Riverton Utah

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well, of course you know Brighton
09/08/2026

well, of course you know Brighton

Recipes to Remember Herriman Stake Dinner Recipes 2010
09/08/2026

Recipes to Remember
Herriman Stake Dinner Recipes
2010

where were you in 1989...
09/08/2026

where were you in 1989...

The famous story of the "Miracle of the Gulls"—where seagulls saved early Mormon pioneers from starvation by swooping in...
09/08/2026

The famous story of the "Miracle of the Gulls"—where seagulls saved early Mormon pioneers from starvation by swooping in to eat a plague of crickets—is based on real historical events, but the narrative has been heavily romanticized and exaggerated over generations.
Historians from both secular backgrounds and The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints have deconstructed the event. In the spring of 1848, the pioneers' second-season crops were heavily attacked by swarms of native insects now known as Mormon crickets actually a species of shield-backed katydid.
June 1848, thousands of native California gulls came from the Great Salt Lake and feasted heavily on the crickets for about three weeks. Pioneers were amazed to watch the gulls gorge on crickets, drink water, regurgitate the indigestible parts, and immediately go back to eating more. Biologists confirm that this is a completely normal, natural behavior for gulls when managing an overabundance of food.

Myths vs. Historical Reality
While the birds certainly helped, historical journals, diaries, and official church letters from the summer of 1848 show that the event was not the sudden, absolute rescue commonly taught in folklore.
The gulls didn't magically erase the crisis. The pioneers still suffered severe, devastating crop losses due to the crickets, coupled with late-spring frosts and a harsh drought.
A look at contemporary 1848 diaries shows that many pioneers mentioned the devastating crickets, but completely omitted the gulls. An official church summary of the valley's experiences published in 1849 didn't mention the gulls at all. At the time, the settlers viewed it as a tough, grueling "Cricket War" rather than an instant divine deliverance. The pioneers were unfamiliar with the Great Basin ecosystem. They did not realize that California gulls naturally nesting at the Great Salt Lake had been flying inland to feast on seasonal cricket and grasshopper swarms for thousands of years before humans ever arrived.
As time passed, the narrative became a powerful symbol of faith and survival. By the late 1800's the story was retold with more dramatic flair—adding elements of immediate answered prayers and an overnight rescue. The legend cemented itself permanently into Utah culture. In 1913, the church dedicated the Seagull Monument on Temple Square believed to be the first monument dedicated to birds in the U.S. and in 1955 the California gull was officially named the State Bird of Utah.

Odd Accidents 1940's
09/08/2026

Odd Accidents
1940's

where in our SLValley...Copper Raceway 1965
09/08/2026

where in our SLValley...
Copper Raceway
1965

Where in our SLValley... Bonneville Drag Strip 1965
09/08/2026

Where in our SLValley...
Bonneville Drag Strip
1965

Riverton Utah Facebook friends find interesting things in their old family papers...Can Angles Be Trusted?
09/08/2026

Riverton Utah Facebook friends find interesting things in their old family papers...
Can Angles Be Trusted?

one for our local history buffs~who can name all four buildings...
09/08/2026

one for our local history buffs~
who can name all four buildings...

historic Hotel Temple Square New Coffee Shop later renovated and renamed the Inn at Temple Square before its demolition ...
09/08/2026

historic Hotel Temple Square
New Coffee Shop
later renovated and renamed the Inn at Temple Square before its demolition in 2006 was built, owned, and managed through entities of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Built in 1929–1930 for Zions Security Corporation the financial and real estate arm of the The Church
Owned by The Church through its real estate and holding entities, including Zions Security Corporation and later acquired or overseen via Church-affiliated groups like the Utah Hotel Company and Deseret Management Corporation.
Managed locally over its lifespan by The Church hospitality groups, including operations under the Temple Square Hospitality Corporation a subsidiary of The Church

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