Utah's new governor will be inaugurated on Jan. 4, 1993 - Statehood Day - and members of the Utah Board of State History hope to use the coincidence to combine the two events.
The board had originally planned to hold the annual statehood observance in Sanpete County. But when Division of History staffers planning the event became aware that inauguration day and statehood day coincided, they recommended moving the statehood observance to Salt Lake City.David Hansen, the newest member of the history board and the executive director of the Utah Republican Party, said he believes the two events can mesh well together. Hansen said he has been involved with two previous inaugurations and likes the idea.
Doug Blaser, director of the Utah Statehood Centennial Commission and a former press aide in the Nixon administration, said he too believes the two events could work well together. He suggested the board move forward with planning and develop an idea that could be presented to the winning candidate after the Nov. 8 election.
Hansen suggested using politics as the topic for the statehood observance, using lectures and displays keyed to Utah's political heritage.