Sevier County, Utah

For counties with a similar name, see Sevier County (disambiguation).

Not to be confused with Sevier, Utah, an unincorporated community in the southwestern part of the county.

County in Utah, United States

U.S. county in Utah

Sevier County

U.S. county

Sevier County Courthouse in Richfield

Sevier County Courthouse in Richfield

Location within the U.S. state of Utah

Location within the U.S. state of Utah

Utah's location within the U.S.

Utah's location within the U.S.

Coordinates: 38°45′N 111°48′W﻿ / ﻿38.75°N 111.80°W﻿ / 38.75; -111.80Coordinates: 38°45′N 111°48′W﻿ / ﻿38.75°N 111.80°W﻿ / 38.75; -111.80
Country|  United States
State| File:Flag of the State of Utah.svg Utah
Founded| January 16, 1865
Named for| Sevier River
Seat| Richfield
Largest city| Richfield
Area

• Total| 1,918 sq mi (4,970 km2)
• Land| 1,911 sq mi (4,950 km2)
• Water| 7.8 sq mi (20 km2)  0.4%
Population

(2020)

• Total| 21,522
• Density| 11.3/sq mi (4.4/km2)
Time zone| UTC−7 (Mountain)
• Summer (DST)| UTC−6 (MDT)
Congressional district| 2nd
Website| www.sevierutah.net

Sevier County (/sɛˈvɪər/ sə-VEER) is a county in Utah, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 20,802.[1] Its county seat and largest city is Richfield.[2]

## Contents

* 1 History
* 2 Geography
* 2.1 Major highways
* 2.2 Adjacent counties
* 2.3 Protected areas
* 2.4 Lakes
* 3 Demographics
* 4 Features
* 5 Politics
* 6 Communities
* 6.1 Cities
* 6.2 Towns
* 6.3 Unincorporated communities
* 6.4 Former communities
* 7 See also
* 8 References
* 9 External links

## History[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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' (3546m) 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[edit | edit source]

* File:I-70.svg I-70
* File:Business Loop 70.svgFile:Utah 120.svg I-70 BL / SR-120
* File:US 50.svg US 50
* File:US 89.svg US 89
* File:Utah 10.svg SR-10
* File:Utah 24.svg SR-24
* File:Utah 62.svg SR-62
* File:Utah 72.svg SR-72
* File:Utah 76.svg SR-76
* File:Utah 118.svg SR-118
* File:Utah 119.svg SR-119

### Adjacent counties[edit | edit source]

* Sanpete County \- north
* Emery County \- east
* Wayne County \- southeast
* Piute County \- south
* Beaver County \- southwest
* Millard County \- west

### Protected areas[edit | edit source]

* Capitol Reef National Park (part)
* Fishlake National Forest (part)
* Fremont Indian State Park and Museum
* Koosharem Reservoir Recreation Site
* Manti-La Sal National Forest (part)
* Sand Ledges Recreation Area
* Willow Creek Wildlife Management Area

### Lakes[edit | edit source]

* 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[edit | edit source]

Historical population

Census | Pop. |  | %±
1870| 19| | —
1880| 4,457| | 23,357.9%
1890| 6,199| | 39.1%
1900| 8,451| | 36.3%
1910| 9,775| | 15.7%
1920| 11,281| | 15.4%
1930| 11,199| | −0.7%
1940| 12,112| | 8.2%
1950| 12,072| | −0.3%
1960| 10,565| | −12.5%
1970| 10,103| | −4.4%
1980| 14,727| | 45.8%
1990| 15,431| | 4.8%
2000| 18,842| | 22.1%
2010| 20,802| | 10.4%
2020| 21,522| | 3.5%
US Decennial Census[14]
1790–1960[15] 1900–1990[16]
1990–2000[17] 2010–2018[1] 2019[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/sqmi (3.81/km2). There were 7,016 housing units at an average density of 3.67/sqmi (1.42/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[edit | edit source]

