| Utah |
| Principal Locations |
| Resources |
Salt Lake City, Utah  Salt Lake City is the state capital and most populous city in the U.S. state of Utah. Its population as of the 2000 Census was 181,743. The Salt Lake City-Ogden metropolitan area, defined as Salt Lake, Davis, and Weber counties by the federal government, had a population of 1,333,914 as of 2000. However, the state defines the northern metropolitan area as consisting of Davis, Salt Lake, Utah, and Weber counties, therefore encompassing 1,702,450 residents, or 76% of Utah's populace. [1] The city occupies the north end of the Salt Lake Valley along the Wasatch Front at an elevation of 4,330 ft (1,320 m). The valley is surrounded by mountains that rise up to 6,500 ft (1,980 m) above the valley floor. Named after nearby Great Salt Lake, the city is separated from the lake's shore by marshes and mudflats. Residents are known as "Salt Lakers". The city is considered one of the most historically important cities in the Western United States. Founded in 1847 by a group of Latter-day Saints (also known as Mormons) led by their religious leader, Brigham Young, Salt Lake City is among the region's oldest cities and is the location of the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Mining and the railroad initially brought economic growth, and the city became known as the "Crossroads of the West". The city has developed a strong tourism industry and was host to the 2002 Winter Olympics. The city is governed by a mayor-council government. The current mayor of Salt Lake City is Rocky Anderson.
History
Before European settlement, the Shoshone, Ute, and Paiute had dwelled in the Salt Lake Valley for thousands of years. The first Europeans to settle in the valley were the Latter-Day Saints on July 24, 1847. They had traveled across the nation, seeking an isolated area to practice their religion, away from the persecution they had faced in the East. Upon arrival their religious prophet Brigham Young reportedly stated, "This is the right place." These newcomers organized a new state called Deseret and petitioned its recognition in 1849. The United States Congress rebuffed the settlers in 1850 and established the Utah Territory. Great Salt Lake City replaced Fillmore as the territorial capital in 1858 and the name was subsequently abbreviated to Salt Lake City. The city's population swelled with an influx of religious converts, making it one of the most populous cities in the Old American West.  Disputes with the federal government ensued over widespread religious practice of polygamy. A climax occurred in 1857 with President James Buchanan declaring the area in rebellion when Brigham Young refused to step down as governor. The conflict called the Utah War began. A division of the United States Army marched through the city and found that it had been evacuated. This division set up Camp Floyd approximately 40 mi (65 km) southwest of the city. Another military installation, Fort Douglas, was established in 1862 to maintain Union allegiance during the American Civil War. Many area leaders were imprisoned at the territorial prison in Sugar House in the 1880s for violation of polygamy laws. The LDS Church conceded in 1890, releasing "The Manifesto", which officially renounced polygamy in the church. This paved the way for statehood in 1896, when Salt Lake City became the state capital. The First Transcontinental Railroad was completed in 1869 at Promontory Summit on the north side of the Great Salt Lake. A railroad was connected to the city from the Transcontinental Railroad in 1870 making travel less burdensome. Mass-migration of different groups followed. They found economic opportunities in the booming mining industries. These groups constructed the Greek Orthodox Holy Trinity Cathedral in 1905 and the Roman Catholic Cathedral of the Madeleine in 1909, the first major churches not of the Latter-Day Saint faith. Both cathedrals are historic icons. Population growth began to stagnate during the 20th Century with the advent of suburban life. High birth rates combined with migration from defunct mining towns led to explosive growth in its suburbs. As a result the suburban population greatly outnumbers the city proper itself. A major concern of recent government officials has been combating inner-city decay. The city lost population from the 1960s through the 1980s, but recovered in the 1990s.  