Every Friday The Salt Lake Tribune publishes photos in a series called “A Look Back“. This week they displayed interesting old photos of “mansions and modest homes” belonging to Utah’s early settlers. The photo above immediately caught my eye because it belonged to William S. Godbe. Godbe arrived here in 1851 as an LDS convert. He was a familiar face in early SLC history, a mover and a shaker.

But did you know William S. Godbe was a Yalecrest landowner? Yes, he had 10 acres. He owned the southeast corner of Yalecrest!

William S. Godbe spoke out opposing the economic policies of the Mormon church, had a falling out with Brigham Young and was ex-communicated. So he started his own church, the Church of Zion, and his followers were called Godbeites. But that’s not all. Godbe is credited as the founder of the first non-LDS newspaper that later evolved into The Salt Lake Tribune! And before Utah had Democrats and Republicans, it had the People’s Party and the Liberal Party, Godbe being one of the founders of the latter.

Some interesting people owned property in Yalecrest before and after its homes were built.

—Kelly Marinan