History of the Salt Lake Tribune

The Salt Lake Tribune published its first issue under the name of the Mormon Tribune on January 1, 1870. One year later, the paper changed its name to the Salt Lake Daily Tribune and Utah Mining Gazette, soon shortened to The Salt Lake Tribune. Announcing the new name, the paper stated:

“The Daily Tribune will be a purely secular journal devoted entirely to the presentation of news …. As a journal the Tribune will know no such distinction as Mormon or gentile and where sectional feelings exist it will aim for their abolishment by the encouragement of charitable feelings and the promotion of better acquaintance.”

In 1901 the Utah mining magnate and senator Thomas Kearns purchased the paper with his business partner David Keith. They established the paper as an independent, secular news source which grew into the largest newspaper in circulation in Utah.

The Ezra Thompson Building, on your right, at 143 Main Street, housed the paper from the late 1930s until 2005.