9 Historic Photos That Show Us What It Was Like Living In Utah In The Early 1900s
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Catherine Armstrong
Author
Utahns have always been industrious, creative, and kind people, but daily life has drastically changed over the last century. We haven’t always had modern amenities like cell phones, Internet, and Netflix to help us work and relax. Imagine getting to work in a horse-drawn wagon, or living in a tiny, tar-papered shack in a mining town. You’ll see what it was like to work and play long ago in these nine historic photos.
Trolley cars and horse-drawn wagons were the way Salt Lake City residents got from one end of the city to another.
Since it opened in 1886, Lagoon has always been a family favorite. Though most amusement parks don't allow guests to bring in food, Utah families have long enjoyed picnics on the grass during their visit. Of course, today they wear shorts and t-shirts!
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Speaking of Lagoon, how about this spinning wheel ride? It's a far cry from the Cannibal Coaster, isn't it?
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You might not think of people living in Utah's national parks, but M.V. Oyler and his family lived in the Capitol Reef area for many years - long before the land was a national park. M.V. owned a uranium/radium mine there, and is pictured here with his children.
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This Navajo family lived in the little dwelling behind them, and posed for this photo sometime around the turn of the century.
The wife and children of a miner at the Blue Blaze Mine stand in a snowy yard in front of their small home.
The Paramount Empress Theater was a popular spot to see the latest flicks, starting in 1916 when it opened its doors. Located in Salt Lake City at 53 S. Main Street, it later operated as The Uptown in the 1950s. By the early 1970s, it was gone forever.
Five women pose in their swimming costumes while bobbing in the salt water of the Great Salt Lake. Back in the day, Saltair was one of the largest attractions in the state.
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Canyonlands was once home to several cowboys, who set up temporary line camps there. After a long day of riding fence lines to make repairs, this cowboy is peeling some potatoes for his dinner.
After seeing these photos, are you grateful to live in modern Utah, or do you wish you could go back in time to live in the Beehive State of the past?
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