Photo Essay: Living Traditions in the Heart of Salt Lake City 40 Years of Celebrating a Community Shaped By Many Cultures “Diverse” isn’t the word I would use to describe Salt Lake City. It was founded on July 24, 1847, by Brigham Young and Mormon pioneers, eventually contributing to the displacement of the local Ute, Shoshone, Paiute, and Goshute peoples. Since the city is fairly young, there aren’t many historic buildings, nor are there impressive skyscrapers adorning the town.