It Happened in Utah

by Gayen Wharton

Written in a lively, easy-to-read style, this book features approximately 30 stories written for history buffs of all ages.

Genres: History

144 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1998

Reviews

[Tim Heise]

Cute little book.

[Ranette]

My 4th graders loved reading this book about odd things that happened in Utah.

[Kristene]

https://booklvrslounge.blogspot.com/2...

[Karri Hoopes]

Okay and accurate but kind of a skim of the incidents.

[Ellen]

This is a a collection of about 26 stories arranged in chronological order, beginning with A Fur Traders Fight of 1825, and ending with Dick Wilson Builds the Slickrock Bike Trail from 1969. Each is short, condensed to about five pages, making it an easy read. Some, such as the Mountain Meadows Massacre, or the Trial of Joe Hill, have already had volumes written about them. Others are not so well-known, such as the explosion of "Arsenal Hill" that shook up Salt Lake City, or the woman who ran against her husband for the Utah Senate, and won. The authors seem to have researched each story quite well, referring to different sources and making it clear in some places that small incidents could have happened one way or another, depending on which source you choose to go with. There is so much information packed into such a small space that sometimes I have to re-read things in order to follow the storyline clearly, and even then I'm not always clear on the details. These are good overviews that give a feel for the influences that have shaped Utah into what it is today. There are references listed in the back if you want to look up more information, and there is also a sort of a prologue that lists some interesting facts.

[Don Gubler]

Interesting local folklore.