140-597: Salt Lake County is located in the U.S. state of Utah . As of the 2020 United States census , the population was 1,185,238, making it the most populous county in Utah. Its county seat and largest city is Salt Lake City , the state capital . The county was created in 1850. Salt Lake County is the 37th most populated county in the United States and is one of four counties in the Rocky Mountains to make it into
280-658: A State of Deseret . The Mormon settlements provided pioneers for other settlements in the West. Salt Lake City became the hub of a "far-flung commonwealth" of Mormon settlements. With new church converts coming from the East and around the world, Church leaders often assigned groups of church members as missionaries to establish other settlements throughout the West. They developed irrigation to support fairly large pioneer populations along Utah's Wasatch front (Salt Lake City, Bountiful and Weber Valley, and Provo and Utah Valley). Throughout
420-543: A graduate or professional degree . The US Census Bureau estimate for 2019 lists 1,160,437 people in Salt Lake County. The racial makeup of the county was 70.3% non-Hispanic White , 2.2% Black , 1.4% Native American , 4.6% Asian , 1.8% Pacific Islander , and 2.9% from two or more races. 18.8% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of the 2010 United States census , there were 1,029,655 people, 343,218 households, and 291,686 families in
560-410: A Democratic Senate candidate in 1974 , although, it voted for independent candidate Evan McMullin in 2022 . In addition to a mayor and council, Salt Lake County has eight other officials elected to four-year terms. Current officeholders: The region's economy used to revolve around LDS services and mining. While both are still important to the economy, each has greatly declined in significance since
700-602: A Mormon missionary for thirteen years, and a Salt Lake City newspaper owner, finally left Utah and wrote The Rocky Mountain Saints . His book gives a witnessed account of life in Utah, both the good and the bad. He finally left Utah and Mormonism after financial ruin occurred when Brigham Young sent Stenhouse to relocate to Ogden, Utah, according to Stenhouse, to take over his thriving pro-Mormon Salt Lake Telegraph newspaper. In addition to these testimonies, The Confessions of John D. Lee , written by John D. Lee—alleged "Scapegoat" for
840-560: A few days to a month in extreme cases and is caused when an area of high pressure forms over the Great Basin . The 2000 census was the first to allow residents to select multiple race categories. Prior to 2000, the census used the category 'Other Race' as a catch-all identifier. For county-level census data in 1950 and 1900, Utah counted all non-White and non-Black residents using this category. Asian and Hispanic Americans were counted by national origin (i.e. Mexican). According to
980-557: A frequent occurrence. By the early 20th century, most of the mines in the county had closed. However, the Bingham Canyon Mine kept on expanding. In the early 21st century, it is among the largest open-pit mines in the world. After the railroad came to the county, the population began to expand more rapidly, and non-Mormons began to settle in Salt Lake City. During the early 20th century, the heavy industry came to
1120-775: A large portion of the eastern area of the Utah Territory to be separated and added to as part of the newly created adjacent Colorado Territory further east. In 1869 , the territory's legislature (the Territorial Assembly) approved and ratified women's suffrage . This allowed women to vote in all future territorial elections continuing to 1896 with statehood (although both male and female residents in American territories had no voice or vote in Federal elections back East). A total of 46 years elapsed between
1260-434: A major force in the economy. In 1995, Salt Lake City won the bid to host the 2002 Winter Olympics . The 2002 Olympics boosted tourism and the economy, and helped to dramatically improve transportation throughout the county. Transportation has been a major focus, as the county continues to rapidly grow in population. It was drastically improved beginning in the late 80s and through the 90s, and continues to this day. Beginning in
1400-451: A major reason for poor air quality in Utah . On March 18, 2020, Utah suffered a 5.7 magnitude earthquake originating 3.7 mi (6.0 km) northeast of Magna, near Salt Lake City. Utah is known for its natural diversity and is home to features ranging from arid deserts with dunes to thriving pine forests in mountain valleys. It is a rugged and geographically diverse state at the convergence of three distinct geological regions:
1540-600: A person the rightful owner. These certificates are retroactive backwards to 1852. The idea of statehood for the new area was quickly tossed aside by the federal government, and the area was declared a territory in September 1850 – the Utah Territory . Construction of the capitol building in Fillmore was completed in 1855, so the territorial legislature traveled to the small community for their first session there. It
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#17327659970721680-465: A regiment of California volunteers in 1862. Connor established Fort Douglas just 3 miles (4.8 km) east of Salt Lake City and encouraged his people to discover mineral deposits to bring more non-Mormons into the territory. Minerals were discovered in Tooele County and miners began to flock to the territory. Beginning in 1865, Utah's Black Hawk War developed into the deadliest conflict in
1820-458: A single person living alone and 35,271 (8.7%) were two or more people living together. 145,748 (36.0%) of all households had children under the age of 18. 259,912 (64.1%) of households were owner-occupied while 145,317 (35.9%) were renter-occupied . The median income for a Salt Lake County household was $ 77,128 and the median family income was $ 90,815, with a per-capita income of $ 34,640. The median income for males that were full-time employees
1960-476: A state ( State of Deseret ) in hopes of gaining admittance to the Union, and to assure the nascent state would grow uniformly, they named an as-yet-unbuilt settlement in mid-state as the state's capital ( Fillmore ). The county was officially organized on January 31, 1850, with slightly more than 11,000 residents recorded. In 1850, 26 slaves were counted in Salt Lake County. In 1852, the territorial legislature passed
2100-603: A strong Democratic trend when Joe Biden carried it with 53% of the vote. He was the first Democratic presidential candidate to win a majority of the county's vote since Johnson. Democratic strength in the county is mainly concentrated in Salt Lake City and closer inner ring suburbs like South Salt Lake and Millcreek . Other inner ring suburbs in the I-215 corridor such as West Valley City tend to be swing towns. Sandy and West Jordan tend to lean more Republican, and
2240-614: Is a landlocked state in the Mountain West subregion of the Western United States . It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona , Colorado , and New Mexico . It also borders Wyoming to its northeast, Idaho to its north, and Nevada to its west. In comparison to all the U.S. states and territories, Utah, with a population of just over three million, is the 13th largest by area ,
2380-421: Is attributed to the low humidity of the region. During winter, temperature inversions are common, causing air pollution in the valley. They trap pollutants, moisture, and cold temperatures in the valley while the surrounding mountains enjoy warm temperatures and clear skies. This can cause some melting snow in the mountains and unhealthy air quality, and low visibility in the valley. This weather event lasts from
