Great Britain’s ties with Utah are unique: in the mid-1800s, as many as 100,000 British citizens immigrated to Utah as converts to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. By 1870, nearly half of Utah’s population was of British birth.

British immigrants were vital to the settlement of Utah. They brought traditions and institutions that gave a distinctive cultural stamp to the region. For example, virtually all the early conductors of the Tabernacle Choir were British-born and trained. Following that tradition, every Utah town had its own choral society. The British supported and encouraged theater in Utah, with many plays being produced here within a few years of their premier in London. The Tony Award-winning Shakespearean Festival in Cedar City is directly traceable to that tradition.

The British heritage has been of major importance in shaping Utah, and many of the state’s residents today have deep and cherished ancestral ties to Great Britain.