Utah Counties
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Utah Counties

There are twenty-nine counties in the State of Utah. There were originally seven counties established under the provisional State of Deseret in 1849: Davis, Iron, Sanpete, Salt Lake, Tooele, Utah, and Weber. The Territory of Utah was created in 1851 with the first territorial legislature meeting from 1851-1852. The first legislature re-created the original counties from the State of Deseret under territorial law as well as establishing three additional counties: Juab, Millard, and Washington. All other counties were established between 1854 and 1894 by the Utah Territorial Legislature under territorial law except for the last two counties formed, Daggett and Duchesne.
 

Washington County, Utah

Washington County Education, Geography, and History

Washington County Utah Hall of Justice

Washington County is a county located in the state of Utah. Based on the 2010 census, the population was 138,115, making it the fifth-most populous county in Utah. Its county seat and largest city is St. George. The county was created in 1852 and organized in 1856. It was named for the first President of the United States, George Washington.

Washington County comprises the St. George, UT Metropolitan Statistical Area.

Etymology - Origin of Washington County Name

It was named for the first President of the United States, George Washington.

Demographics:

County QuickFacts: CensusBureau Quick Facts

Washington County History

Washington County in the southwest corner of the state is nicknamed Dixie because it includes a large area around St. George, in the valley of the Virgin River and its tributaries, with the highest average temperatures in the state and very mild winters. The eastern third of the county, including spectacular Zion National Park, is part of the Colorado Plateau. The western two-thirds lies in the Basin and Range geographic province. The lowest point in the state, along Beaver Dam Wash (2,350 feet), is near the county's southwest corner, while the Pine Valley Mountains in the north top 10,000 feet.

Traces of the prehistoric Archaic and Anasazi cultures have been found in the area, and the Santa Clara and Virgin rivers provided an important base for the development of Southern Paiute life. The Dominguez-Escalante expedition in 1776 recorded the first description of the Indians in this area. In 1980 the federal government restored traditional tribal lands west of Santa Clara to the Shivwits branch of Southern Paiutes.

In an attempt to establish an overland route to the Pacific and southern California (the so-called Mormon Corridor) the Mormons founded a string of settlements running southwest from the Salt Lake Valley. Brigham Young sent small groups into southwestern Utah as early as 1852 to test the agricultural potential of the warm climate. Fort Harmony was established in 1852; Santa Clara, 1854; Washington, 1857; Toquerville, 1858; Grafton, 1859; and Adventure (Rockville), 1860. But until 1861--when several hundred families were called by church leaders to go to the area to raise cotton, figs, olives, grapes, sugar, almonds, and tobacco-colonization remained chiefly an experiment. St. George, settled in 1861, became the center of Dixie, and the colonists succeeded in producing sizable amounts of cotton, wine, and molasses. The demand for cotton lasted until after the Civil War. The wine industry also grew during this period, as did mining, but when mining decreased so did the demand for wine. During 1875-80 Silver Reef, northwest of Leeds, was a booming mining town, and Wells Fargo reportedly shipped more than $8,000,000 in bullion from the mines there.

The boundaries of Washington County, formed in 1852 by the legislature, stretched the entire width of the territory (then some 600 miles). After several changes the county achieved its present size and shape in 1892.

The economic base of the county has changed significantly over the years from its agricultural foundation to a much more diversified mix. Zion National Park (established in 1909 as Mukuntuweap National Monument) has always been one of the state's premier tourist attractions. The trade and service industries have grown steadily to accommodate not only increasing numbers of tourists but also the development of the area as a major retirement center. Communities such as Bloomington, south of St. George and numerous condominiums and trailer parks house thousands of winter residents. Two-year Dixie College with some 2,300 students is a major employer.

*Sources: Beehive History 14: Utah Counties. 1988. Utah State Historical Society, 300 Rio Grande, Salt Lake City, UT 84101-1182.

Geography: Land and Water

As reported by the Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 2,430 square miles (6,293 km2), of which, 2,427 square miles (6,285 km2) of it is land and 3 square miles (8 km2) of it (0.13%) is water. The elevation varies from 2,178 to 10,194 feet in elevation

The county includes an area along the Old Spanish Trail called Mountain Meadows. Zion National Park is located in the eastern part of Washington County.

Neighboring Counties

Bordering counties are as follows:

  • Iron County, Utah - (north)
  • Kane County, Utah - (east)
  • Mohave County, Arizona - (south)
  • Lincoln County, Nevada - (west)

Education

In addition to the primary and secondary schools that compose Washington County School District, Washington County is home to Dixie State University in St. George with a campus extension in Hurricane.



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