2520-480: Is decided in partisan elections; the current mayor (as of January 2019) is Jenny Wilson , a Democrat . Former county mayors include Peter Corroon , Nancy Workman and Alan Dayton (Workman's deputy mayor; sworn in as acting mayor in September 2004 when Nancy Workman was placed on paid administrative leave). The County Council is composed of three seats elected at-large and six elected by district . District-elected councilors are elected to staggered four-year terms;
2660-484: Is fed by seven streams from the surrounding mountains. All the runoff water eventually ends in the Great Salt Lake, which has no outlet. The mountains rise precipitously from the relatively flat valley surfaces, indicating their comparatively youthful formation. The county has a total area of 807 square miles (2,090 km), of which 742 square miles (1,920 km) is land and 65 square miles (170 km) (8.1%)
2800-641: Is just over the Nevada state line in the southern Snake Range. One of western Utah's most impressive, but least visited attractions is Notch Peak , the tallest limestone cliff in North America, located west of Delta . Much of the scenic southern and southeastern landscape (specifically the Colorado Plateau region) is sandstone , specifically Kayenta sandstone and Navajo sandstone . The Colorado River and its tributaries wind their way through
2940-447: Is often considered good for skiing, contributing to the four ski resorts in the county. Snow usually falls from October through May. The heavy snow totals across the county can be attributed to the lake-effect , where precipitation is intensified by the warm waters of the Great Salt Lake, which never entirely freezes due to the lake's high salinity. The lake effect can affect any area of the county, depending on wind conditions. The dry snow
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#17327659970723080-537: Is the central feature of protected state and federal parks such as Arches , Bryce Canyon , Canyonlands , Capitol Reef , and Zion national parks, Cedar Breaks , Grand Staircase–Escalante , Hovenweep , and Natural Bridges national monuments, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area (site of the popular tourist destination, Lake Powell ), Dead Horse Point and Goblin Valley state parks, and Monument Valley . The Navajo Nation also extends into southeastern Utah, and
3220-541: Is the lowest point in the state, at 2,000 feet (610 m). The northernmost portion of the Mojave Desert is also located in this area. Dixie is quickly becoming a popular recreational and retirement destination, and the population is growing rapidly. Although the Wasatch Mountains end at Mount Nebo near Nephi , a complex series of mountain ranges extends south from the southern end of the range down
3360-475: Is the only state where a majority of the population belongs to a single church. The LDS Church greatly influences Utahn culture, politics, and daily life, though since the 1990s the state has become more religiously diverse as well as secular. Utah has a highly diversified economy , with major sectors including transportation, education , information technology and research, government services, mining, multi-level marketing , and tourism. Utah has been one of
3500-585: Is the only state where every county contains some national forest. Utah features a dry, semi-arid to desert climate , although its many mountains feature a large variety of climates, with the highest points in the Uinta Mountains being above the timberline . The dry weather is a result of the state's location in the rain shadow of the Sierra Nevada in California. The eastern half of
3640-467: Is the variety of its terrain . Running down the middle of the state's northern third is the Wasatch Range , which rises to heights of almost 12,000 ft (3,700 m) above sea level. Utah is home to world-renowned ski resorts made popular by light, fluffy snow and winter storms that regularly dump up to three feet of it overnight. In the state's northeastern section, running east to west, are
3780-589: Is water. It is the fifth-smallest county in Utah by area. The county borders on the Great Salt Lake and is traversed by the northward flowing Jordan River . The western portion of the county descends toward the valley of the lake, but perhaps the most dominating physical feature in Salt Lake County is the Wasatch Mountains in the eastern portion of the county, famous for both summer and winter activities. The mountains are administered as part of
3920-595: The 2020 United States census and 2020 American Community Survey , there were 1,185,238 people in Salt Lake County with a population density of 1,574.3 people per square mile (607.9/km). Among non- Hispanic or Latino people, the racial makeup was 800,914 (67.6%) White , 21,976 (1.9%) African American , 7,205 (0.6%) Native American , 50,241 (4.2%) Asian , 21,194 (1.8%) Pacific Islander , 5,537 (0.5%) from other races , and 46,083 (3.9%) from two or more races . 232,088 (19.6%) people were Hispanic or Latino. There were 595,608 (50.25%) males and 589,630 (49.75%) females, and
4060-481: The 30th most populous , and the 11th least densely populated . Urban development is mostly concentrated in two regions: the Wasatch Front in the north-central part of the state, which includes the state capital, Salt Lake City , and is home to roughly two-thirds of the population; and Washington County in the southwest, which has somewhat more than 180,000 residents. Most of the western half of Utah lies in
4200-595: The Act in Relation to Service and the Act for the relief of Indian Slaves and Prisoners formally legalizing slavery in the territory. Due to Utah Territory's conflicts with the federal government, the federal surveyor abandoned his post in 1857, two years after he arrived. The surveyor's duty was to officially plat the territory in order to bring the area onto the market, to make homesteading possible. The intermediate years between 1857 and 1869 passed with no federal surveyors,
4340-595: The Domínguez–Escalante expedition —left Santa Fe in 1776, hoping to find a route to the coast of California. The expedition traveled as far north as Utah Lake and encountered the native residents. The Spanish made further explorations in the region but were not interested in colonizing the area because of its desert nature. In 1821, the year Mexico achieved its independence from Spain, the region became known as part of its territory of Alta California . European trappers and fur traders explored some areas of Utah in
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4480-572: The Great Basin . Utah has been inhabited for thousands of years by various indigenous groups , such as the ancient Puebloans , the Navajo, and the Ute. The first Europeans to arrive - in the mid-16th century - were the Spanish. Because of the region's challenging geography and harsh climate, it only became a peripheral part of New Spain (and later of Mexico). Even while it was Mexican territory, many of
4620-553: The Great Salt Lake in 1847 and for many years afterward, they relied on existing institutions within The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ( Mormon church ) or the secular civil governments. The Utah Territory was organized by an Organic Act of the United States Congress , approved by the newly succeeded 13th President Millard Fillmore (1800–1874, served 1850–1853), only two months after
4760-459: The I-15 corridor, including the densely populated Wasatch Front , receives approximately 15 inches (381 mm). The Great Salt Lake Desert is the driest area of the state, with less than 5 inches (127 mm). Snowfall is common in all but the far southern valleys. Although St. George receives only about 3 inches (76 mm) per year, Salt Lake City sees about 60 inches (1,524 mm), enhanced by
