While we were making our plans, our next door neighbor "Carol", said that she really wanted to go, but didn't want to drive her motorhome across country from Florida to Nevada by herself. We told her that she could tag along with us in her motorhome. She planned to meet friends at the caravan. ( When traveling any distance, I like to give myself pleanty of extra time on the road for break downs, side trips of interest etc).
We had planned a stop in Salt Lake City for a few days. Boy-O-Boy, am I glad that we did. Carol wanted to see the "Salt Lake Mormon Tabernaqcle Choir". She got us tickets to the mid-week Choir Practice.The sounds of the choir were almost unbelievable to hear . We thoroughly enjoyed the practice. It was an experience that we will not soon forget!
ABOUT THE MORMONS TRIP WEST !
Singing hymns around the campfire on their westward journey became a nightly custom. One of these hymns, its words written as the pioneers made their westward journey, was "Come, Come, Ye Saints" by William Clayton. It retains today an exalted place in the repertoire of the Tabernacle Choir: And should we die before our journey's through, Happy day!On July 24,1847, when the first group of Mormon pioneers had crossed the rugged Wasatch Mountains into the wide valley of the Great Salt Lake, their leader, Brigham Young, looked long and earnestly at what he saw,
Some of them commute as far as 164 miles round-trip two or more times weekly, not only for the regular network broadcasts, but for rehearsals, conferences, and other evants. All contribute their talents and time without compensation, except for the joy they receive in service.
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Another interesting stop that we made was at the Kennecotts Bingham's Copper Open Pit Mine. In 1848, two brothers, Sanford and Thomas Bingham, sons of Erastue Bingham, Mormon pioneers who grazed their family's and other's cattle and horses there discovered copper minerals. They reported their find to their leader, Brigham Young, who advised against pursuing mining operations because the survival and establishment of settlements was of paramount importance at that time. The brothers did not stake a claim. In 1850, the Bingham family went to settle what is now Weber County, leaving the canyon still today known by their name.
Today, as the second largest copper producer in the United States, Kennecott Utah Copper provides about 18-25% percent of the U.S.'s copper needs. Kennecott’s Bingham Canyon Mine is one of the largest man-made excavations in the world. It is one of the top producing copper mines in the world with cumulative production at more than 18.7 million tons of copper. Every year, Kennecott produces approximately 300,000 tons of copper, along with 500,000 ounces of gold, 4 million ounces of silver, about 30 million pounds of molybdenum, and about 1 million tons of sulfuric acid, a by-product of the smelting process. The mining pit is 0.75 miles deep and 2.5 miles wide.
These photos were taken from the visitor's Centers outside the viewing area. That is June & I standing in front of the Big Truck Tire.
There is a good video there that tells of the Past History, the Present and the Future. Core samples indicate that mining will continue at least until 2020, and maybe longer.
When you are traveling through Utah, be sure that you make Salt Lake City at least a 3 day stop. You will not regret it!
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