—The Zion-Mount Carmel Highway, which courses through Zion National Park, includes a 1.1-mile tunnel, opened in 1930, that was blasted through the side of a sandstone mountain. During construction, workmen on the tunnel used scaffolding to cope with 800-foot drops to the canyon below and railcars to remove debris. Today, oversize vehicles that use the tunnel near Springdale (pop. 457) are required to have an official escort.

first appeared: 11/2/2008

—Once used by American Indians, the sulfur-rich Pah Tempe natural hot springs near Hurricane (pop. 8,250) and LaVerkin were purchased by Thomas Judd in the late 1880s. Through the early 20th century, the springs, as hot as 108 degrees, were used for bathing, sheep dipping (to protect against scabies) and baptisms. The resort’s current owner hopes to reopen the springs to the public.

first appeared: 10/19/2008

—In May, Hill Air Force Base, near Clearfield (pop. 25,974), dedicated four of its streets and a memorial park, including a black granite monument, to four airmen from the base—Tech. Sgt. Timothy Weiner, Special Agent (Tech. Sgt.) Ryan Balmer, Senior Airman Elizabeth Loncki and Senior Airman Daniel Miller Jr.—who lost their lives in Iraq in 2007.

first appeared: 10/5/2008

—Built from poured, reinforced concrete and advertised as fireproof, Peery’s Egyptian Theatre in Ogden was built on the site of the Peery family’s pioneer home, and opened in 1924 as the “showplace of the West.” The theater, which has been fully restored, was designed to resemble being seated in an Egyptian courtyard under twinkling stars in a desert sky.

first appeared: 9/21/2008

—A statue of Old Sorrel the horse stands at Southern Utah University in Cedar City (pop. 20,527), celebrating the animal’s heroic feat in 1898. Old Sorrel pushed its way through snowdrifts up to 15 feet high to bring logs back from the sawmill at present-day Brian Head (pop. 118), thus helping to keep construction on schedule to retain the school’s state funding.

first appeared: 9/7/2008

—The James V. Hansen Wildlife Education Center opened two years ago at the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Brigham City (pop. 17,411). The facility offers interactive exhibits, a wetland diorama and other displays featuring information about the birds of the Great Salt Lake ecosystem, including those that visit the refuge.

first appeared: 8/24/2008

—Born in St. George (pop. 49,663) in 1958, left-handed pitcher Bruce Hurst entered professional baseball on April 12, 1980, when he was selected by the Boston Red Sox. He made three post-season appearances in his career, including the 1986 and 1988 American League Championship Series and the 1986 World Series. He also was an All-Star selection for the 1987 American League.

first appeared: 8/10/2008

—The Willard Peak Road Scenic Backway courses about 14 miles from Mantua (pop. 791) to Willard Basin, and then to a scenic lookout near Willard Peak known as Inspiration Point, which offers excellent views of the Great Basin. The rugged road, which is best suited for four-wheel-drive or off-road vehicles, rises in elevation some 4,000 feet.

first appeared: 7/27/2008

—In August 1889, Mormon settlers from Hawaii arrived in the Skull Valley in Tooele County (pop. 40,735) and named their new community Iosepa, wich means “Joseph” in the Hawaiian dialect, in part to honor Joseph F. Smith, who served as a Mormon missionary in the Hawaiian Islands. The community endured until 1917; by then, many residents had returned to Hawaii after a Mormon church was erected there.

first appeared: 7/13/2008

—Located next to the San Juan River and the Navajo Nation, Bluff (pop. 320) reportedly gains its name from the nearby 300-foot-high sandstone bluffs. The community was founded in 1880 by the “Hole in the Rock” expedition of Mormon pioneers—who used dynamite to blast their wagons’ passage through an area of rock on the arduous trail—and today features historic sandstone and wood frame houses.

first appeared: 6/29/2008