4900-536: The Mountain Meadow Massacre —also came out in 1877. The corroborative testimonies coming out of Utah from Mormons and former Mormons influenced Congress and the people of the United States. In the 1890 Manifesto , the LDS Church banned polygamy. When Utah applied for statehood again , it was accepted. One of the conditions for granting Utah statehood was that a ban on polygamy be written into
5040-602: The Mountain Meadows massacre . Before troops led by Albert Sidney Johnston entered the territory, Brigham Young ordered all residents of Salt Lake City to evacuate southward to Utah Valley and sent out the Nauvoo Legion to delay the government's advance. Although wagons and supplies were burned, eventually the troops arrived in 1858, and Young surrendered official control to Cumming, although most subsequent commentators claim that Young retained true power in
5180-556: The Oquirrh Mountains , the Bingham Canyon Mine , which contains vast deposits of copper and silver, was developed as the most productive of the county's mines. The mine, located in the southwest portion of the county, attracted thousands of workers to the narrow canyon. At its peak, the city of Bingham Canyon contained 20,000 residents, all crowded along the steep walls of the canyon, and natural disasters were
5320-591: The Rocky Mountains , the Great Basin , and the Colorado Plateau . Utah covers an area of 84,899 sq mi (219,890 km ). It is one of the Four Corners states and is bordered by Idaho in the north, Wyoming in the north and east, Colorado in the east, at a single point by New Mexico to the southeast, by Arizona in the south, and by Nevada in the west. Only three U.S. states (Utah, Colorado, and Wyoming) have exclusively latitude and longitude lines as boundaries. One of Utah's defining characteristics
5460-520: The Salt Lake City metropolitan area . Sustained drought in Utah has more recently strained Salt Lake County's water security and has caused the Great Salt Lake level to drop to record low levels. This area was occupied for thousands of years by cultures of indigenous peoples. The future Salt Lake County area was settled by European Americans in 1847 when Mormon pioneers of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints fled religious persecution in
5600-600: The Salt Lake Valley on July 24, 1847. Over the next 22 years, more than 70,000 pioneers crossed the plains and settled in Utah. For the first few years, Brigham Young and the thousands of early settlers of Salt Lake City struggled to survive. The arid desert land was deemed desirable by the Mormons as a place where they could practice their religion without harassment. Settlers buried thirty-six Native Americans in one grave after an outbreak of measles occurred during
5740-678: The U.S. government intensified due to the practice of plural marriage , or polygamy , among members of the LDS Church. The Mormons were still pushing for the establishment of a State of Deseret with the new borders of the Utah Territory. Most, if not all, of the members of the U.S. government opposed the polygamous practices of the Mormons. Members of the LDS Church were viewed as un-American and rebellious when news of their polygamous practices spread. In 1857, particularly heinous accusations of abdication of government and general immorality were leveled by former associate justice William W. Drummond, among others. The detailed reports of life in Utah caused
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5880-550: The Uinta Mountains , which rise to heights of over 13,000 feet (4,000 m). The highest point in the state, Kings Peak , at 13,528 feet (4,123 m), lies within the Uinta Mountains. At the western base of the Wasatch Range is the Wasatch Front , a series of valleys and basins that are home to the most populous parts of the state. It stretches approximately from Brigham City at the north end to Nephi at
6020-693: The Wasatch-Cache National Forest . The mountains' snow is touted in state-sponsored publicity as 'Greatest Snow on Earth' for its soft, powdery texture, and led to Salt Lake City 's winning the bid for the 2002 Winter Olympics . Salt Lake County has four ski resorts: Snowbird and Alta in Little Cottonwood Canyon and Solitude and Brighton in Big Cottonwood Canyon . Hiking and camping are popular summer activities. The Oquirrh Mountains border
6160-616: The death of Joseph Smith in 1844, Brigham Young , as president of the Quorum of the Twelve , became the leader of the LDS Church in Nauvoo, Illinois . To address the growing conflicts between his people and their neighbors, Young agreed with Illinois Governor Thomas Ford in October 1845 that the Mormons would leave by the following year. Young and the first group of Mormon pioneers reached
6300-529: The lake-effect snow from the Great Salt Lake, which increases snowfall totals to the south, southeast, and east of the lake. Utah Territory The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah , the 45th state. At its creation,
6440-501: The least income inequality of any U.S. state. Over time and influenced by climate change , droughts in Utah have been increasing in frequency and severity, putting a further strain on Utah's water security and impacting the state's economy. The name Utah derives from the name of the Ute tribe , meaning 'people of the mountains'. However, no such word exists in the Utes' language, and
6580-562: The northwestern lands of the territory and former provinces from southern neighbor Mexico after the negotiations and ratification of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo of 1848, following several additional battles along the Gulf of Mexico coast and central heartland, resulting in the occupation of the Mexican capital of Mexico City by Invading American military forces and their surrender with
6720-400: The state House of Representatives , and all six Democrats in the state Senate , represent districts based in the county. In 2004, Republican President George W. Bush won the county over Democrat John Kerry 59% to 37%. In 2008, however, Democrat Barack Obama won Salt Lake County by an extremely narrow margin, 48.17% to 48.09%, over Republican John McCain —a difference of 296 votes. It
6860-436: The 1960s, a more service-oriented economy began to develop, and information technologies began to arrive in the 80s and 90s. Although this business has waned in recent years, information and computer companies, such as iBAHN , InContact , Mstar , Opengear , and Overstock.com are still thriving businesses here. Utah Utah ( / ˈ juː t ɑː / YOO -tah , / ˈ juː t ɔː / YOO -taw )
7000-555: The 19th century. Since World War II , defense industries in the region have also played a very important role in the economy due to its strategic central location in the Western United States, as well as the largely uninhabited and desolate Great Salt Lake Desert to the west (used for training, weapons testing, and storage of hazardous materials). Beginning in 1939, with the opening of Alta Ski Area , skiing and other winter sports (as well as summer sports), have become
7140-451: The East. They arrived in the Salt Lake Valley after descending what settlers later called Emigration Canyon . Brigham Young , their leader, declared " This is the place " after seeing the valley. Compared to eastern regions, it seemed arid and unpromising to some of the migrants. Settlers used irrigation to develop agriculture and the flourishing, self-sufficient city known then as Great Salt Lake City . Thousands of Mormons joined them in
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#17327659970727280-684: The Governor's mansion on July 4th they "...unfurled the territorial flag." The third flag was depicted on a cigarette trading card in the 1880s. The flag was in a squared ratio with blue background and the Utah state coat of arms in the center. There is no evidence that the flag was ever made or flown. In 1850, nine churches with regular services in the Utah Territory were unclassified by historian Edwin Gaustad in his Historical Atlas of Religion in America (1962), but were probably LDS churches. In
