Sevier County
County
Sevier County Courthouse in Richfield
Sevier County Courthouse in Richfield
Map of Utah highlighting Sevier County
Location within the U.S. state of Utah
Map of the United States highlighting Utah
Utah's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 38°45′N 111°48′W / 38.75°N 111.80°W / 38.75; -111.80
Country United States
State Utah
FoundedJanuary 16, 1865
Named forSevier River
SeatRichfield
Largest cityRichfield
Area
 • Total1,918 sq mi (4,970 km2)
 • Land1,911 sq mi (4,950 km2)
 • Water7.8 sq mi (20 km2)  0.4%
Population
 (2020)
 • Total21,522
 • Density11.3/sq mi (4.4/km2)
Time zoneUTC−7 (Mountain)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district2nd
Websitewww.sevierutah.net

Sevier County (/sɛˈvɪər/ sə-VEER) is a county in Utah, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 21,522.[1] Its county seat and largest city is Richfield.[2]

History

Evidence of indigenous peoples residing in Sevier County up to 5,000 BP has been unearthed.[3] The Fremont culture of Native Americans occupied the area from about 2000 to 700 BP.[4] The Clear Creek site contains native petroglyphs from that period.

In Utah, the Numic- (or Shoshonean) speaking peoples of the Uto-Aztecan language family evolved into four distinct groups in the historical period: the Northern Shoshone, Goshute or Western Shoshone, Southern Paiute, and Ute peoples. This territory's central and eastern sections were occupied primarily by various bands of the Ute.[5]

The first modern sighting of the Sevier River was most likely by the Catholic fathers Silvestre Vélez de Escalante and Francisco Atanasio Domínguez, on their expedition to California in 1776.[6] The Old Spanish Trail was the route they mapped. Over the next century, this trail carried fur trappers, hunters, government officials, traders, and settlers.

Settlement of this area began when Richfield was first settled. Mormon settlers arrived on June 15, 1864, most of whom had emigrated from Scandinavian countries. Because of the growth in this small community, the people soon petitioned Utah Territory officials about a separate county.[7]

On January 16, 1865, the Utah Territory legislature created the county, with the area annexed from Sanpete County. It was named for the Sevier River.[8] The county seat was Big Spring (later named Richfield). The county borders were adjusted in 1866, 1880, 1890, and in 1921. A clarification of boundary lines corresponding to government survey lines was completed in 1931, marking the present configuration of Sevier County.[9]

Although the county was in place by 1865, much of Sevier County was abandoned in the Black Hawk War in 1867. Attempts to resettle the area were not successful until 1870. By 1874, 753 residents lived in the area.[10]

Geography

Sevier County terrain consists of semi-arid but arable rolling areas punctuated by northeast–southwest mountain ridges, usually forested.[11] The highest point is Fish Lake Hightop in the Central Utah Plateau, at 11,633 ft (3,546 m) ASL.[12] The county has a total area of 1,918 square miles (4,970 km2), of which 1,911 square miles (4,950 km2) is land and 7.8 square miles (20 km2) (0.4%) is water.[13]

Major highways

Adjacent counties

Protected areas

Lakes

  • Abes Reservoir
  • Acord Lakes
  • Annabella Reservoir
  • Bear Valley Reservoir
  • Big Lake
  • Boobe Hole Reservoir
  • Broadhead Lakes
  • Cold Spring (near Twin Ponds)
  • Coots Slough
  • Crater Lakes
  • Davis Hollow Reservoir
  • Deep Lake
  • Duck Lake
  • Emerald Lakes
  • Farnsworth Reservoir
  • Farrell Pond
  • Fish Lake
  • Floating Island Lake
  • Forsyth Reservoir
  • Gardner Hollow Reservoirs
  • Gates Lake
  • Hamilton Reservoir
  • Harves River Reservoir
  • Hepplers Ponds
  • Hunts Lakes
  • Indian Springs
  • Jeffery Reservoir
  • Jensen Spring
  • Johnson Valley Reservoir
  • Killian Spring
  • Koosharem Reservoir
  • Lake Louise
  • Lost Creek Reservoir
  • Lower Hunts Lake
  • Magelby Reservoir
  • Meeks Lake
  • Mill Meadow Reservoir (part)
  • Morrell Pond
  • Mud Lake
  • Oles Pond
  • Ox Spring
  • Paradise Valley Lake
  • Redmond Lake
  • Rex Reservoir
  • Rim Seep
  • Rocky Ford Reservoir
  • Saleratus Reservoir
  • Salina Reservoir
  • Sargent Lake
  • Scrub Flat Reservoir
  • Sheep Valley Reservoir
  • Silas Spring
  • Skutumpah Reservoir
  • Slide Lake
  • Snow Fence Pond
  • Snow Lake
  • Solomon Reservoir
  • Spring Reservoir
  • The Potholes
  • Three Creeks Reservoir
  • Three Lakes (two of the three)
  • Tidwell Pond
  • Twin Lake
  • Twin Ponds
  • Washburn Reservoir
  • Willies Flat Reservoir
  • Willow Creek Reservoir
  • Willow Lake
  • Wood Hollow Reservoir

