Heritage Gateways

Brigham Young Journals

July 28, 1847

Summary: Exploring the valley, setting up the city landscape.

Journal entry: Wednesday. Yesterday, accompanied by the brethren of the Twelve and a few others, I started westward. We crossed the river, Jordan, which is about 6 rods wide and three feet deep, proceeded hence about thirteen miles west to a brackish spring at the point of the mountain where we dined, after which we proceeded a few miles to a point on the Salt Lake shore within a few rods of Black Rock, where the party all bathed.

Elders Orson Pratt, Willard Richards, and Geo. A. Smith proceeded three miles further west and entered another valley [Tooele]. Returned to the point of the Mountain and encamped for the night.

Today, proceeded in a south course about ten miles. Saw the course of several springs on the east side of the valley, but found no water on the west side; returned to the ford of the Jordan where we partook of refreshments and several bathed. Returned to encampment.

Joseph Hancock and Lewis Barney returned from a two days' tour in the mountains East; they reported an abundance of good timber, principally pine, balsam fir and a little cottonwood; access to the same very difficult.

This afternoon, accompanied by Elders Heber C. Kimball, Willard Richards, Orson Pratt, Wilford Woodruff, Geo. A. Smith, Amasa Lyman, Ezra T. Benson, and Thomas Bullock, I designated the site for the Temple block between the forks of City Creek, and on motion of Orson Pratt it was unanimously voted that the Temple be built on the site designated.

It was also voted that the city lots be ten by twenty rods, 1 1/4 acres, and that the streets be eight rods wide.

Elder Geo. A. Smith proposed to lay out squars for markets and lots for school houses.

The brethren assembled this evening on the Temple Square site, and voted to build a Temple and lay out a city at this point. I addressed the brethren on the order of building the city and review the persecutions of the Saints.