Utah may be best known for its mesmerizingly beautiful high deserts, the largest salt water lake in the Western Hemisphere, and as the home base for one of the world’s most popular religious groups, but few may know about the Lost Rhoades mine purportedly full of gold treasure, the unseen residents of Heritage Park, or an unusually large, three-toed primate that steals livestock. Each episode included in this book explores unusual phenomena, strange events, and mysteries in Utah’s history. From Butch Cassidy's clever Castle Gate robbery to reported sightings of UFOs and aliens, Utah Myths and Legends makes history fun and pulls back the curtain on some of the state's most fascinating and compelling stories.

From Jedediah Smith's final moments to persistent rumors of bigfoot, from the rise of an unlikely uranium magnate to the mysterious end of Butch Cassidy, this selection of twelve stories from Utah's past explores some of the Beehive State's most compelling mysteries and debunks some of its most famous myths.

Over thirty scholars examine the development of folklore studies through the lens of over one hundred years of significant activity in a state that has provided grist for the mills of many prominent folklorists. In the past the Folklore Society of Utah has examined the work of such scholars in biographical and other essays published in its newsletters. This book incorporates those essays and goes well beyond them to include many other topices, offering a thorough history of folklore studies and a guide to resources for those pursuing research in Utah now and in the future. The essays survey the development and contributions of folklore studies in Utah from 1892 to 2004 but also represent developments in both academic and public-sector folklore throughout the United States. Following a thorough historical introduction, part I profiles the first folklorists working in the state, including Hector Lee, Thomas Cheney, Austin and Alta Fife, Wayland Hand, and Lester Hubbard. Part II looks at the careers of prominent Utah folklorists Jan Harold Brunvand, Barre Toelken, and William B. Wilson, as well as the works of the next, current generation of folklorists. Part III covers studies in major folklore genres, with essays on the study of material culture, vernacular architecture, and Mormon, ethnic, Native American, and Latino folklore. Part IV examines public folklore programs including organizations, conferences, and tourism. Back matter describes academic programs at Utah institutions of higher education, summarizes the holdings of the various folklore archives in the state, and provides a complete cross-indexed bibliography of articles, books, and recordings of Utah folklore.

Explore humanity through what haunt us in Supernatural Lore of Southern Utah! From the fanciful and revelatory to the horrifying and sorrowful, the folklore of Southern Utah hints at a complex history. Whether spiritual or spooky, home-grown legends are a window to understanding local culture. Visit Grafton, Utah's most haunted ghost town. Explore what haunts Southern Utah University in Cedar City, the St. George Temple and Touquerville's "murder house." Learn about skinwalkers and the theft of Native American beliefs. Examine the numerous urban legends surrounding Route 666, "The Devil's Highway." Uncover the secrets of the Mountain Meadows Massacre and the curse of Escalante Petrified Forest. Drawing on information from over two hundred interviews, Darren M. Edwards investigates the tales and myths that permeate and persist in communities throughout red rock country.

Utah is a land of untamed beauty. from the snowy peaks of the Wasatch Mountains to the brilliant red rocks of Southern Utah, the state boasts views and vistas found nowhere else in the nation. Travelers can glean a great amount of history from the scenes they see and the places they visit, yet there are other stories and legends that belong to Utah and her native land - tales that are not often told. Saltair was once the premier resort on the shores of the Great Salt Lake. Now it lies abandoned and in disrepair, almost mythical in appearance. Mount Timpanogos's unique shape subtly speaks the story of Utahna and the Indian brave who loved her. and not so long ago, the Anasazi Indians were a thriving people, destined for greatness - until they disappeared into the canyons from which they'd carved their civilization, leaving no clues as to their whereabouts. for young and old alike, Lost Landscapes will pique interest and raise questions to the mysteries lurking within Utah's borders. Whether it be the unsolved riddles of places, people, puzzling objects, or legends that have been passed down through the generations, everyone will find something that will have them eagerly turning to the next page.

Tales of intrigue in this book include unusual unsolved crimes, unidentified flying objects, spine-tingling ghost stories, well-documented sea creature sightings, and more. Based on historic accounts from the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, Montana Myths and Legends recounts several myths and mysteries from the Big Sky State's past, verifying some tales from multiple accounts and exposing some stories for what may have really occurred. From a haunted prison in Red Lodge to persistent rumors of bigfoot appearances, from whispered descriptions of the "tommyknockers" who help miners in trouble to a famous union organizer found lynched from a bridge in Butte, this selection of fourteen stories from Montana's past explores some of the Treasure State's most compelling mysteries and debunks some of its most famous myths.