In This Issue

Looking north on Main Street, Salt Lake City, at about the time of statehood. USHS collections.

"Miss Utah comes into the Union bright and smiling," observed the Indianapolis Sentinel a century ago, and few assessments better summarized the popular mood within the 45th state on that festive occasion The long-awaited achievement of statehood on January 4, 1896, was a great climacteric in Utah history. Appropriately, we dedicate this issue of Utah Historical Quarterly to that centennial event.

The first article analyzes the accommodation of Mormon and gentile women during the statehood decade, noting the types of differences that proved capable of mitigation and those that did not It is followed by a detailed look at basic issues decided during the Constitutional Convention that would set the tone and direction of the new state government. Then comes an interpretation of the politics of admission from a national perspective and the machinations behind the selection of Utah's first U.S senators A colorful description of the week-long statehood celebrations held throughout Utah's communities caps the thematic offerings It is succeeded by one of the Quarterly's periodic special features, a memorial tribute to a departed Lhstorical Society Fellow whom the historical community will greatly miss.

The publisher and readers of this commemorative issue owe special thanks to Jacque Baker, a local artist, for her generous donation of art for the cover This wonderful rendition of Salt Lake City in 1896 was recently purchased by Senator Orrin Hatch and now graces his Washington, D.C, office. Better than a thousand words, it captures the bright and smiling complexion of that memorable time in Utah history.