Can you imagine what it was like to live in Utah more than 100 years ago? Thanks to historians, some of Utah's earliest photographs have been preserved so that we can all enjoy them. Take a look at how different life in Utah in the late 1800s was. Below are 11 old photos of Utah that are truly incredible.
1. Daggett County, 1870. Surveyors make camp near the Henry's Fork of the Green River.
2. Unknown location, 1860. We don't have much information on these two cute little kids, except that they managed to hold very still for this photo in 1860.
3. Salt Lake City, 1905. In this historic photo of the Salt Lake City Temple, you can see the horse-drawn carriages and street car rails.
4. Unknown location, 1880. A group of Ute tribal leaders were sent to Washington D.C. in 1880 to form a treaty: Chief Ignacio of the Southern Utes, Carl Shurz, Secretary of the Interior, Chief Ouray and his wife, Chipeta. Standing are Woretsiz and General Charles Adams.
5. Salt Lake City, 1890s. Main Street was quite a bustling thoroughfare.
6. Unknown location, late 19th century. Utah workers taking a quick break.
7. Salt Lake City, 1880s. The construction of the Salt Lake LDS Temple.
8. Alta, 1895. While we know Alta as a ski resort, it was a mine first. This is the Alta Mine Mill on Gold Hill.
9. Salt Lake City, 1869. There are quite a few buildings on this dirt street in downtown Salt Lake City.
10. Corinne, 1868. Corinne was founded as the unofficial "Gentile capital of Utah." It was named for the daughter of one of the founders.
11. Bluff, Between 1880 and 1910. A Navajo family poses in front of their winter hogan.
I'm glad I wasn't living in Utah in the late 1800s — imagine life without air conditioning!
Do you have any old Utah pictures in your collection? Are there any old pictures of Salt Lake City that grabbed your attention? What are some of your favorite historic Utah photos? Share them with us!
If you love history like we do, check out our collection of articles featuring Utah's history. You may also want to check out TripAdvisor for some unique history tours in SLC.
Subscribe to our newsletter
Get the latest updates and news
Thank you for subscribing!