Named for The Sevier River Time zone Mountain: UTC-7/-6 Area 4,968 km² Population 20,852 (2013) Largest city Richfield | Congressional district 2nd Website www.sevierutah.net Founded 1865 County seat Richfield | |
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Cities Richfield, Salina, Elsinore, Koosharem, Sigurd, Annabella Points of interest Capitol Reef National, Fremont Indian State Par, Fish Lake, Richfield Parks & Recreation, Rotary Park | ||
Sevier County /sɛˈvɪər/ is a county located in the central section of the U.S. state of Utah. As of the 2010 census, the population was 20,802. Its county seat and largest city is Richfield. The county was formed on January 16, 1865, as a split off from Sanpete County to the north. It was named for the Sevier River, which winding path forms its western boundary.
Contents
- Map of Sevier County UT USA
- History
- Geography
- Adjacent counties
- National protected areas
- Demographics
- Features
- References
Map of Sevier County, UT, USA
History
Indigenous peoples migrated into this area by 10,000 years ago, developing different cultures. The Fremont culture of Native Americans occupied the area that is now Sevier County from about 2000 to 700 years before the present. The Clear Creek site contains numerous 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 historic period: the Northern Shoshone, Goshute or Western Shoshone, Southern Paiute, and Ute peoples. The central and eastern sections of this territory were occupied primarily by various bands of the Ute. Historic tribes occupied the territory of Utah at the time of the first European contact by Spanish missionaries, and later settlement by European Americans in the 19th century.
The first non-Native Americans to see the Sevier River were most likely Catholic fathers Silvestre Vélez de Escalante and Francisco Atanasio Domínguez, missionaries who passed through on their expedition to California in 1776. The Old Spanish Trail (trade route) was the route they mapped. Over the course of the next hundred years the trail was used by fur trappers, hunters, government officials, and many more. This carried many people through what was later organized as Sevier County.
Permanent European-American colonization of this area is considered to have begun with the founding of Richfield within the present-day county boundaries. The area was colonized by the Mormon settlers on 15 June 1864. Much of the area was populated by new immigrants who were Mormon converts from Scandinavian countries. Because of the growth in this small community, the people officially created Sevier County in early 1865.
According to Benjamin Edelman in "Red Light States: Who Buys Online Adult Entertainment?," published in 2009 in the Journal of Economic Perspectives, Sevier County has the highest rate of online pornography usage in the United States.
Geography
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, 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.
Adjacent counties
National protected areas
Demographics
As of the census of 2000, there were 18,842 people, 6,081 households, and 4,907 families residing in the county. The population density was 10 people per square mile (4/km2). There were 7,016 housing units at an average density of 4 per square mile (1/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 out of which 43.00% had children under the age of 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 7 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.
In the county, the population was spread out with 34.50% under the age of 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 age 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 age 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, restaurants, etc. serving travelers on their way through the area.
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. It has a museum displaying artifacts found at the site.