This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2008, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.
Brigham Young returns today to his rightful place on Utah's Capitol Hill.
His statue, that is.
From 1850 to 1857, Young - the second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - served as the first territorial governor over what would later become the state of Utah.
A few years earlier, Young led a group of Mormons across the country to settle in the Salt Lake Valley.
Of the 15 men appointed by a United States president to the position of territorial governor, Young was the only Mormon. Utah won statehood in 1896.
The installation of Young's monument in the newly renovated Capitol begins at 11 a.m. today in the north wing of the rotunda and is expected to stretch through the afternoon. The statue will be accompanied by three display cases furnished with artifacts, photographs and information about that significant half-century of Utah history. David Hart, executive director of the Capitol Preservation Board, views the new exhibit as an exciting learning tool for Capitol visitors.
"We honor the significant role the territorial governors played in the settlement of Utah on its journey to statehood," Hart said.
For more information about Friday's event, contact the Capitol visitor services center at 801-538-1800. - Cathy McKitrick