7420-456: The Great Salt Lake was part of the elements of agreements in the political Compromise of 1850 made in the national capital of Washington, D.C. that sought to preserve the balance of power between Southern slave states and free states in the North. With the exception of a small area around the headwaters of the upper Colorado River in present-day Colorado , the United States had acquired all
7560-575: The LDS Church and the State of Utah, Salt Lake County's population was 50.6% LDS (Mormon) in 2008, as reported in the Deseret News . By 2013, this had increased to 51.41%. However, by 2020, the share of LDS members had decreased to 46.89%. The first governing administrative body of the county was made up of the probate court and judge, Elias Smith, and three selectmen: Samuel Moore, Reuben Miller, and J.C. Wright. The first order of business on March 15
7700-602: The LDS Church's first three temples in Utah, each started after but finished many years before the larger and better-known temple built in Salt Lake City was completed in 1893), as well as Parowan, Cedar City, Bluff, Moab, Vernal, Fillmore (which served as the territorial capital between 1850 and 1856), Nephi, Levan, Spanish Fork, Springville, Provo Bench (now Orem ), Pleasant Grove, American Fork, Lehi, Sandy, Murray, Jordan, Centerville, Farmington, Huntsville, Kaysville, Grantsville, Tooele, Roy, Brigham City, and many other smaller towns and settlements. Young had an expansionist view of
7840-534: The LDS Pioneers completed plats, deeds, and surveys of the county in order to homestead and collect taxes. Since the deeds and titles handed out during the twelve-year period were not federally recognized homestead certificates, the Utah Territory agreed to reconcile the unrecognized deeds and titles in order to fold the Utah Territory into the federal homestead system, calling them (instead of homestead certificates) Land Title Certificates. The process to adjudicate
7980-801: The Olympic venues built along the Wasatch Front continue to be used for sporting events. Preparation for the Olympics spurred the development of the light-rail system in the Salt Lake Valley , known as TRAX , and the reconstruction of the freeway system around the city. In 1957, Utah created the Utah State Parks Commission with four parks. Today, Utah State Parks manages 43 parks and several undeveloped areas totaling over 95,000 acres (380 km ) of land and more than 1,000,000 acres (4,000 km ) of water. Utah's state parks are scattered throughout Utah, from Bear Lake State Park at
8120-609: The Pacific Ocean; he subsequently learned this body of water was a giant salt lake . After the discovery of the lake, hundreds of American and Canadian traders and trappers established trading posts in the region. In the 1830s, thousands of migrants traveling from the Eastern United States to the American West began to make stops in the region of the Great Salt Lake, then known as Lake Youta. Following
8260-495: The Territorial Assembly, although first Governor and second L.D.S. church president Brigham Young remained mostly in his Beehive House (current historic site) residence in Salt Lake City, but traveling to Fillmore 1850 to 1856, until his death in 1877 . The capital of Utah Territory was relocated that year of 1856 to the major and largest town of Salt Lake City , which built a new territorial capitol building for
8400-530: The Territory flew in 1851 and consist of 13 red and white stripes, a blue canton with 13 stars and eagle that was positioned above a large 5 pointed star. The flag is preserved in Smithsonian institute. The second flag was raised in 1854 and it similarly contained "...stars, stripes, eagle, and beehive." flag was It was raised up flag pole on temple block to celebrated Pioneer's day. The following year at
8540-526: The Territory of Utah included all of the present-day State of Utah, most of the current state of Nevada save for that portion of Southern Nevada (including the metro area of the city of Las Vegas ), much of modern western Colorado , and the extreme southwest corner of present-day Wyoming . When the Mormon pioneers moving westward across the Great Plains began settling the Salt Lake Valley around
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#17327659970728680-586: The United States had taken control of New Mexico and California. The entire Southwest became U.S. territory upon the signing of the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo , February 2, 1848. The treaty was ratified by the United States Senate on March 11. Learning that California and New Mexico were applying for statehood, the settlers of the Utah area (originally having planned to petition for territorial status) applied for statehood with an ambitious plan for
8820-475: The Utah region’s earliest European settlers were from the United States; notable among these were Mormons who were fleeing marginalization and persecution in the United States and arrived via the so-called Mormon Trail . In 1848, after the Mexican–American War , the region was annexed by the U.S. , becoming part of the Utah Territory , which included what later became Colorado and Nevada. Disputes between
8960-622: The Utah/Idaho border to Edge of the Cedars State Park Museum deep in the Four Corners region and everywhere in between. Utah State Parks is also home to the state's off highway vehicle office, state boating office, and the trails program. During the late 20th century, the state grew quickly. In the 1970s growth was phenomenal in the suburbs of the Wasatch Front. Sandy was one of the fastest-growing cities in
9100-464: The Utes refer to themselves as Noochee . The meaning of Utes as 'the mountain people' has been attributed to the neighboring Pueblo Indians , as well as to the Apache word Yuttahih , which means 'one that is higher up' or 'those that are higher up'. In Spanish , it was pronounced Yuta ; subsequently, English-speaking people may have adapted the word as Utah . Thousands of years before
9240-685: The administration of James Buchanan to send a secret military "expedition" to Utah. When the supposed rebellion should be quelled, Alfred Cumming would take the place of Brigham Young as territorial governor. The resulting conflict is known as the Utah War , nicknamed "Buchanan's Blunder" by the Mormon leaders. In September 1857, about 120 American settlers of the Baker–Fancher wagon train, en route to California from Arkansas, were murdered by Utah Territorial Militia and some Paiute Native Americans in
9380-412: The age of 18 living with them, 57.80% were married couples living together, 10.40% had a female householder with no husband present, and 27.50% were non-families. 20.80% of all households were made up of individuals, and 6.20% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.00 and the average family size was 3.53. In terms of age, 30.5% of the county's population
9520-417: The area, establishing Utah as a major military center that benefited from federal investment. In the nationwide suburban boom of the late 1940s, 1950s, and early 1960s, such cities as South Salt Lake , Murray , Midvale , and much of the east side of the valley grew rapidly. In common with other industrialized cities, Salt Lake City faced inner-city decay in the 1960s, when residents moved to newer housing in
9660-417: The arrival of Europeans, the Ancestral Puebloans and the Fremont people lived in what is now known as Utah, some of which spoke languages of the Uto-Aztecan group. Ancestral Pueblo peoples built their homes through excavations in mountains, and the Fremont people built houses of straw before disappearing from the region around the 15th century. Another group of Native Americans, the Navajo , settled in
