St. George is a city located in the southwestern part of the U.S. state of
Utah, and the county seat of Washington County, Utah.6 It is the principal city of and is included in the St. George, Utah
Metropolitan Statistical Area. The city is 119 miles (192 km) northeast
of Las Vegas, Nevada, and 303 miles (488 km) south of
Salt Lake City on Interstate 15.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, St. George had a population of 67,614 in 2006, up from 49,728 in 2000. In 2005, St.
George surpassed Layton as the eighth-largest city in Utah. Its population is 14,000 fewer
than Ogden, the seventh-largest city in the state. In September
2005, St. George was declared the second fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United
States by percentage, coming in behind Greeley, Colorado. From 1990 to 2000,
St. George beat Las Vegas by a mere 0.6% as the fastest growing metropolitan area in the U.S. In 2005, the metropolitan area had
118,885 residents, with roughly another 60,000 living in the nearby communities of Cedar
City, Utah and Mesquite, Nevada.
St. George is the population and commercial center of Utah's Dixie, a nickname given to
the area when Mormon pioneers grew cotton in the warm climate.
St. George's trademark is its geology — red bluffs make up the northern part of the city with two peaks covered in lava rock in
the city's center. The northeastern edges of the Mojave Desert are visible to the south.
Zion National Park can be seen to the east, and mountains are nearby to the north,
southeast and west. It is also near Bryce Canyon National Park. The city is
also a popular retirement destination.
History
Brigham Young's winter home in St. George.
St. George was founded as a cotton mission in the 1850s under the direction of Brigham Young, the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (the Mormons or LDS
Church)— part of a greater church effort to become self-sufficient.[citation needed] While the early settlers did manage to grow cotton, it was never produced
at competitive market rates; consequently, cotton farming was eventually abandoned.
The settlement was probably named after George A. Smith, an apostle of The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.[1]
In April 1877, the LDS Church completed the St. George Utah Temple. It is the
Church's third temple, and, currently, its longest continually-operating
temple.[2]
St. George was the location of the 1998 United States Academic
Decathlon national finals.[citation needed]
The city began booming in the mid-1980s, first as a retirement hotspot and tourist gateway to
Utah's color country, and then as a transportation center.[citation needed]
St. George is home to Utah's first registered Bed & Breakfast--The Seven Wives Inn. The Seven Wives Inn still operates in
the beautiful Historic District across from the Brigham Young Winter Home.[citation needed]
Geography
St. George is located at 37°5′43″N, 113°34′41″W (37.095279,
-113.578151)1.
According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area
of 168.0 km² (64.9 mi²). 166.8 km² (64.4 mi²) of
it is land and 1.2 km² (0.5 mi²) of it (0.72%) is water.
St. George lies in the lowest elevation region of the state, Dixie, with most of the city lying below 3,000 feet (900 m). The
city is surrounded by mountains and red sandstone buttes, and it lies at the very northeastern
edge of the Mojave Desert. The Virgin River flows
through the city.
The city borders Arizona, and is located between the towns of Santa Clara and Ivins to the west and Washington to the east. The core of the city, including its downtown, Dixie State College, convention center and hospital, are located in a small valley
overlooking the Virgin River and surrounded by low lava and sandstone bluffs. The city's southern section, Bloomington, is more
typical of the Mojave Desert, with desert scrub and gravel dominating the landscape. The southeast part of the city has some
farming near the Virgin River but is increasingly developed by homes. Suburban-style developments also dominate the west and
northwest parts of St. George.
Climate
Because of the city's low elevation and southerly location, St. George is the hottest part of the state, with maximum daily
July temperatures averaging about 102°F (39°C). The second-hottest temperature ever recorded in Utah, 117°F (47°C), was recorded
in St. George on July 5, 1985 (this was the state record until
July 4, 2007, when 118°F (48°C) was recorded south of the city near
the Arizona border). The record high minimum temperature is 89°F (32°C), set on July 15, 1970. In winter, temperatures frequently drop below freezing overnight
(due to radiational cooling resulting from low humidity), but temperatures warm into the 50s°F (low 10s°C) during the day. Both
the record low temperature of -11°F (-24°C) and record low maximum temperature of 17°F (-8°C) were set on January 22, 1937.
