Four-Leaf Clover

 

Salt Lake has been the capital of Utah since 1856. It’s hard to imagine it anywhere else, but it hasn’t always been this way. The original territorial capital was Fillmore, chosen in 1851 for its central location. Brigham Young favored the idea of St. George for the capital of his proposed state of Deseret, as it was mid-point between Salt Lake and the southernmost city, San Diego. What may surprise you more is the capital of the U.S. hasn’t always been Washington, D.C. During the Revolutionary War, Continental Congress was a moveable feast, meeting in secret to avoid capture. George Washington was inaugurated in New York City, our first capital. Philadelphia served as capital for a decade, while the current capital was under construction. After the Civil War, there was a serious push to move the capital to a more central location: St. Louis, Missouri. I often wonder what our country would be like if they’d succeeded.