9800-407: The at-large councilors are elected to six-year terms. See district maps Like most of Utah, Salt Lake County usually favors candidates from the Republican Party . While it is somewhat conservative for an urban county, it has been friendlier to Democrats than the rest of the state, and has traditionally been more competitive in state and local elections than Utah as a whole. All but one Democrat in
9940-460: The cause of their flight from their previous homes and center back East in Nauvoo, Illinois , in the United States, trekking westward across the continent to the Great Salt Lake basin after being persecuted and forcibly removed from their settlements in several Eastern states. Although the Mormons were now the majority in the Great Salt Lake basin, the western area of the new territory soon began to attract many non-Mormon settlers, especially after
10080-412: The certificates took place over several years in 1871–1873, through the county Probate Court, overseen by judge Elias Smith. Settlers were required to file land claims, make declaratory statements, attend their adjudication hearings, provide testimony if counter claims on a parcel of land were filed, and wait for final judgement from the probate judge, who issued a final Land Title Certificate which declared
10220-401: The country at that time. Today, many areas of Utah continue to see boom-time growth. Northern Davis , southern and western Salt Lake , Summit , eastern Tooele , Utah , Wasatch , and Washington counties are all growing very quickly. Management of transportation and urbanization are major issues in politics, as development consumes agricultural land and wilderness areas and transportation is
10360-474: The county in Congress only for four years – from 2015 to 2019, after Jim Matheson , who survived two redistricting cycles following the 2000 and 2010 censuses, retired and was replaced by Mia Love , who in turn, was defeated by former county mayor Ben McAdams in the 2018 election. McAdams lost to Republican Burgess Owens in 2020 , giving Republicans full control of the county’s districts. Salt Lake County
10500-501: The county saw growth. The former mining towns related to Bingham Canyon were abandoned in the 1960s and 1970s to make way for the expansion of the open-pit mine. The city of Bingham Canyon was completely torn down and swallowed up in the mine by 1972, and the dismantling of Lark in 1980 completed the process. The only remaining mining town in the county is Copperton , located southwest of West Jordan , with approximately 800 residents. Magna has workers who continue to be associated with
10640-407: The county was $ 20,190. About 5.70% of families and 8.00% of the population were below the poverty threshold , including 9.00% of those under age 18 and 5.50% of those age 65 or over. The 2005 American Community Survey indicated that 11.4% of Salt Lake County's population living in households (as opposed to group arrangements such as college dormitories) spoke Spanish at home. According to data from
10780-517: The county. The population density was 1,388 per square mile (536/km). There were 364,031 housing units at an average density of 491 per square mile (190/km). The racial makeup of the county was 81.2% White , 1.59% Black or African American , 0.89% Native American , 3.3% Asian , 1.53% Pacific Islander , 8.35% from other races , and 3.14% from two or more races. 17.09% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. In 2010 there were 343,218 households, out of which 40.10% had children under
10920-528: The discovery of gold at Breckenridge in Utah Territory in 1859 (ten years after the first mineral findings along the American River in California , resulting in the phenomenal California gold rush of 1849-1855 there). So also in that same year of 1861, additional legislative action was taken by the Congress and the new 16th President Abraham Lincoln (1809–1865, served 1861–1865), to take
11060-572: The discovery of silver at the famous Comstock Lode ore deposits in the Virginia City area, east of the Sierra Nevada mountain ranges and Lake Tahoe (of present-day western Nevada ) in 1858 . Only three years later on the eve of the outbreak of the American Civil War in 1861 , and partly as a result of this, with its importance of the recovered silver bullion for Federal Treasury coffers plus huge growth in population with
11200-439: The divisive issue of slavery in the documents, was partially the result of a petition sent by the Mormon pioneers under the leadership of Brigham Young (1801–1877, served 1847–1877), the second church president. The petition had asked Congress to allow them to enter the Union as the State of Deseret , (which they had already organized the year before) with its capital as Salt Lake City and with proposed borders that encompassed
11340-429: The dominant Mormon community and the federal government delayed Utah's admission as a state: in 1896, after it agreed to outlaw polygamy, it was admitted as the 45th state . People from Utah are known as Utahns. Slightly over half of all Utahns are Mormons , the vast majority of whom are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church), which has its world headquarters in Salt Lake City; Utah
11480-508: The early 19th century from Canada and the United States. The city of Provo, Utah , was named for one Étienne Provost , who visited the area in 1825. The city of Ogden, Utah , was named after Peter Skene Ogden , a Canadian explorer who traded furs in the Weber Valley. In late 1824, Jim Bridger became the first known English-speaking person to sight the Great Salt Lake . Due to the high salinity of its waters, he thought he had found
11620-451: The east side and less on the west side, as most storms come from the Pacific Ocean and the west side is in the rain shadow of the Oquirrh Mountains . Up to 19 inches (480 mm) is received on the east benches . Most of this precipitation is received in spring. The summer is dry, with the majority of precipitation arriving from the monsoon that rises from the south. Short, localized, and often dry thunderstorms are usually associated with
11760-529: The eastern Great Basin. West of the Great Salt Lake , stretching to the Nevada border, lies the arid Great Salt Lake Desert . One exception to this aridity is Snake Valley , which is (relatively) lush due to large springs and wetlands fed from groundwater derived from snow melt in the Snake Range , Deep Creek Range , and other tall mountains to the west of Snake Valley. Great Basin National Park
11900-463: The end of the brief war. The peace treaty later passing in Congress in the upper chamber of the U.S. Senate , (which approves all foreign treaties according to the U.S. Constitution ) and the lower chamber of the House of Representatives voted in the subsequent supplemental legislation in favor of organizing the federal Territory of Utah, 97–85. The creation of the Territory with no mention at all of
12040-535: The entire Great Basin and the watershed of the Colorado River , including all or part of nine current U.S. states in the southwest. The Mormon settlers had drafted a state constitution in 1849 and Deseret had become the de facto government in the Great Basin by the time of the creation of the subsequent Federal Utah Territory. Following the organization of the Territory, second church president Young
12180-400: The fastest growing states since 2000, with the 2020 U.S. census confirming the fastest population growth in the nation since 2010. St. George was the fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States from 2000 to 2005. Utah ranks among the overall best states in metrics such as healthcare , governance, education, and infrastructure. It has the 12th-highest median average income and
