Brigham City Mormon Co-op Buildings

In the 1860s, Brigham Young instituted what came to be known as the “cooperative movement” in Utah. With the new transcontinental railroad came goods made elsewhere, and the church leaders feared that materialism and covetousness would grow among the Mormons. A system of businesses owned cooperatively was created, with existing private businesses and individuals getting shares for their resources and inventories that were contributed. Mormons were encouraged to buy from the “co-ops,” which made a variety of goods, from flour to furniture. The Brigham City Mercantile and Manufacturing Association was the local co-op in Box Elder County. The remaining co-op buildings in Brigham City are the largest concentration of such in Utah and a model for others.