TODAY IN CHURCH HISTORY: 24 July

[Hemidakota]

1843 - The Prophet Joseph "had a long conversation with Mr. [Joseph P.] Hoge, the Democratic candidate for Congress. I showed him the corruption and folly of the governor's sending an armed force to take me, &c., and told him this made the 38th vexatious lawsuit against me for my religion" (History of the Church, 5:518).

1847 - The main camp of pioneers continued plowing and preparing the ground for planting. Later in the day they planted potatoes and corn on a site near present day Main Street from about First South to Third South in downtown Salt Lake City. The rear party, with Brigham Young, continued down Emigration Canyon. At the mouth of the canyon, Brigham Young who was riding in Wilford Woodruff's carriage, stopped and raised himself from his bed and gazed out over the valley. After a few moments he said, "This is the right place. Drive on." They traveled on and arrived at the permanent camp site about noon after 111 days of travel from Winter Quarters. Wilford Woodruff stated about the day of their arrival, "Thoughts of pleasant meditation ran in rapid succession through our minds at the anticipation that not many years hence the House of God would be established in the mountains and exalted above the hills, while the valleys would be converted into orchards, vineyards, fields, etc., planted with cities, and the standard of Zion be unfurled into which the nations would gather" (Wilford Woodruff, Cowley, p. 313).

1849 - The first celebration commemorating the entrance of the pioneers into the Salt Lake Valley is held. Many of the original 1847 pioneers were in attendance.

1857 - While celebrating the tenth anniversary of the Saints' arrival in the Salt Lake Valley, Brigham Young receives word that U. S. President James Buchanan is sending an army against the Saints in Utah to squash the "Mormon rebellion" and resolve the Mormon problem.

1975 - The new twenty-eight-story Church Office Building in Salt Lake City, Utah, is dedicated by President Spencer W. Kimball.

1997 - President Gordon B. Hinckley breaks ground for the 21,000 seat assembly building just north of Temple Square in Salt Lake City, Utah. Later named the Conference Center, the building is unique and received an architectural award for its design and construction.

1999 - At a site near where the handcart pioneers ended their 1,300 mile journey to the Salt Lake Valley, a monument at This Is The Place Heritage Park is dedicated in honor of the nearly 3,000 handcart pioneers by President Gordon B. Hinckley.