12320-615: The former Vice President acceded to the higher office upon the sudden death in July 1850 of his military general predecessor Zachary Taylor . The Utah Territory bill was approved by him in September 1850 , on the same day that the State of California was admitted to the Union as the 31st state (and the first time the American Union jumping across the North American continent to the opposite Pacific Ocean west coast). Plus
12460-438: The government and its assembly and governor's offices for the next four decades and which also continued as the new state capital after statehood in 1896. A massive monumental Utah State Capitol building with landmark dome was later constructed there on the scenic ridge overlooking from the slopes of the surrounding Wasatch Range mountains to the present. During Brigham Young's governorship, he exerted considerable power over
12600-559: The happiness of the very early Church members before polygamy. They independently published their books in 1875. These books and the lectures of Ann Eliza Young have been credited with the United States Congress's passage of anti-polygamy laws by newspapers throughout the United States, as recorded in "The Ann Eliza Young Vindicator", a pamphlet which detailed Ms. Young's travels and warm reception throughout her lecture tour. T. B. H. Stenhouse, former Utah Mormon polygamist,
12740-407: The host of the 2002 Winter Olympics spurred a construction boom in the city that continued after the Olympics, slowing only in 2008 recession . As the county's population has surpassed 1 million, it has significantly urbanized, leaving only a few rural areas in the far west of the valley. Issues facing the county today include congested transportation and related air pollution. The Salt Lake Valley
12880-488: The influx of prospecting miners (and assorted supporting commercial business interests) and with the subsequent intensive deep shaft industrial mining and drilling, the new Nevada Territory was then created out of the western part of the previous Utah Territory of a decade before. Non-Mormons also entered the opposite side in the easternmost part of the territory during the Pikes Peak Gold Rush , resulting in
13020-645: The judge was removed when the court was abolished upon statehood, the Selectmen stayed on in their offices until elections to fill the new commission seats were held. The first commissioners elected were: A.S. Geddes, M. Christopherson, and C.H. Roberts. The Commission took over all duties the Court and Selectmen performed. The County Court house was demolished after the completion of the Salt Lake City and County Building in Downtown Salt Lake City in
13160-579: The majority of eastern Utah's population lives. Economies are dominated by mining, oil shale , oil , and natural gas-drilling, ranching , and recreation . Much of eastern Utah is part of the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation . The most popular destination within northeastern Utah is Dinosaur National Monument near Vernal . Southwestern Utah is the lowest and hottest spot in Utah. It is known as Utah's Dixie because early settlers were able to grow some cotton there. Beaverdam Wash in far southwestern Utah
13300-723: The mid-1890s. The new County Commission governed at the City and County Building until 1986 when the county government moved its offices to the newly built the Salt Lake County Government Center at State Street and 2100 South, formerly the location of the County Hospital, which was demolished in early the 1980s to build the County Government Center. The county currently has a mayor–council form of government. The position of mayor
13440-505: The mine's smelting operations in Garfield and at Arthur Mill . In the 1990s, the county's areas of rapid growth shifted further south and west. Farm and pasturelands were developed as suburbs. The cities of West Jordan , South Jordan , Riverton , Herriman , and Draper are some of the fastest-growing cities in the state. During the 1990s, Salt Lake City gained population for the first time in 40 years. Salt Lake City's selection as
13580-596: The monsoon. However, some can be very intense. These storms can cause contrasting emergencies of flash floods and wildfires (due to dry lightning and powerful winds). Precipitation is heaviest in late fall/early winter and in spring, while early summer is the driest season. Annual snowfall in the valley is 55 inches (140 cm), with up to 100 inches (250 cm) on the benches. The most snow falls between mid-November and late March. The mountains receive up to 500 inches (1,300 cm) of light, dry snow and up to 55 inches (140 cm) of precipitation annually. The dry snow
13720-451: The national forest, assuming greater risk from wildfires. New communities are also being constructed on the southern and western slopes. Rapid residential construction continues in the west-central, southwest, and southern portions of the valley. In the far west, southwest, and northwest, rural areas still exist, but rapid growth threatens what remains of the natural environment in the valley. The County government operates several large parks in
13860-499: The next several decades. Settlers buried thirty-six Native Americans in one grave after an outbreak of measles occurred during the winter of 1847. The initial territorial settlement was in Great Salt Lake City proper, but Brigham Young desired to secure a substantial population base across the then-uninhabited Great Basin, so he soon asked members to resettle farther out from the central point. They declared themselves
14000-469: The organization of the territory and its admission to the Union in 1896 as the 45th State of Utah , long after the admission of other federal territories created after it. In contrast, the Nevada Territory to the west, although more sparsely populated, was admitted to the Union in 1864 in the midst of the ongoing American Civil War only three years after its territorial formation, and Colorado
14140-474: The original larger New Mexico Territory in the Great Southwest was added and erected from the southern portion of the huge Mexican Cession in 1849 of former Centralist Republic of Mexico lands, (which amounted to the northwestern one-third of their country) following their defeat in the Mexican–American War .of 1846 - 1848 . The creation of the new Territory of Utah around the Great Basin and
14280-517: The other outer-ring suburbs in the southern part of the county like South Jordan are strongly Republican. The bulk of the county was for a long time located in the 2nd congressional district . However, after Utah gained a seat following the 2010 census redistricting, the Republican-controlled state legislature split the county into three districts – 2nd, 3rd and 4th . Despite that, from 2000 to 2020 Republicans controlled most of
14420-550: The popular mid-century western film genre. From such films, most US residents recognize such natural landmarks as Delicate Arch and "the Mittens" of Monument Valley . During the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, with the construction of the Interstate highway system, accessibility to the southern scenic areas was made easier. Since the establishment of Alta Ski Area in 1939 and the subsequent development of several ski resorts in
14560-565: The population distribution by age was 310,343 (26.2%) under the age of 18, 740,417 (62.5%) from 18 to 64, and 134,478 (11.3%) who were at least 65 years old. The median age was 32.9 years. There were 405,229 households in Salt Lake County with an average size of 2.92 of which 276,809 (68.3%) were families and 128,420 (31.7%) were non-families. Among all families, 207,859 (51.3%) were married couples , 23,928 (5.9%) were male householders with no spouse, and 45,022 (11.1%) were female householders with no spouse. Among all non-families, 93,149 (23.0%) were
