SALT LAKE CITY
Discover an urban center built on religious history in Salt Lake City, UT.The Salt Lake City of today is a study in urban planning, as well as the juxtaposition of religious and secular development. A highly liberal cultural center, Salt Lake City also remains the headquarters of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, often referred to as the Mormon Church.
Salt Lake City was founded in 1847 by Brigham Young and his followers, who were escaping the religious persecution they experienced in the East. The city was carefully planned, and was designed to be a template for future Mormon communities. The grid begins at the southeast corner of Temple Square, home of the Salt Lake Temple. The original city plan calls for 135 10-acre lots. However, the grid system was somewhat lost when the Church lost control of city development in the late Nineteenth century.
Since the 1970s, Salt Lake City has had a liberal mayor-council form of government. The city’s politics are liberal and heavily favor Democrats. The city has been named one of the top 51 gay-friendly places to live in the United States, and there is a large alternative population.
Yet the city remains the seat of power for the LDS (Latter Day Saints, also known as Mormons) Church, and many LDS buildings are open to the public. Salt Lake City’s urban culture and love of the arts are evident, with a plethora of museums, live performances, shops and nightlife alternatives.