

[2] The Current State of the Mormon Culture Region This reference also includes a map, by county of Leading Church Bodies from 2000

[3] Transformation of the Mormon Culture Region by Ethan R. Yorgason, University of Illinois Press (Selected text)

[4] Washington Post

[5] Films about Latter-day Saints

[6] Crump, Steve. " Don't ask me. Getting jiggly outside the Jell-O Belt." The Twin Falls Idaho Times-News. March 21, 2004, p. B01.

[7] BBC: "Utah loves Jell-O - official"

[8] Utah Legislature, Resolution Urging Jell-O Recognition, 2001 General Session, State of Utah, Sponsor: Leonard M. Blackham

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 ==History==
-The larger chain of Mormon settlements, ranging from [[Canada]] to [[Mexico]], were initially established as agricultural centers or to gain access to metals and other materials needed by the expanding Mormon population.  The communities also served as waystations for migration and trade centered on [[Salt Lake City]] during the mid- to late 19th century.  Several of these colonies could also have provided support for a second migration of the [[Latter-day Saints]] which might have become necessary due to pressure by the U.S. government, starting with the [[Utah War]].  Some settlements were associated with existing or prior towns, and many were abandoned once the threat of persecution decreased after the [[1890 Manifesto]], and the transportation system in the [[Western United States]] matured.  The [[First Transcontinental Railroad]] was especially significant in reinforcing or altering settlement patterns.
+The larger chain of Mormon settlements, ranging from [[Canada]] to [[Mexico]], were initially established as agricultural centers or to gain access to metals and other materials needed by the expanding Mormon population.  The communities also served as waystations for migration and trade centered on [[Salt Lake City]] during the mid- to late 19th century.
+Communities in the generally fertile but relatively dry valleys of the [[Great Basin]], Southeastern Idaho, Nevada and Arizona were dependent on water supplies.  Irrigation systems, including wells, dams, canals, headgates, and ditches, were one of the first projects for a new community.  Road access to timber in the mountains and pasturage for stock were important, as were carefully tended crops, gardens and orchards.
+During his lifetime, [[Brigham Young]], President of the [[Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints]], personally supervised the founding of many outlying communities.  At times, Young or his agents met incoming wagon trains of [[Mormon Pioneers]], assigning the groups a secondary destination to establish a new community.  After a relatively brief rest in the growing communities of the Salt Lake Valley, the groups would restock needed supplies and materials, gather livestock, and travel on.  In addition, new colonizeers could be called from the pulpit.  Young read the names of men and their families who were "called" to move to outlying regions.  These "missions" for church members often lasted for years, as the families were to remain in their assigned area until released from the calling or given a new assignment.  Colonizers traveled at their own expense and success depended on appropriate supplies and personal resourcefulness, as well as uncontrolled variables such as water supplies and weather.
+Several of these colonies could also have provided support for a second migration of the [[Latter-day Saints]] which might have become necessary due to pressure by the U.S. government, starting with the [[Utah War]].  Some settlements were associated with existing or prior towns, and many were abandoned once the threat of persecution decreased after the [[1890 Manifesto]], and the transportation system in the [[Western United States]] matured.  The [[First Transcontinental Railroad]] was especially significant in reinforcing or altering settlement patterns.
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