Salt Lake City

Salt Lake City, Utah, is where the Olympic Winter Games were held in February, 2002. Kidzworld thought you might want to know a few things about Salt Lake City so you can impress your friends while you're watching.

Salt Lake City History

Salt Lake City is named after a salty inland lake. The first people who lived there were the ancient Pueblo People, otherwise known as the Anaszi Indians. Then a group of Mormon pioneers came along. They were looking for a place to practice their religion without having to deal with angry mobs and persecution. Salt Lake City seemed like the perfect place for them. The valley used to be part of Mexico but in 1848 it became part of the US.

Scenic Tour of Salt Lake City

The city changed a lot in preparation for the Olympics. Ski trails, snowboard trails, ice rinks, a unique winter sports park and a state park were quickly added. There are lots of new changes to Salt Lake City, but high mountains have always surrounded the city. Then there's the Great Salt Lake City Lake. There are tons of tales and legends about a deadly whirlpool in the center and a freaky monster with a huge head. The lake is actually what's left of the ancient Lake Bonneville. This huge lake used to cover over 20,000 square miles of land that is now Utah, Nevada and Idaho.

Salt Lake City - Did U Know?

Over 2,000 rooms were added to hotels in Salt Lake City during the past year to prepare for the 2002 Olympics. There are a total of 15,800 rooms in Salt Lake City now.

Salt Lake City is the world capital of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (a.k.a., Mormons). The city's Temple Square is the center of the Mormon universe and where the Salt Lake City Temple and the Tabernacle (famous for its Mormon Tabernacle Choir) are located.

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