There are huge swaths of the west (particularly the intermountain west) that never would have been settled without LDS pioneers. Say what you may about their r

There are huge swaths of the west (particularly the intermountain west) that never would have been settled without LDS pioneers. Say what you may about their religion (though in a vacuum, I'd argue its no stranger than any other faith, it just has less history between founding and now, to loose details to the sands of time) - they had a huge effect on the west overall.