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Decorative Seal Marks Anniversaries for Utah and Capitol Building

Nicole Nixon

The seal of the State of Utah is now worked into the stone of the first floor in the state capitol. State officials unveiled the new floor design on the anniversary of the day Utah joined the union.

2016 marks 120 years of statehood for Utah and the centennial of the State Capitol building. Gov. Gary Herbert spoke about some of the controversy surrounding the building of the state capitol more than a century ago, including concerns about its location, cost and size.

“And the leaders of this state at that time had what I would consider significant vision to the future,” he said. “Because the response to that concern was, ‘We’re not building for today and what we are, we’re building for tomorrow and what we can become as a state.’”

Lt. Gov. Spencer Cox said one of the duties of his office is to act as “keeper” of the state’s seal and provide approval for its use.

“We came together and found the opportunity to bring this mosaic, the Great Seal of the State of Utah, which will be here in the Hall of Governors, forever, for future generations to adore and to appreciate the symbolism that is contained therein,” he said at Monday’s ceremony.

The seal is surrounded by 30 embossed bronze medallions, one for each of Utah’s 29 counties and another representing the state capitol.

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