St. George lies in a desert and averages 8.27 inches (210 mm) of precipitation annually. Precipitation is fairly evenly
distributed throughout the year, except for a dry period from late April through June (after the Pacific storm season but before
the monsoon). Precipitation mostly comes from the Pacific Ocean from late fall through winter and early spring. The storm track
usually lifts north of the city by mid-April. The summer monsoon from the Gulf of California can bring localized but often intense thunderstorms from mid-July through
mid-September. One such storm dropped the record single day precipitation in the city, with 2.39 in (61 mm) on August 31, 1909. Snow is rare, but not unheard of, averaging 3.2 inches (8.1 cm)
annually. It has been recorded as early as October 29 (in 1971)
and as late as April 11 (in 1927). The record single day snowfall
is 10.0 in (25.4 cm), set on January 5, 1974.
|
|
January |
February |
March |
April |
May |
June |
July |
August |
September |
October |
November |
December |
| Extreme Daily Maximum |
°F |
72 |
84 |
91 |
100 |
108 |
115 |
117 |
113 |
109 |
99 |
88 |
75 |
| Average Daily Maximum |
°F |
54 |
60 |
68 |
77 |
86 |
96 |
102 |
100 |
93 |
80 |
65 |
54 |
| Average Daily Minimum |
°F |
26 |
31 |
36 |
43 |
51 |
59 |
67 |
65 |
55 |
43 |
32 |
26 |
| Extreme Daily Minimum |
°F |
-11 |
1 |
12 |
18 |
20 |
35 |
41 |
43 |
25 |
20 |
4 |
-4 |
| Data is for St. George Municipal |
|
|
January |
February |
March |
April |
May |
June |
July |
August |
September |
October |
November |
December |
| Average Precipitation |
in |
1.08 |
1.03 |
0.93 |
0.53 |
0.39 |
0.19 |
0.67 |
0.75 |
0.60 |
0.68 |
0.64 |
0.77 |
| Average Snowfall |
in |
1.3 |
0.6 |
0.1 |
T |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
0.0 |
T |
0.2 |
0.9 |
| Data is for St. George Municipal |
Economy
Along with its increasing population, the economy of St. George and surrounding areas has boomed in recent years.
One of St. George's most significant corporations is SkyWest Airlines, which has its
corporate headquarters in St. George. Wal-Mart has a large distribution center located near St.
George. In 2003, Intermountain Health Care opened a new $100 million, 196 bed,
420,000 square foot hospital building.
A large part of the economy of southwestern Utah comes from tourism. St. George is in proximity to Zion National Park and
Bryce Canyon National Park, as well as several state parks and recreational areas. It is a little less than an hour drive from
the Utah Shakespearian Festival, which won the Tony in 2000. Golf also plays a large part in the
city's tourism industry. St. George offers one of the highest number of golf courses per capita in the country. Special events
such as the St. George Marathon and the Huntsman Senior Games draw thousands to St.
George each year. The St. George Marathon is currently the 13th largest marathon in the
country.
Transportation
St. George and its LDS Temple, with West Temple of Zion National Park in the distance.
The city is on the I-15 corridor, 125 miles south of the western terminus of I-70. It
has access to the I-10 and I-40 corridors via
US 93, 120 miles southwest. Community growth has led to planning a new regional airport,
as well as a beltway through the southeastern, eastern, and northeastern portions of the urban area.
St. George does not have access to any rail service, freight or passenger. The Union
Pacific line between Salt Lake City and Las Vegas is about 60 miles north of the city. Recently, an environmental impact statement (EIS) was completed in preparation for a new regional
airport to be built just southeast of the city. The new airport will replace the current St. George Municipal Airport, which is of insufficent size and has no capacity for
expansion or accommodation of larger aircraft. Plans for the new airport include a single runway capable of accommodating
regional jets as well as other larger commercial jet aircraft. The city is expected to break ground on the proposed site in 2006
with completion of the airport expected in 2010.
SunTran is St. George's public transit system. As of 2005, the system consisted of three bus routes with about sixty bus
stops.
Sports
The St. George community has been the home for two minor league independent baseball team. The first, the Zion Pioneerzz,
folded after three seasons. In 2007, a new franchise, owned and managed by former major leaguer Cory Snyder, moved to Utah's
Dixie. The new team, the St. George Roadrunners, plays in the Golden Baseball League.
Most of the interests in sports in the community centers on the city's three high schools: Dixie, Pine View and Snow Canyon.
All three schools were considered powerhouses in Utah's 3A competition. The rivals have had some memorable showdowns in state
championship games over the years. In 1997, Snow Canyon and Dixie played in the 3A state championship game at a packed Hansen
Stadium. Snow Canyon emerged with a 21-14 win. In 2002, Snow Canyon and Pine View played in the state boys' basketball
championship at Burns Arena, which S.C. won. And, in 2007, Dixie and Pine View met in the state boys' basketball championship
game, again at Burns Arena. Pine View narrowly downed the Flyers, 41-38. A fourth school, the Desert Hills High School Thunder,
will begin competition in 2008.
Dixie State College was one of the top junior college athletic programs. The school won national men's basketball titles in
1985 and 2002. The women's soccer team won two NJCAA titles as well, and the baseball team also won the juco World Series one
year. The football team was year in and year out one of the top NJCAA programs in the nation under head coach Greg Croshaw, who
won over 200 games at the school. The Rotary Bowl, which is held at St. George's Hansen Stadium, twice hosted the NJCAA
Championship Game in 1999 and 2003. In both games, Dixie fell to Butler County, Kansas.