14700-624: The region around the 18th century. In the mid-18th century, other Uto-Aztecan tribes, including the Goshute , the Paiute , the Shoshone , and the Ute people, also settled in the region. These five groups were present when the first European explorers arrived. The southern Utah region was explored by the Spanish in 1540, led by Francisco Vázquez de Coronado while looking for the legendary Cíbola . A group led by two Catholic priests—sometimes called
14840-583: The remainder of the 19th century, Mormon pioneers established hundreds of other settlements in Utah, Idaho , Nevada , Arizona , Wyoming , California , Canada , and Mexico —including in Las Vegas, Nevada ; Franklin, Idaho (the first European settlement in Idaho); San Bernardino, California ; Mesa, Arizona ; Star Valley, Wyoming ; and Carson Valley, Nevada . Prominent settlements in Utah included St. George , Logan , and Manti (where settlers completed
14980-470: The sandstone, creating some of the world's most striking and wild terrain (the area around the confluence of the Colorado and Green Rivers was the last to be mapped in the lower 48 United States). Wind and rain have also sculpted the soft sandstone over millions of years. Canyons, gullies, arches, pinnacles, buttes, bluffs, and mesas are common sights throughout south-central and southeast Utah. This terrain
15120-539: The south end. Approximately 75 percent of the state's population lives in this corridor, and population growth is rapid. Western Utah is a mostly arid desert with a basin and range topography. Small mountain ranges and rugged terrain punctuate the landscape. The Bonneville Salt Flats are an exception, being comparatively flat as a result of once forming the bed of ancient Lake Bonneville . Great Salt Lake, Utah Lake , Sevier Lake , and Rush Lake are all remnants of this ancient freshwater lake, which once covered most of
15260-543: The south in Utah County . In 1862, Fort Douglas was established on the eastern bench, near the current site of the University of Utah , as the federal government wanted to ensure the loyalty of the territory during the American Civil War . On January 29, 1868, "Great" was dropped from both the county and city names, giving them their modern names. Patrick Edward Connor , the leader of the garrison at Fort Douglas,
15400-538: The south; and a space (known as Garfield ) between the Oquirrh Mountains and the Great Salt Lake leading to Tooele County to the west. Of these, only the connection to Davis County to the north is wide enough and flat enough to accommodate transportation routes without reliance on earthworks . Annual precipitation for the Salt Lake Valley is around 15 inches (380 mm), usually with more on
15540-433: The spine of Utah. Just north of Dixie and east of Cedar City is the state's highest ski resort, Brian Head . Like most of the western and southwestern states, the federal government owns much of the land in Utah. Over 70 percent of the land is either BLM land , Utah State Trustland, or U.S. National Forest , U.S. National Park , U.S. National Monument , National Recreation Area or U.S. Wilderness Area . Utah
15680-436: The state constitution. This was a condition required of other western states that were admitted into the Union later. Statehood was officially granted on January 4, 1896. Beginning in the early 20th century, with the establishment of such national parks as Bryce Canyon National Park and Zion National Park , Utah became known for its natural beauty. Southern Utah became a popular filming spot for arid, rugged scenes featured in
15820-455: The state lies in the rain shadow of the Wasatch Mountains . The primary source of precipitation for the state is the Pacific Ocean, with the state usually lying in the path of large Pacific storms from October to May. In summer, the state, especially southern and eastern Utah, lies in the path of monsoon moisture from the Gulf of California . Most of the lowland areas receive less than 12 inches (305 mm) of precipitation annually, although
15960-464: The state's mountains, Utah's skiing has become world-renowned. The dry, powdery snow of the Wasatch Range is considered some of the best skiing in the world (the state license plate once claimed "the Greatest Snow on Earth"). Salt Lake City won the bid for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games , and this served as a great boost to the economy. The ski resorts have increased in popularity, and many of
16100-510: The suburbs. Cities such as Sandy , West Jordan , and what would become West Valley City grew at boomtown rates in the 1970s and 1980s. Huge residential tracts were developed through the center of the valley, and within ten years, the entire area had been converted from farmland into sprawling bedroom communities in Salt Lake City. West Valley City was created from the merger of the three unincorporated cities of Granger, Hunter and Redwood (including Chesterfield) in 1980. But not every area of
16240-480: The surrounding mountains, the Oquirrh Mountains to the west and the Wasatch Range to the east (essentially the entire Jordan River watershed north of the Traverse Mountains ). In addition, the northwestern section of the county includes part of the Great Salt Lake . The county is noted for its ski resorts ; Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics . Salt Lake County is the central county of
16380-642: The territorial legislature passed the Act in Relation to Service and the Act for the relief of Indian Slaves and Prisoners formally legalizing slavery in the territory. Slavery was abolished in the territory during the Civil War. In 1850, Salt Lake City sent out a force known as the Nauvoo Legion and engaged the Timpanogos in the Battle at Fort Utah . Disputes between the Mormon inhabitants and
16520-491: The territory that he and the Mormon pioneers were settling, calling it Deseret—which according to the Book of Mormon was an ancient word for "honeybee". This is symbolized by the beehive on the Utah flag, and the state's motto, "Industry". The Utah Territory was much smaller than the proposed state of Deseret, but it still contained all of the present states of Nevada and Utah as well as pieces of modern Wyoming and Colorado . It
16660-519: The territory's history. Chief Antonga Black Hawk died in 1870, but fights continued to break out until additional federal troops were sent in to suppress the Ghost Dance of 1872. The war is unique among Indian Wars because it was a three-way conflict, with mounted Timpanogos Utes led by Antonga Black Hawk fighting federal and LDS authorities. On May 10, 1869, the First transcontinental railroad
16800-490: The territory. A steady stream of governors appointed by the president quit the position, often citing the traditions of their supposed territorial government. By agreement with Young, Johnston established Camp Floyd , 40 miles (60 km) away from Salt Lake City to the southwest. Salt Lake City was the last link of the First Transcontinental Telegraph , completed in October 1861. Brigham Young
16940-402: The territory. An example being that in 1873, the territory legislature gave to Governor / President Young the exclusive right to manufacture and distil whiskey . Mormon governance in the territory was regarded as controversial by much of the rest of the nation, partly fed by continuing lurid newspaper depictions of the polygamy marriage practiced by the settlers, which itself had been part of
17080-488: The top 100. (Others being Denver County and El Paso County , Colorado and Clark County, Nevada .) Salt Lake County has been the only county of the first class in Utah – under the Utah Code (Title 17, Chapter 50, Part 5) is a county with a population of 700,000 or greater. Although, Utah County directly to the south has recently reached this threshold. Salt Lake County occupies the Salt Lake Valley , as well as parts of
