Historical eventNovember 182020

Utah monolith

The Utah monolith, built sometime in 2016 is discovered by state biologists of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

In context

When
Wednesday, November 18 20206 years ago
Category
Historical eventA dated happening — a battle, treaty, launch, discovery, disaster or decision — recorded on this calendar day.
Era
21st century · 2020s
Recorded from
Wikipedia “On this day” feed

At a glance

Dates: From 2020.

What came beforeAI-assisted

In 2016, an unknown artist or group installed a shiny three-sided metal structure in a remote part of Utah's red rock country. The monolith remained hidden in the desert for over four years without public knowledge.

Catalyst / how it startedAI-assisted

Utah Division of Wildlife Resources biologists spotted the structure while conducting a bighorn sheep count from a helicopter on November 18, 2020. Photos of the discovery were shared on social media, sparking global interest and copycat installations worldwide.

Who was involvedAI-assisted

The Utah Division of Wildlife Resources made the public discovery. The original artist or installer remains unidentified, though similar monoliths later appeared in Nevada, California, and internationally, suggesting possible coordinated efforts or inspired imitations.

TimelineAI-assisted

2016: Unknown artist installs the monolith in remote Utah desert. November 18, 2020: Wildlife biologists discover it during helicopter survey. Late 2020: Similar structures appear globally, creating an international phenomenon.

What happened

The Utah monolith, built sometime in 2016 is discovered by state biologists of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

November 18 through the years

Other entries on the same calendar day, in order.

  1. 19961996 Channel Tunnel fire
  2. 1999Texas A&M University
  3. 2002Iraq disarmament crisis
  4. 2003Goodridge v. Department of Public Health
  5. 2003Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court
  6. 2011Minecraft
  7. 2012Pope Tawadros II of Alexandria
  8. 2013NASA
  9. 20142014 Jerusalem synagogue attack
  10. 2017Cyclone Numa
  11. 2020Utah monolith

Also in 2020

  • September 15Abraham AccordsThe Abraham Accords were signed in Washington, D.C. (signatories pictured), normalizing relations between Israel and two Arab nations, th…
  • September 15Bahrain–Israel normalization agreementSigning of the Bahrain–Israel normalization agreement occurs in Washington, D.C., normalizing relations between Israel and two Arab natio…
  • September 52020 California wildfiresCalifornia wildfires: A pyrotechnic device at a gender reveal party ignited the El Dorado Fire (pictured), burning for 71 days and killin…
  • July 13Naya RiveraAfter a five day search, the body of American actress and singer Naya Rivera was recovered from Lake Piru, confirming her death.
  • July 13Death of Naya RiveraAfter a five-day search, the body of American actress and singer Naya Rivera is recovered from Lake Piru in California, where she had dro…
  • May 25George FloydGeorge Floyd, a black American man, was murdered (memorial pictured) during an arrest by a white police officer in Minneapolis, sparking…
  • August 102020 Midwest derechoDerecho in Iowa becomes the most costly thunderstorm disaster in U.S. history.
  • January 3Qasem SoleimaniIranian General Qasem Soleimani is killed by an American airstrike near Baghdad International Airport, igniting global concerns of a pote…

Everything we record for 2020 →

Sources

Cite this page

“Utah monolith”, What's On This Date, https://whatsonthisdate.com/app/event/utah-monolith-2020-november-18, accessed October 27, 2026.

Cite the underlying source as well — the source links above go to the record this entry is adapted from.

Questions about this entry

When did Utah monolith happen?

November 18 2020 — 6 years ago, on a Wednesday.

Where does this text come from?

Wikipedia “On this day” feed. Summaries are short adaptations that link back to the source, not reprints. Panels marked AI-assisted were filled where the sources left a heading empty.

How do I cite this page?

Use the ready-made citation near the sources at the bottom of the page, and follow the source link to cite the underlying record as well.

Text adapted from Wikipedia under CC BY-SA 4.0 and from Wikidata (CC0). Images come from Wikimedia Commons; credit and licence are shown with each image. Editorial entries are © What's On This Date. Sources & licensing · How this site works.