1. On December 9, 1850, Brigham Young, the second president of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, officially designated Salt Lake City as the capital of the newly formed Utah Territory.

2. In 1875, the University of Utah was established on December 9, becoming the first institution of higher education in the state. The university originally consisted of just three departments: arts, science, and pedagogy.

3. December 9, 1911 marks the date of the first intercollegiate basketball game played in the state of Utah. The University of Utah defeated Brigham Young University in a close 32-31 game held in the Salt Lake City Armory.

4. A major event in Utah sports history took place on December 9, 1972 when Larkin High School in Salt Lake City won the state's first ever High School Football National Championship. The team was undefeated that season and beat West Forsyth High School of Clemmons, North Carolina 13-0 in the championship game.

5. On December 9, 2007, the heavy metal band Metallica performed a concert in Salt Lake City as part of their "World Magnetic Tour". The concert drew a crowd of over 15,000 fans, and was notable for being the band's first show in Utah in over a decade.