17220-534: The tribe is part of the coalition that manages Bears Ears National Monument . Southeastern Utah is also punctuated by the remote, but lofty La Sal , Abajo , and Henry mountain ranges. Eastern (northern quarter) Utah is a high-elevation area covered mostly by plateaus and basins, particularly the Tavaputs Plateau and San Rafael Swell , which remain mostly inaccessible, and the Uinta Basin , where
17360-617: The valley (including some with incorporated cities), including Big Cottonwood Park , Crestwood Park, and an Equestrian Center . Traffic into the Salt Lake Valley passes through four narrow geographic features: Parley's Canyon to the east; the space between the Salt Lake Anticline and the Great Salt Lake leading into Davis County to the north; the Point of the Mountain and adjacent Jordan Narrows leading to Utah County to
17500-450: The valley as well, diversifying its economy. Local and interurban trolley systems were built covering the more urban northeastern quarter of the valley. The city dismantled the trolley system by 1945, favoring the use of individual cars . Throughout the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the east side of the valley began to be more densely settled. In 1942, Kearns Army Air Base , a large military installation developed for World War II ,
17640-476: The western part of the county. These two mountain ranges, together with the much smaller Traverse Mountains at the south of the valley, delimit Salt Lake Valley , which is also flanked on the northwest by the Great Salt Lake , and on the north by the Salt Lake Anticline (including Ensign Peak ). On the north and east benches, houses have been built halfway up the mountain to the boundary of
17780-406: The winter of 1847. The first group of settlers brought three African slaves with them, making Utah the only place in the western United States to have African slavery. The three slaves, Green Flake, Hark Lay, and Oscar Crosby, came west with the first group of settlers in 1847. Utah was a Mexican territory when the first pioneers arrived in 1847. Early in the Mexican–American War in late 1846,
17920-441: Was $ 55,514 and for females $ 42,479. 8.6% of the population and 5.6% of families were below the poverty line . In terms of education attainment, out of the 726,907 people in Salt Lake County 25 years or older, 61,635 (8.5%) had not completed high school , 162,491 (22.4%) had a high school diploma or equivalency, 237,252 (32.6%) had some college or associate degree , 170,110 (23.4%) had a bachelor's degree , and 95,419 (13.1%) had
18060-546: Was admitted in 1876 during the American Centennial celebration year , fifteen years after first becoming a territory. The Utah state coat of arms appears on the state seal and state flag. The beehive was chosen as the emblem for the provisional State of Deseret in 1848 and represents the state's industrious and hard-working inhabitants, and the virtues of thrift and perseverance. The sego lilies on either side symbolize peace. The first flag to represent
18200-456: Was among the first to send a message, along with Abraham Lincoln and other officials. Because of the American Civil War , federal troops were pulled out of Utah Territory in 1861. This was a boon to the local economy as the army sold everything in camp for pennies on the dollar before marching back east to join the war. The territory was then left in LDS hands until Patrick E. Connor arrived with
18340-597: Was completed at Promontory Summit , north of the Great Salt Lake. The railroad brought increasing numbers of people into the territory and several influential businesspeople made fortunes there. During the 1870s and 1880s laws were passed to punish polygamists due, in part, to stories from Utah. Notably, Ann Eliza Young —tenth wife to divorce Brigham Young, women's advocate, national lecturer, and author of Wife No. 19 or My Life of Bondage —and Fanny Stenhouse, author of Tell It All: My Life in Mormonism , testified to
18480-488: Was created with the Compromise of 1850 , and Fillmore , named after President Millard Fillmore , was designated the capital. The territory was given the name Utah after the Ute tribe of Native Americans. Salt Lake City replaced Fillmore as the territorial capital in 1856. By 1850, there were around 100 black people in the territory, the majority of whom were slaves. In Salt Lake County, 26 slaves were counted. In 1852,
18620-477: Was inaugurated as its first territorial Governor of Utah . The first Territorial Capital City and Capitol building was located 1850 to 1856 in the small town of Fillmore, Utah , named for the new 13th President Millard Fillmore , who approved and signed the Congressional organic act and territorial erection bill of September 1850, and the small local government was set up here including the meetings of
18760-488: Was located in what is now Kearns on the western side of the valley. After the camp was closed in 1946, the land was sold for private development. Rapid postwar residential settlement of the area began. The federal government established other major defensive installations along the Wasatch Front and in the Great Salt Lake Desert during World War II, which stimulated the economy and brought more people to
18900-631: Was openly anti-Mormon . He sent out parties to scout for mineral resources in the nearby mountains, hoping to encourage non-Mormons to settle in the territory. During the late 19th century, mines were established in the Wasatch mountains, most notably around Alta (and nearby Park City in Summit County ). Exploiting the mineral wealth was difficult until the Utah Central Railroad was constructed and reached this area in 1870. In
19040-490: Was split into 4 districts after the 2020 census , and Republicans have held all of them since. Only one Republican (Workman) has ever been elected county mayor. Since its inception, the county council has mostly been Republican-controlled, save for two years in 2009–2011, when Democrats had a narrow 5-4 majority following the 2008 election. The county last voted for the Democratic candidate for governor in 2004 , and for
19180-562: Was the first time since 1964, when Lyndon B. Johnson was the Democratic candidate, that Salt Lake County had voted for a Democrat in a presidential race. In 2012, the Republicans recaptured the county, as Mitt Romney received 58% of the vote to Obama's 38%. In 2016, Democrat Hillary Clinton won the county with 41.5% of the vote, to Republican Donald Trump 's 32.6% and Independent and Utah-native Evan McMullin 's 25.9%—a much wider margin of over 35,000 votes. In 2020, Salt Lake County saw
19320-471: Was to appoint a county Assessor/Collector, S. Eldridge. Second order was the appointment of a county Treasurer, Thomas Rhodes, and the third and fourth orders of business for the day was setting the rate of taxation on taxable property, at .5% of $ 0.01, and .25% of $ 0.01, as a road tax. The Court (probate section) adjudicated in civil and criminal cases in the county. The Board of County Commissioners began its duties on June 8, 1896, with Utah's statehood. Though
19460-403: Was to be their last, as they chose to meet in Great Salt Lake City the following year and, in 1857, formally voted to make the city the capital of the Territory. In 1858, when the Utah Territory was declared in rebellion, the federal government sent troops to install a new governor and keep watch over the area. The government transition was made peacefully, then the troops set up Camp Floyd to
19600-472: Was under the age of 18, 12.90% from 18 to 24, 30.60% from 25 to 44, 18.00% from 45 to 64, and 8.10% was 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29 years. For every 100 females, there were 101.70 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 99.70 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 48,373, and the median income for a family was $ 54,470. Males had a median income of $ 36,953 versus $ 26,105 for females. The per capita income for
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