The 25th of July, 1847, came on a Sunday, therefore the pioneers rested and
held meetings.
Monday morning work began in earnest. Plowing and planting had to be
hurried. Exploring parties were also sent out in different directions to
become acquainted with the country.
On the evening of July 28th President Young, accompanied by the Apostles,
went some distance from the camp to select a spot from which to begin
building the city. Arriving at a good location, President Young stopped,
and, striking his cane in the earth, he said: "Here will be the temple of
our God"--and on that spot the temple stands today. It was then decided to
lay out the city north, east, south, and west from the temple site, in ten
acre blocks, the streets to be eight rods wide and the sidewalks twenty
feet. Some time after this it was named Great Salt Lake City.
You will call to mind that some of the Mormon Battalion, owing to sickness,
did not march through to California. This company, together with some
Saints from the state of Mississippi, arrived at the pioneer camp on July
29th, thus making quite an addition to the company. The first building of
any kind erected in the valley by the Saints was a bowery built on the
temple block by the Battalion men.
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