Demographics

Historical population
CensusPop.Note%±
187019—
18804,45723,357.9%
18906,19939.1%
19008,45136.3%
19109,77515.7%
192011,28115.4%
193011,199−0.7%
194012,1128.2%
195012,072−0.3%
196010,565−12.5%
197010,103−4.4%
198014,72745.8%
199015,4314.8%
200018,84222.1%
201020,80210.4%
202021,5223.5%
US Decennial Census[14]
1790–1960[15] 1900–1990[16]
1990–2000[17] 2010[18] 2020[19]

As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 18,842 people, 6,081 households, and 4,907 families in the county. The population density was 9.86 people per square mile (3.81 people/km2). There were 7,016 housing units at an average density of 3.67 units per square mile (1.42 units/km2). The racial makeup of the county was 95.61% White, 0.27% Black or African American, 2.00% Native American, 0.26% Asian, 0.09% Pacific Islander, 0.79% from other races, and 0.99% from two or more races. 2.55% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 6,081 households, of which 43.00% had children under 18 living with them, 70.10% were married couples living together, 7.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.30% were non-families. Of the 6,081 households in Sevier County, 155 are unmarried partner households: 137 heterosexual, 11 same-sex male, and seven same-sex female. 17.60% of all households were made up of individuals, and 9.40% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.03, and the average family size was 3.44.

The county population contained 34.50% under 18, 10.10% from 18 to 24, 22.90% from 25 to 44, 19.70% from 45 to 64, and 12.90% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 99.20 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 97.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $35,822, and the median income for a family was $40,110. Males had a median income of $32,632 versus $19,228 for females. The per capita income for the county was $14,180. About 8.30% of families and 10.80% of the population were below the poverty line, including 12.80% of those under age 18 and 8.50% of those aged 65 or over.

Features

Interstate 70 runs through the county. As Richfield is about halfway between the major cities of Los Angeles, California and Denver, Colorado, it has built a hospitality industry, with motels and restaurants serving travelers.

Fremont Indian State Park is found in the Clear Creek Canyon, adjacent to I-70. It is noted for its archaeological remains from the ancient Native American Fremont culture. Its museum displays found artifacts.

Politics

Sevier County is traditionally Republican. In no national election since 1936 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2020).

