Thanksgiving depicted in an LDS Sunday School Magazine
Thanksgiving Day in Utah had a unique Mormon beginning, eventually splitting into two holidays.
Each July 24th, Utah celebrates the arrival of the first Latter-day Saint pioneers into the Salt Lake valley in 1847. Settlers struggled to establish themselves on the parched, sagebrush covered valley. Bad weather, crop-eating crickets & their remote location caused difficulties for those early Mormon settlers. When a successful harvest was produced, the settlers felt they needed to celebrate a day of thanksgiving.
Salt Lake's first Thanksgiving occurred on Thursday, August 10th, 1848, just a little over a year after Mormon settlers arrived in Utah. As the 1st crop began to be harvested the saints celebrated a Day of Thanksgiving with a flag ceremony, preaching, singing, food & dancing. It provided the settlers a well deserved day of enjoyment.
Nearly a year later on the second anniversary of their arrival, the 1st "Pioneer Day" celebration took place on July 24th, 1849, as a day of commemoration & thanksgiving. Pioneer Day (sometimes called "Covered Wagon Day") continued to be celebrated yearly, & today is a Utah State holiday.
Two years later, Brigham Young declared January 1st, 1852 "a day of praise & thanksgiving" following the custom of the pilgrims at Plymouth Rock. Because the population of the valley had grown it was impractical to hold a centrally located feast, so LDS residents were encouraged to celebrate at home.
Thirty-two years later on November 18, 1884, Utah Territorial Governor Eli Murray issued a proclamation setting Thanksgiving Day in Utah to Thursday, November 27th in response to the President of the United States setting aside a day of public thanksgiving & prayer. The proclamation was stamped with the state seal & widely distributed, & Thanksgiving Day began to be celebrated in late November.
From the earliest celebrations by Utahans to give thanks, two holidays have emerged; Pioneer Day on July 24th, & Thanksgiving Day in late November.
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Comments
Very interesting and informative! Great photo!
One could almost say three holidays emerged from the early pioneer thanksgiving. Many have a tradition of a large feast on New Years day. And Brigham Young set aside Jan 1st as Thanksgiving. Almost counts as a 3rd holiday a long with Jul 24 and thanksgiving.
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