Discover Salt Lake City: Top 10 Fun Facts to Unveil the Charm of Utah's Capital

1. Cricket Protein Bars' Ancestors

Before cricket protein bars were cool: Prehistoric Great Basin dwellers and native tribes such as the Paiute, Goshute, and Shoshone feasted on sun-dried grasshoppers and crickets full of protein, creating a "desert fruitcake" that even caught the taste buds of Western explorers! In fact, these insect treats boasted 60% protein, 10% carbohydrates, and a whopping 3,000 calories per kilogram, making them a far more nutritious option than the pioneer crops of 1848 Salt Lake City.
Source => utahhumanities.org

2. Cow-Friendly Streets

When cows and their cowboy herders needed room to roam without resorting to a cuss-loaded hoedown: Salt Lake City's downtown blocks measure 660 feet by 660 feet with seriously wide streets, the largest and widest of any major city in the United States. Originally designed with a grid system to accommodate a central temple and family farming by Mormon settlers following Joseph Smith's plans, Brigham Young introduced these wider streets simply to make cattle turning a cinch and a more PG-rated affair. While urban planners may scoff at this "cowtown" design as old-fashioned and unruly for pedestrians, Salt Lake City still proudly does things the big and wide way.
Source => governing.com

Discover how the completion of the first transcontinental railroad in 1869 led to a massive spike in Utah's popularity, drastically cut travel time, and kickstarted a mining boom! 🚂💰✨

=> Fun Facts about Utah

3. Obi-Wan Kenobi University

Hold onto your caps and gowns: the University of Utah is basically like the Obi-Wan Kenobi of state universities, as it's the oldest state university west of the Missouri River! Founded in 1850 as the University of Deseret, it had a rocky start, but today it stands proud with over 23,500 students mastering the force that is higher education.
Source => uen.org

4. Bird & Brine Shrimp Party

Feathered friends and tiny swimmers rejoice! Salt Lake City's very own Great Salt Lake isn't just about salty swimming – it's a "bird-tastic" brine shrimp bash: The Great Salt Lake is home to millions of native birds, brine shrimp, shorebirds, and waterfowl, and even boasts the largest staging population of Wilson's phalarope in the world. These creatures thrive thanks to the lake's unique salinity and density, making this hotspot a must-visit for birdwatchers and nature lovers alike.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

5. Time-Traveling Heritage Park

Ever wish you could hitch a ride with Doc Brown and Marty McFly in their wild, time-traveling DeLorean? Well, consider "This is the Place Heritage Park" in Salt Lake City your backstage pass to the 1800s, without needing a Flux Capacitor: This historical goldmine features a Pioneer Village, a Native American Village, and a natural-spring-fed pond that powers not only the crops and animals within the park, but also a mini train that circles around it. Not to mention, their burgers, hot dogs, and ice cream served in the Huntsman Hotel are *absolutely* worth crossing over into a different era for!
Source => visitsaltlake.com

6. Olympic Matrimony

Say "I do" to Olympic matrimony: The Salt Lake City Winter Olympics in 2002 was the first occasion where the Winter Olympics and Paralympics walked down the aisle together, tied the knot, and were organized by a single committee - the lovely Salt Lake Organizing Committee. The union was not without its heavy in-laws, though, with the Office of Homeland Security imposing tighter security measures as the first Olympic Games post-9/11 attacks, thus christening it a National Special Security Event.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

7. Avian Social Hotspot

Forget tweeting the latest meme or following your favorite celebrity on Twitter: Great Salt Lake is the ultimate "social" hotspot for our avian friends. Over 10 million birds representing 338 species find it tweet-worthy as a crucial pit stop on their epic migratory journey along the Pacific Flyway between North and South America, making it an ecological marvel and essential area for conservation.
Source => water.utah.gov

8. Couch Potato Memorial

Ever wondered where your favorite couch potato would pay their respects? Salt Lake City has the answer: The Provo City Cemetery is the final resting place of Philo T. Farnsworth, the inventor of the first fully electronic television, who held over 169 patents and also dabbled in nuclear fusion with his Farnsworth Fusor.
Source => en.wikipedia.org

9. Mormon Slam Dunk

Before Michael Jordan and Space Jam, the Mormon Slam Dunk: Salt Lake City has a deep-rooted love for basketball, specifically within the LDS community. Dating back to the early 20th century, this love has grown so much that now every meetinghouse in the city features a retractable basketball hoop in its cultural hall, all thanks to the first all-church men's tournament held in 1915.
Source => deseret.com

10. Wild West Public Transit

Whoever said you need horses to traverse the Wild West never stepped foot in Salt Lake City: This modern urban oasis boasts an extensive public transportation system, including commuter trains, buses, and light-rail, shuttling folks from Ogden to Provo and everywhere in between, with integrated routes all the way up to the majestic ski slopes of Park City.
Source => visitsaltlake.com