State Elected Offices
Position District Name Affiliation First Elected
  Senate 24 Derrin Owens Republican 2020[20]
  House of Representatives 70 Carl Albrecht Republican 2016[21]
  House of Representatives 73 Phil Lyman Republican 2018[22]
  Board of Education 14 Mark Huntsman Nonpartisan 2014[23]
United States presidential election results for Sevier County, Utah[24]
Year Republican Democratic Third party
No. %No. %No. %
2020 9,052 87.35% 1,084 10.46% 227 2.19%
2016 6,740 77.52% 695 7.99% 1,260 14.49%
2012 7,207 89.32% 738 9.15% 124 1.54%
2008 6,394 79.35% 1,359 16.87% 305 3.79%
2004 6,597 86.34% 920 12.04% 124 1.62%
2000 5,763 81.43% 1,046 14.78% 268 3.79%
1996 4,031 65.79% 1,327 21.66% 769 12.55%
1992 3,160 50.50% 1,039 16.60% 2,059 32.90%
1988 4,747 76.31% 1,403 22.55% 71 1.14%
1984 5,736 83.49% 1,072 15.60% 62 0.90%
1980 5,614 80.79% 1,112 16.00% 223 3.21%
1976 3,686 65.24% 1,564 27.68% 400 7.08%
1972 3,700 72.96% 820 16.17% 551 10.87%
1968 3,190 67.24% 1,167 24.60% 387 8.16%
1964 2,617 57.33% 1,948 42.67% 0 0.00%
1960 3,166 65.18% 1,690 34.80% 1 0.02%
1956 3,646 74.74% 1,232 25.26% 0 0.00%
1952 3,996 73.44% 1,445 26.56% 0 0.00%
1948 2,791 58.76% 1,943 40.91% 16 0.34%
1944 2,345 52.76% 2,095 47.13% 5 0.11%
1940 2,703 51.70% 2,521 48.22% 4 0.08%
1936 1,899 39.84% 2,816 59.07% 52 1.09%
1932 2,225 48.44% 2,303 50.14% 65 1.42%
1928 2,424 63.13% 1,399 36.43% 17 0.44%
1924 2,111 56.44% 1,201 32.11% 428 11.44%
1920 2,506 62.84% 1,425 35.73% 57 1.43%
1916 1,720 44.79% 2,052 53.44% 68 1.77%
1912 1,452 41.90% 915 26.41% 1,098 31.69%
1908 1,780 54.94% 1,272 39.26% 188 5.80%
1904 1,725 59.10% 930 31.86% 264 9.04%
1900 1,581 54.82% 1,261 43.72% 42 1.46%
1896 497 21.10% 1,858 78.90% 0 0.00%

Communities

Map of Sevier County communities

Cities

Towns

Unincorporated communities

Former communities

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Sevier County, Utah". United States Census Bureau. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Find a County". National Association of Counties. Retrieved June 7, 2011.
  3. ↑ Excavations for US Interstate I-70 in the 1980s produced archaeologic data dating back 5,000 years.
  4. ↑ Snow, Dean R. (2009). Archaeology of Native North America. Prentice Hall ISBN 0-13-615686-X.
  5. ↑ David Rich Lewis, "Native Americans in Utah", Utah History Encyclopedia (accessed December 6, 2016)
  6. ↑ The Spanish Catholic clerics traveled the Great Basin to find a reported river to the Pacific Ocean. In this area, they discovered a turbulent ("severo") river that flowed northward to Yuba Lake. Thus the name "Sevier."
  7. ↑ Bishop, M. Guy. A History of Sevier County. Salt Lake City: Utah State Historical Society, 1997.
  8. ↑ Van Cott, J. W., 1990, Utah Place Names, ISBN 0-87480-345-4
  9. ↑ Individual County Chronologies/Sevier County UT Newberry Library Archived March 6, 2016, at the Wayback Machine (accessed March 29, 2019)
  10. ↑ "History of Sevier County" Sevier County website (accessed 29 March 2019)
  11. ↑ Sevier County UT Google Maps (accessed 29 March 2019)
  12. ↑ Utah County High Points/Sevier County. Peakbaggers (accessed 29 March 2019)
  13. ↑ "2010 Census Gazetteer Files". US Census Bureau. August 22, 2012. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  14. ↑ "US Decennial Census". US Census Bureau. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  15. ↑ "Historical Census Browser". University of Virginia Library. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  16. ↑ Forstall, Richard L., ed. (June 25, 1995). "Population of Counties by Decennial Census: 1900 to 1990". US Census Bureau. Retrieved March 27, 2015.
  17. ↑ "Census 2000 PHC-T-4. Ranking Tables for Counties: 1990 and 2000" (PDF). US Census Bureau. April 2, 2001. Retrieved June 25, 2015.
  18. ↑ "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
  19. ↑ 2020 Population and Housing State Data | Utah
  20. ↑ "Senator Owens Utah Senate". senate.utah.gov. Retrieved November 16, 2021.
  21. ↑ "Rep. Albrecht, Carl R." Utah House of Representatives. Retrieved November 17, 2021.
  22. ↑ "Rep. Lyman, Phil". Utah House of Representatives. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  23. ↑ "Mark Huntsman". www.schools.utah.gov. Retrieved November 15, 2021.
  24. ↑ Leip, David. "Atlas of US Presidential Elections". uselectionatlas.org. Retrieved March 31, 2018.
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