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[edit | edit source]

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  | 77.88% | 695  | 8.03%  | 1,219  | 14.09%
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[edit | edit source]

File:Sevier County Utah incorporated and unincorporated areas.svg

Map of Sevier County communities

### Cities[edit | edit source]

* Aurora
* Monroe
* Richfield (county seat)
* Salina

### Towns[edit | edit source]

* Annabella
* Central Valley
* Elsinore
* Glenwood
* Joseph
* Koosharem
* Redmond
* Sigurd

### Unincorporated communities[edit | edit source]

* Austin
* Burrville
* Cove
* Gooseberry
* Nibley
* Sevier
* Venice

### Former communities[edit | edit source]

* Prattville
* Vermillion (absorbed into Sigurd)

## See also[edit | edit source]

* National Register of Historic Places listings in Sevier County, Utah

## References[edit | edit source]

1. ^ a b "State & County QuickFacts". United States Census Bureau. Archived from the original on September 5, 2015. Retrieved December 29, 2013.
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. ^ "QuickFacts. Utah counties". Retrieved May 17, 2020.
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.

## External links[edit | edit source]

File:Commons-logo.svg

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Sevier County, Utah.

* Official website

Places adjacent to Sevier County, Utah

|  | Sanpete County |

|
|

| North |
Millard County |

WestSevier CountyEast

| Emery County
| South |
Beaver County | Piute County | Wayne County

* v
* t
* e

Municipalities and communities of Sevier County, Utah, United States

County seat: Richfield

Cities|

* Aurora
* Monroe
* Richfield
* Salina

Map of Utah highlighting Sevier County

Towns|

* Annabella
* Central Valley
* Elsinore
* Glenwood
* Joseph
* Koosharem
* Redmond
* Sigurd

Unincorporated
communities|

* Austin
* Burrville
* Sevier
* Venice

Ghost town|

* Prattville

Indian reservation|

* Paiute Reservation‡

Footnotes|

‡This populated place also has portions in an adjacent county or counties

* United States portal

* v
* t
* e

State of Utah

Salt Lake City (capital)

Topics|

* Outline
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Society|

* Culture
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Regions|

* Cache Valley
* Colorado Plateau
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* Great Salt Lake
* Great Salt Lake Desert
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* San Rafael Swell
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Largest cities|

* American Fork
* Bountiful
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* Clearfield
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* Draper
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* Kaysville
* Layton
* Lehi
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* South Salt Lake
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* Springville
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* West Valley City

Counties|

* Beaver
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Attractions|

| Festivals|

* America's Freedom Festival
* Sundance Film Festival
* Moab Jeep Safari
* Utah Shakespeare Festival

|

National monuments|

* Bears Ears National Monument
* Cedar Breaks National Monument
* Dinosaur National Monument
* Grand Staircase–Escalante National Monument
* Hovenweep National Monument
* Natural Bridges National Monument
* Rainbow Bridge National Monument
* Timpanogos Cave National Monument

National parks|

* Arches National Park
* Bryce Canyon National Park
* Canyonlands National Park
* Capitol Reef National Park
* Zion National Park

National recreation areas|

* Flaming Gorge National Recreation Area
* Glen Canyon National Recreation Area

Ski resorts|

* Alta Ski Area
* Beaver Mountain
* Brian Head Ski Resort
* Brighton Ski Resort
* Cherry Peak Resort
* Deer Valley
* Park City Mountain Resort
* Powder Mountain
* Snowbasin
* Snowbird Ski Resort
* Solitude Mountain Resort
* Sundance Resort
* Wolf Mountain

Other|

* Bonneville Salt Flats
* Golden Spike National Historical Park
* Great Salt Lake
* Lagoon (amusement park)
* Temple Square

Flora and fauna|

* Fauna
* Arachnids
* Birds
* Butterflies and moths
* Mammals
* Mollusks
* Flora

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*[%±]: Percent change
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