Some famous DSC athletes are Corey Dillon, Anton Palepoi, Reno Mahe and Scott Brumfield, who all played in the NFL. Marcus
Banks, Lionel Hollins, Keon Clark and Mo Baker are the Dixie players who played in the NBA, and former Rebels Bradley Thompson
and Brandon Lyon currently play in the major leagues.
The city also hosts nationally-known events, such as the St. George Marathon and Huntsman World Senior Games. It is also the
location of the Vic Braden Tennis College, and it has numerous golf courses and tennis academies throughout the city.
Media
The Spectrum, which is owned by Gannett, is the local, daily newspaper. The Dixie
Weekly News, a weekly paper, is mailed to every resident of Washington County. The Salt
Lake Tribune, Deseret Morning News, and Las Vegas Review-Journal / Las Vegas Sun are also
heavily distributed in St. George and offer home delivery.
St. George has little in the way of local television media. KCSG Channel 4, an America One affiliate, is based in the city and carries a local newscast. Most major network affiliates are
Salt Lake City stations that have broadcast
translators in the St. George area. There are also two translators for KVBC, the Las Vegas
NBC affiliate. Its network programming, in general, airs two hours later than the same programming
broadcast on the KSL translator.
KDXU 890 is the main radio station in St. George. It carries local programming in the morning, from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Most
notably, is the 9 a.m. Open Mike Program, hosted by Mike McGarry, which has a large audience. Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity are
also on the station's lineup. In July 2007, a new sports station on 1210 AM began. McGarry and Devin Dixon host local programs on
that station. Music stations in the area include 106.1, 94.9 and 96.7.
Education
St. George is home to Dixie State College of Utah, a four-year
institution. It is also home to three high schools, Pine View High School,
Dixie High School, and Snow
Canyon High School, as well as a number of elementary and intermediate schools. Due to the recent population explosion in
St. George, several plans are being made for new schools to be constructed in the very near future, including a new high school,
Desert Hills High. Nearby Ivins is
home to Utah's first charter high school, Tuacahn High School for the Performing Arts, which provides an alternative education
with no tuition costs to any Utah resident.
Demographics
The land in and around St. George is naturally a vivid red and devoid of most plant life.
As of the census2 of 2000, there were 49,663 people, 17,367 households, and 13,042 families
residing in the city. The population density was 297.7/km² (771.2/mi²). There were
21,083 housing units at an average density of 126.4/km² (327.4/mi²).
The city is growing fast. A 2005 census estimated the city population at 64,201. Furthermore, the greater St. George area has
a current estimated population of around 115,000. Rapid growth is a major problem; the city of St. George alone grows at an
average pace of 750 to 1,000 new residents each month. Many of these new residents are retirees who move here because of the mild
winters. In September 2005, St. George was declared the second fastest-growing metropolitan area in the United States.[3][4]
The racial makeup of the city was 92.27% White, 1.64%
Native American, 0.57% Asian, 0.59% Pacific Islander, 2.87% from other races, and 1.83% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 6.72% of the population. St. George had just 120
African Americans in the 2000 Census.
There are 17,367 households, out of which 34.2% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.6% were
married couples living together, 8.6% had a female householder with no husband present, and
24.9% were non-families. 19.4% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% have someone living alone who is 65 years
old or older. The average household size was 2.81 individuals and the average family size was 3.21.
The city resident's ages are spread out, with 28.4% under the age of 18, 13.7% from 18 to 24, 22.0% from 25 to 44, 16.8% from
45 to 64, and 19.3% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 31 years. For every 100 females there were 94.5 males.
For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 91.2 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $36,505, and the median income for a family was $41,788. Males had a median
income of $31,106 versus $20,861 for females. The per capita income for the city was
$17,022. About 7.4% of families and 11.6% of the population were below the poverty
line, including 14.4% of those under age 18 and 4.4% of those age 65 or over.
Nuclear contamination
On May 19, 1953, the United States government detonated the
32-kiloton (130 TJ) atomic bomb (nicknamed "Harry") at the
Nevada Test Site. The bomb later gained the name "Dirty Harry" because of the tremendous amount of off-site fallout generated by the bomb.[5]
Winds carried fallout 135 miles (220 km) to St. George, where residents reported "an oddly metallic sort of taste in the
air."[6]
St. George received the brunt of the fallout of above-ground nuclear testing in the
Yucca Flats/Nevada Test Site northwest of Las Vegas. Winds routinely carried the
fallout of these tests directly through St. George and southern Utah. Marked increases in cancer
and other radiation-related illnesses were recorded throughout the mid-1950's and early 1960's.
A 1962 United States Atomic Energy Commission report found
that "children living in St. George, Utah may have received doses to the thyroid of
radioiodine as high as 120 to 440 rads" (1.2 to 4.4 Gy).[citation needed]
Notable residents
Notable natives
Popular culture
Some movies that were filmed in St. George:
Notes
External links
Coordinates:
37.095279° N 113.578151°
W
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