Resources

The below resources were used in creating this digital exhibit. Jump to Literature | Brigham Young University | Utah Digital Newspapers University of Utah Special Collections | Utah Department of Cultural and Community Engagement | Utah Division of State History.

Literature

Logan E. Mitchell and Chris A. B. Zajchowski, "The History of Air Quality in Utah: A Narrative Review" Sustainablity, 2022,14, 9653. https://doi.org/10.3390/su14159653

Abstract Utah has a rich history related to air pollution; however, it is not widely known or documented. This is despite air quality being a top issue of public concern for the state’s urban residents and acute episodes that feature some of the world’s worst short-term particulate matter exposure. As we discuss in this narrative review, the relationship between air pollution and the state’s residents has changed over time, as fuel sources shifted from wood to coal to petroleum and natural gas. Air pollution rose in prominence as a public issue in the 1880s as Utah’s urban areas grew. Since then, scientific advances have increased the understanding of air quality impacts on human health, groups of concerned citizens worked to raise public awareness, policy makers enacted legislation to improve air quality, and courts upheld rights to clean air. Utah’s air quality future holds challenges and opportunities and can serve as useful case for other urbanizing regions struggling with air quality concerns. Population growth and changing climate will exacerbate current air quality trends, but economically viable clean energy technologies can be deployed to reduce air pollution, bringing substantial public health and economic benefits to the state’s residents and other settings with similar public health concerns.

Ted Moore, "Democratizing the air: The Salt Lake Women's Chamber of Commerce and Air Pollution, 1936-1945" Environmental History12(January 2007):80-106

Abstract This essay examines challenges by the Salt Lake Women's Chamber of Commerce of definitions of conservation, democracy, and the role of the city through the group's efforts to enact air pollution reforms from 1936 to 1945?a time and a place that generally are seen as less than willing to offer women a significant public voice. The Women's Chamber served as a transitional group between pre- and postwar conservationism and environmentalism, suggesting that this period deserves more scholarly study. The case study also advances the links between urban and environmental history.

Don C. Woodward and Joel F. Campbell, Common Ground: 100 years of the Salt Lake Chamber

Brigham Young University

Cornelia Sorenson Lund papers (1848-1962) | finding aid
Collection includes legislation, reports by the Salt Lake City Women's Chamber of Commerce including records of their activities, correspondence, radio programs, and newspaper clippings, relating to the smoke abatement campaign in Salt Lake City. The collection also contains a historical sketch of the Salt Lake City Women's Chamber of Commerce, and minutes of the Utah Smokeless Fuel Cooperative Association. The collection contains materials which span from 1848-1962.

Utah Digital Newspapers

The Utah Digital Newspapers is a freely accessible portal to historical newspapers published across Utah.

The terminology for air pollution and what Utahn's call the "inversion" has changed over time. When searching on this topic, include varying terms such as "air quality", "smoke" ,"smog" "inversion", "smoke nuisance", and "smoke abatement".  There are hundreds of news articles related to this topic in a variety of newspapers and eras of history.

University of Utah, J. Willard Marriott Library Special Collections and Digital Library

Finding aids for physical materials held in Special Collections are available on Archives West a regional aggregator of guides to archival collections in the West.  Some materials in the Marriott Special Collections have been digitized and have a collection in the Digital Library as well as a finding aid to the physical collection. Below is a list of collections that have been consulted while creating this exhibit. Links to the finding aid and digital collection (where applicable) are included for each collection. To view any of these collections, please contact the Marriott Library Special Collections,

KUTV News Collection, 1977-1979 | finding aid | digital collection (University of Utah access only)
In 1977, the Salt Lake City television station KUTV-2 began recording its nightly news reports off-air onto U-matic videocassette. The KUTV News collection includes 241 recorded airchecks between January 5, 1977 through March 6, 1979 which have been digitized for preservation and access. The videos can be accessed online from computers on the University of Utah campus with a hardwired internet connection and in the Special Collections Reading Room.

Ladies Literary Club of Salt Lake City records, 1895-2019  | finding aid
The Ladies Literary Club Salt Lake City records (1879-2019) contain club histories, correspondence, articles of incorporation, yearbooks, financial information, membership records, scrapbooks, news clippings, and the Blue Tea Club record book (1875-1883). A group of Utah women organized a small cultural club called the Blue Tea Club in 1875, of which the Ladies Literary Club was an outgrowth.

Robert H. Hinckley papers, 1891-1988 | finding aid
The Robert H. Hinckley papers (1891-1997) reflect the academic, humanitarian, and political career of Hinckley (1891-1988). Included are correspondence, invitations, speeches, meeting minutes, personal materials, and papers resulting from his service with the Federal Emergency Relief Administration, Civil Works Administration, Works Progress Administration, the Civil Aeronautics Authority, and other organizations and companies.

Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce records 1938-1984 | finding aid
The Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce records (1938-1984) contain various pamphlets, magazines, and other promotional publications concerning the businesses of the Salt Lake area. The chamber has been assisting business development in Salt Lake City since 1887.

Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce photograph collection, 1938-1984 | finding aid | digital collection
The Salt Lake City Chamber of Commerce photograph collection (1938-1984) contain various photographs of ceremonies, banquet, displays, and people in the Salt Lake City Chamber. The Chamber of Commerce has been assisting business development in Salt Lake City since 1887.

Salt Lake Council of Women records, 1912-2009 finding aid
The Utah Federation of Women's Clubs records (1907-2008) include documents produced by many Utah women's clubs from 1893 to the present. These records include yearbooks, reports, minutes, publications, financial date, correspondence, and scrapbooks. The General Federation and Utah Federation convention records make up the remainder of the collection.

Utah Federation of Women's Clubs records, 1907-2008 | finding aid
The Utah Federation of Women's Clubs records (1907-2008) includes documents produced by many Utah women's clubs from 1893 to the present. These records include yearbooks, reports, minutes, publications, financial date, correspondence, and scrapbooks. The General Federation and Utah Federation convention records make up the remainder of the collection.

Utah Department of Cultural and Community Engagement

Salt Lake Tribune Negative Collection | digital collection
This collection contains over 171,000 images from the 1930s to the 1960s. The collection is unique in origin as it includes images taken by dozens of different photographers sent out by the newspaper to get the perfect shot, something newsworthy. This results in many live action images taken of the everyday activities of life with no posing such as one sees with studio photography.

Shipler Commercial Photograph Collection | digital collection
Shipler Commercial Photographers took thousands of images of Salt Lake City and surrounding areas. This collection contains images from glass plates (1900s-1920s) and acetate negatives (1940s-1950s), with the majority of the images having an exact date and detailed description.

Utah State Historical Society Classified Photo Collection | digital collection
Containing over 30,000 images, the Classified Photograph Collection is an artificially created collection by Utah Division of State History over a forty year period. Created as a browsing collection, it is organized by subjects of popular interest regarding Utah history.

Utah Division of State History

Pamphlet “Has science solved the smoke nuisance problem?”, circa 1935 by Smokeless Fuel Federation of Utah; Alice Merrill Horne. | catalog record
Pamphlet “There is less smoke in Salt Lake City” 1928 by Salt Lake Chamber of Commerce. | catalog record

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