Frequently Asked Questions: FAQ’s

Frequently Asked Questions: FAQ’s

This Society is a women’s organization based upon identifying and honoring pioneers who came to Utah. The aim is solely for historical, educational, and public purposes and is completely non-political and non-sectarian.

The objective of this Organization is to perpetuate the names and achievements of the men, women, and children who were the pioneers in founding a commonwealth by preserving old landmarks, marking historical places, collecting artifacts and histories, establishing a library of historical matter, and securing manuscripts, photographs, maps, and all such data as shall aid in perfecting a record of the Utah pioneers; by commemorating their entrance into the valley of the Great Salt Lake on July 24, 1847, and such other events and days as are important in the early history of the State of Deseret/Utah Territory; by publishing historical material; and by reviewing the lives of the pioneers; thus teaching lessons of faith, courage, fortitude, and patriotism.
Toggle Members meet monthly, September through May, in small local groups called Camps to learn about pioneers through lessons, individual histories, and music. Individuals are encouraged to write and submit pioneer histories, submit pioneer photos, and provide outreach activities in the community. Camps and Companies may be involved in establishing historic landmarks and museums.
Any woman may be eligible for membership in this Organization who is over the age of eighteen years and a lineal or legally adopted descendant of an ancestor who came to or was born in the State of Deseret/Utah Territory before the completion of the Transcontinental Railroad on May 10, 1869. If an individual does not have qualifying Utah pioneer ancestry, they can become an Associate and participate in meetings, writing histories, and all other DUP objectives and activities.

Membership Application and Membership Application Instructions are found at: ISDUP.org → Home Tab → Join DUP / Application. The Application is a fillable PDF so information on the form may be typed and printed for submission. A blank Application may be printed off and filled in by hand if necessary. (Fill out the entire 4-page Application).

An initial Application fee of $25 is required to join. That $25 includes the first-year membership dues of $20 and $5 processing fee. In subsequent years, a $20 yearly dues is payable to ISDUP through the local Camp and Company who charge additional/minimal dues which vary accordingly.

An alphabetical listing of all Companies and Camps per state and some areas of Canada may be found on the homepage of ISDUP.org. Open the Leadership Tab → Camps and Companies. Call the ISDUP membership office to receive help in choosing a specific Camp. Contact information will then be available. Please call 801-532-6470, ext. 200

When ten or more DUP Members desire to form a Camp, and under the direction of the Company President in that area, approval can be given to create a Camp and instructions will be given such as: Camp officer elections, Camp meeting outline, collecting dues, planning for the upcoming DUP year, selecting a name for the Camp, obtaining the lesson book and music instructions, creating a budget, etc. The Company President will inform ISDUP President and Membership Chair of the created Camp by calling 801-532-6470, ext. 201 or 204 or by sending an email to president@isdup.org and membership@isdup.org.

Registered Member:

  • A woman whose Application for membership has been accepted by the ISDUP Board who has an ancestor who came to or was born in the State of Deseret/Utah Territory before May 10, 1869.
  • May become a member of any Camp where she resides and pays yearly dues.
  • May hold an elected office and vote.

Associate:

  • A woman who does not have Utah Pioneer ancestors who came to or was born in the State of Deseret/Utah Territory before May 10, 1869
  • Interested in pioneer history and wants to participate in all activities of the DUP organization.
  • Cannot hold an elected office but can hold other appointed positions in the Camp or Company.
  • May give pioneer histories in meetings and submit them to ISDUP.
  • No Application form is needed; pays dues equal to Member dues.

Member at Large:

  • A woman whose Application for membership has been accepted by the ISDUP Board.
  • Does not reside within the area of or at the present time cannot participate with an organized Camp.
  • Pays ISDUP dues.
  • May not hold office or vote until she transfers to an organized Camp.
As early as 1903, the Daughters of Utah Pioneers were interested in gathering and displaying pioneer relics and artifacts they had collected. During this period, many items were displayed in various locations throughout Salt Lake City. In 1928, the Society began an official campaign to raise money for the construction of their own museum. Groundbreaking for the Pioneer Memorial Museum took place on March 25, 1946. After many complications, the Museum was dedicated in July of 1950. An additional structure, the Carriage House, was completed in 1973.

Tours are offered, and they are free of charge! Most patrons browse the museum themselves, but docent-guided tours may be arranged for families or special interest groups by calling 801-532-6479, ext 200. School field trip tours are by appointment and are necessarily overseen by teachers and parent volunteers. See the School Tours link for Interactive Activities that can be printed prior to visiting the museum. For more information, please go to the following tabs on the website homepage: Museum tab → School Tours or Museum tab → Pioneer Memorial Museum

Histories:  Our Museum houses and maintains a collection of histories of the pioneers. These folders contain written biographies and other information regarding each pioneer. For more information, see our website home page on the Histories Tab. Under that same tab you will find the Pioneer History Index which lists all pioneers in our files, history request forms, indexes to publications containing histories, etc.

Photos: Our Museum maintains a photographic collection of pioneers, their homes, communities, organizations, and artifacts. For more information, see our website homepage on the Photos Tab. Under that same tab, you will find the Photo Index which lists all the pioneers of which we have photographs, photo order form, price list, etc. 

A Headstone Medallion is a way to honor the pioneer heritage of a loved one who was a Member of the International Society Daughters of Utah Pioneers. Medallion purchase is qualified with the DUP membership number of the woman being honored. Medallions come in three sizes and may be purchased at the Museum office or on the website. On the ISDUP website homepage, go to Forms Tab → Other Forms → Headstone Medallion Order Form. To view the medallions, go to our online store found at the homepage → Shop.

As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, donations are always appreciated, large or small, and are a tax deduction for the donor. Monetary gifts may be earmarked to go into the general fund or for a specific project such as the restoration of an artifact or painting, purchasing, or upgrading office equipment, etc. Donations also help keep membership dues low.

Satellite Museums: Small pioneer museums are located across many states and are owned, maintained, and staffed by local DUP units: museums, buildings, log cabins, cemeteries, and/or artifact collections. Find locations, hours of operation, contact information, and appointment instructions where applicable on the ISDUP website homepage at Museum Tab → Satellite Museums.

Markers: DUP has established historical markers in numerous states and countries. These markers honor pioneers, events, objects and/or historical places. For a list of DUP historical markers by area, go to the ISDUP website homepage to Home Tab → Markers. 

The ISDUP Board is completely made up of volunteers. Most Board members will profess that they volunteer out of love for their pioneer ancestors; that pay is wonderful! The Museum itself has three paid employees who are not members of the Board.
Declining Camp member numbers is of great concern for most Camps and Companies. Attrition decreases numbers while recruitment increases numbers. Bolstering efforts have been successful through outreach efforts, personal invitations to Camp meetings, pass-along cards, etc. For a list of suggestions for recruiting DUP Members, click here.

A Memorial Donation is made in honor of a deceased Member or another individual such as a husband, an Associate, a neighbor, community leader, etc. Donations are given in whatever amount is desired. ISDUP has been receiving donations ranging from $5.00 to $500.00. Donations are used for restoration and/or cleaning of paintings and photographs, for example. The donation is acknowledged to the Camp or Company and to the deceased person’s family. The Memorial Donation Form may be found by going to the ISDUP homepage → Forms Tab → Other Forms.

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