Snowville, Utah

Geography

Snowville is located at an elevation of 4,551 feet (1,387 m).

According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of 1.5 square miles (4.0 km²), all land.

Climate

According to the Köppen Climate Classification system, Snowville has a semi-arid climate, abbreviated "BSk" on climate maps.

Demographics

As of the census of 2000, there were 177 people, 59 households, and 46 families residing in the town. The population density was 115.4 people per square mile (44.7/km²). There were 71 housing units at an average density of 46.3 per square mile (17.9/km²). The racial makeup of the town was 88.70% White, 0.56% Asian, 9.60% from other races, and 1.13% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 19.21% of the population.

There were 59 households out of which 47.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 62.7% were married couples living together, 10.2% had a female householder with no husband present, and 22.0% were non-families. 20.3% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.2% 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 3.52.

In the town, the population was spread out with 29.9% under the age of 18, 15.3% from 18 to 24, 24.3% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 28 years. For every 100 females there were 96.7 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 96.8 males.

The median income for a household in the town was $24,375, and the median income for a family was $35,750. Males had a median income of $36,250 versus $35,250 for females. The per capita income for the town was $13,604. None of the families and 4.8% of the population were living below the poverty line, including no under eighteens and 54.5% of those over 64.

History

Curlew Valley, named after the curlew snipe that nests there, extends from Snowville, Utah, to the Idaho towns of Stone and Holbrook. The first recorded white men were Peter Skene Ogden's large party of trappers that camped on Deep Creek December 27, 1828.

Some of the discharged members of the Mormon Battalion, on their way home from California to Salt Lake City on September 18, 1848, camped on Deep Creek and also in a cave one mile (1.6 km) east called Hollow Rock.

The beginning of Deep Creek is a large spring at Holbrook which runs through the center of the valley and has never varied even in dry years. About one mile (1.6 km) southwest is Rocky Ford, where the pioneers were able to pass on solid rock.

In 1869 William Robbins, Thomas Showell, and William M. Harris settled at the Curlew Sinks, ten miles (16 km) west of here, where Deep Creek sinks into the ground. The old pioneer trail and the stage line went through their ranch.

The first townsite in the Curlew Valley was Snowville. Settled at the direction of Brigham Young and named in honor of Lorenzo Snow an apostle at the time but later to become the President of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints 1898–1901. Snowville was laid out August 14, 1878.

Cemetery

The Snowville Cemetery is located at 750 North 600 West in Snowville, Utah. The earliest burial is that of William O'Donald who died May 27, 1869. As of 2004 there are 540 burials on 10 acres (40,000 m²) owned by the town of Snowville. Two unknown soldiers are buried in the cemetery as well as William Robbins, the first settler of the valley and a veteran of the American Civil War. The cemetery has a searchable database available by the Utah History Research Center.