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Salt Lake City , Utah
Salt Lake City is the most populated city
and capital of Utah, founded in the mid 1800s by the Mormon group, led by
Brigham Young. They came here to escape the temperament of the Midwest and
the hostility of those people around them. Irrigating and cultivating the
desert lands, they settled and eventually more immigrants arrived by the
transcontinental railroad. They were continuously harassed by the US
government for their practice of polygamy, until 1890, when they stopped the
practice. The city is still home to the headquarters of the Church of
Latter-day Saints. With mining discoveries and the railroad the city grew
into what it was called; Crossroads of the West. Today, it enjoys a great
tourism industry sparked by the intense outdoor recreation that is available
in the area. The city hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics and it has grown into
the industrial banking center of the country.
Before
the Mormons arrived, the Paiute, Ute and Shoshone Indians roamed the land,
but never settling. Jim Bridger explored the area in 1825, and John Fremont
surveyed the great salt lake in 1843 and 45. The now infamous Donner party
went through the valley in 1846, but it wasn't until the next year when the
leader of the Mormons, Brigham Young had a vision and stated that as they
entered the valley, which they found was empty of any other humans. Brigham
said where the temple site was to be built and it took 40 years to finish.
The Mormons called the state area, "Deseret" and asked the US government to
recognize their rights. Congress denied the settlers and created the Utah
territory which was smaller than what the Mormons had envisioned. Some more
religious people were coming to the area and it soon was the most populated
cities in the old west.
In 1869,
the First Transcontinental Railroad was brought to the north side of the
city and then connected in 1870, making travel so much easier. More ethnic
groups, especially the Chinese that laid the rails, immigrated to the city
and it began a growth period. More people came, settled and other left,
with changes in the economy controlling much of the changes. Today, the
city is more service oriented than any other business and is home to many of
the larger companies making their home here. The LDS or Mormon church owns
a lot of the area, and the profit making arm of the church, Deseret
Management Corporation is headquartered here. Also in the city is
AlphaGraphics, Zions Bancorporation, Sinclair Oil and Smith's Food and Drug
which is owned by Kroger. Other companies include; Overstock.com, Arctic
Circle Restaurants and FranklinCovey, e-Bay, Unisys, Siebel, L-3
Communications, 3M and Micron. Tourism and convention brings a lot of
people and money into the city, as well as the many call centers.
There are
numerous museums in the city, and the performing arts have grown immensely
over the years. The well known Mormon Tabernacle Choir performs regularly,
with other choirs, dance groups, music venues and television gaining
popularity. Although it has the stigmatism of the church overhanging the
city, many wonderful activities have taken place and continue to draw large
crowds. The Sundance Film Festival, Utah pride festival, and other events
have brought new interest in the city. There are also many architectural
sites and buildings in the city, with numerous parks interspersed. Close by
are some of the best skiing resorts in the country and throngs of skiers
head to the mountains each year. The Utah Jazz moved here from New Orleans
in 1979 and are only one of four professional teams in the state. With a
great public transit system the city is easily traversed. The international
airport and Delta has their hub here, as well as SkyWest Airlines. Over 22
million people went through the airport in 2007, and is ranked the 21st
busiest in the country.
Salt Lake City is a great place to visit
and the best way to do that is by renting a car. This will save you money
in the long run and give you more flexibility for your travels. Many people
rent their cars at or near the Salt Lake City International Airport where
their choices are better. Most rental car companies will even pick you up
at or near the airport and help you choose the best vehicle for your
traveling needs. If you need a compact, mid-size, full-size or luxury car,
minivan or SUV, we can help you with that decision. So when you come to
Salt Lake City, let us help you chose the
best vehicle for your needs.
Dollar Rental Car Specials
Dollar Rental Car - Salt Lake City International
Airport
The Great Salt Lake is the biggest
salt lake in the western hemisphere and the 37th biggest lake on the earth.
Because of its shallow waters, it fluctuates greatly at times; in 1963 it
was 950 square miles and in 1987, it covered 3300 square miles. Also
because of no other way of losing water than by evaporation, the mass of the
lake is dependent on rainfall, snowfall and the input from the Bear, Weber
and Jordan Rivers that empty into it. It has been referred to as America's
Dead Sea, but it actually is a wonderful habitat for millions of birds,
shorebirds, waterfowl and brine shrimp. With its incredible amount of salt
in the waters, it has been discovered that people can float without moving
in these waters.
Thrifty Rental
Car Specials
Thrifty Rental Car - Salt Lake City Airport
Thrifty
Car Rental - South Main St
Thrifty Rental Car - South 2400 West
Eons ago, huge monsters roamed across the terrain of what
is now the state of Utah. These creatures of that prehistoric age are
called dinosaurs and this state has many fantastic museums, fossils, caves
and monuments that show the traces of these colossal creatures. The
Dinosaur National Monument is one such place where a 200 foot wall has been
enclosed because of the more than 2000 bones that have been discovered
there. The Quarry Visitor Center at the monument contains the most
incredible display of dinosaurs and this ancient river sandbar is considered
a time capsule of that age. With trails, activities and tours you to can
discover all these wonderful footprints of the past. |