Welcome to the Salt Lake City Chapter - National Society of The Sons of Utah Pioneers.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Joseph Smith, Brigham Young, and the Council of Fifty
Latter-day Saint historical memory often assumes that Brigham Young and the pioneers wandered aimlessly until he declared the Salt Lake Valley “the place” on July 24, 1847.
In reality, church leaders identified the Salt Lake Valley as their destination as early as September 1845 after a lengthy process of study, debate, and revelation.
This presentation explores the historical and revelatory process behind that decision and how Utah became the gathering place of the Saints.
Jeffrey Mahas is a historian in the Church History Department and contributor to the Joseph Smith Papers project for over ten years.
His work includes documentary editing across legal, financial, administrative, and revelatory records.
He also contributed to the Native Saints digital history project and lives in Murray, Utah with his family.
The Pioneer Magazine is published quarterly. The Trail Marker is the monthly newsletter.
March 2026 Edition | Past Editions
® Salt Lake City Chapter, Sons of Utah Pioneers
March 28, 2026 — Alonzo Cook
There are about 45 chapters nationwide, most of them in the intermountain west.
The mission of the society is to come to know our fathers and turn our hearts to them, preserve their memory and heritage, honor present-day pioneers worldwide, and teach these qualities to the rising generation.
We honor the Utah Pioneers for their faith in God, devotion to family, loyalty to church and country, hard work and service to others, courage in adversity, personal integrity, and unyielding determination.
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