U T A H STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY SIXTY YEARS OF ORGANIZED HISTORY
1957 may be a "Year of Decision" for the Utah State •*• Historical Society, and it also may be called a "Year of Arrival." Sixty years might not be a long time in the perspective of ancient history, but three score becomes a rather respectable age as institutions go in the Far West. The Utah State Historical Society was born sixty years ago, on July 22, 1897, not in poverty but truly in riches, at least the riches of hope and excitement in connection with Utah's great semi-centennial celebration of that year. Furthermore, the parentage of the Society was the most illustrious that Utah had to offer. A list of those who presided at its birth reads like a list of "Who's Who" in the Utah of its day. Those people who signed the "call" to organize a State Historical Society and the seventy-four "charter members" came from all sections of the state and from all walks of life. The most prominent leaders of church, state, and business were numbered among the founders. However, the enthusiasm created at the time of the Jubilee Celebration of the advent of the pioneers was dissipated, for the auspicious hopes surrounding the birth of the Society were not realized for many years. The young organization was more or less forgotten in the trials and tribulations of getting the new state government on its feet. But, over the years there were several stages of progress. During the first twenty years meetings were held more or less annually, at which time elections for officers were held and addresses were delivered on historical subjects. The men who presided over the Society as presidents during those first two decades were: Franklin D. Richards, John T. Caine, Orson F. Whitney, Joseph T. Kingsbury, James E. Talmage, Spencer Clawson, and Andrew Jenson. A most important step in the development of the Society was made in 1917 when the twelfth legislature recognized the organization as a state institution. For another twenty years the Society continued its work, mainly in the form of Board meetings and occasional public meetings. Then in 1928, under the leadership of men like J. Cecil Alter, Albert F. Philips, Joel E. Ricks, Frank K. SeegT ^ H E YEAR