During the 1990s growth rates increased. Many Californians experiencing recession migrated for economic reasons. Utah had escaped the brunt of the turmoil. Significant demographic shifts have been experienced. Hispanics account for approximately 19% of residents. The Glendale section is predominantly Spanish speaking. Jackie Biskupski, an openly gay woman, was elected in 1998 as a Utah State representative. The Utah Pride Festival is the state’s second most attended parade. Bosnian, Sudanese, Afghani, Somali, and Russian refugees have settled in the city under government programs. Salt Lake City was selected as the host to the 2002 Winter Olympics in 1995. The games were plagued with controversy. An Olympic bid scandal surfaced in 1998 centered on accusations of bribery. During the games other scandals erupted over contested judging scores and illegal drug-use. Despite the controversies the games were heralded as a financial success, being one of the few in recent history to profit. In preparation, major construction projects were initiated. Local freeways were expanded and repaired and a light rail system was constructed. Tourism has also increased and the new Olympic venues are now used for local sporting events. Both have had a significant and lasting impact. Geography
 Salt Lake City is located at 40°45 N and 111°53 W. The total area is 285.9 km² (110.4 mi²). It sits in the Salt Lake Valley at an average elevation of 4,327 feet (1,320 meters) above sea level. The Wasatch Range rises approximately 11,500 ft (3,500 m) above sea level 5 mi (8 km) to the east of Downtown. The Oquirrh Mountains, located 7 mi (11 km) west of the city, rise to about 10,000 ft (3,050 m). The Traverse Mountains at the south end of the valley rise to 6,000 ft (1,830 m) above sea level, partially bridging the gap between the Wasatch and Oquirrh ranges. Many ski resorts are promoted as having the "Greatest Snow on Earth" for the light, powdery snow that is often considered great for skiing. These mountains are also the namesake of the Wasatch Front. Three major canyons cut through the Wasatch Range and open into Salt Lake City proper. The northernmost is City Creek Canyon that opens into the downtown, bordered on either side by Capitol Hill and The Avenues. Next is Emigration Canyon, the canyon the Mormons used to initially enter the valley. It opens up on the East Bench just south of the University of Utah, near Hogle Zoo and This Is The Place State Park. Traversed by Interstate 80, Parley's Canyon opens up at the very southeast corner of the city proper near Canyon Rim, an unincorporated residential suburb. The valley floor consists of the lakebed of ancient Lake Bonneville. This lake once encompassed the eastern Great Basin. Its largest remnant is the Great Salt Lake, located 10 mi (12 km) north of the city. The Bonneville Salt Flats west of the city are a product of the dried up lake. Due to its high salinity content, the Great Salt Lake is devoid of most aquatic life. Marshlands and mudflats exist on the border of the Great Salt Lake. Algae buildup and decay commonly results in a phenomena known as “lake stink”, which serves as one of the only reminders to Salt Lakers that they live near a major body of water.  The Jordan River flows through the city from Utah Lake to the Great Salt Lake. Early Latter-Day Saint settlers named the river after its counterpart in the Holy Land, noting similarities as a fresh water lake source and an inland salt sea destination. Significant seismic activity has been forecasted for the area. The Wasatch Fault, located in the Wasatch Mountains, is considered overdue for a major earthquake. Concerns have been voiced over possible damage resulting from the liquefaction of the clay and sand-based soil during an earthquake. City layout
The city, as well as the county, is on a grid plan. Most major streets run precisely north-south and east-west. Its origin is the southeast corner of Temple Square, the block containing the Salt Lake Temple of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Addresses are coordinates within the system. 100 units is equal to 1/8th of a mile (200 m), the length of blocks in downtown Salt Lake City. Locals often abbreviate the addresses when speaking. For instance, one might speak of the intersection of 700 East and 3300 South as 7th East and 33rd South. Latter-day Saint founder Joseph Smith planned it in the “Plat of the City of Zion”. In his plan the city was to be developed into 135 10-acre lots. However, the blocks became irregular during the 1800s when the LDS Church lost authority over growth and before zoning ordinances in the 1920s. There are three distinct street patterns in Salt Lake City:
NeighborhoodsSalt Lake City has many informal neighborhoods. The eastern portion of the city has higher property values than its western counterpart. This is a result of the railroad being built in the western half as well as scenic views from inclined grounds in the eastern portion. Immigrants find housing more affordable on the west side, which results in demographic differences. Interstate 15 further solidified these divisions. However, recently, these demographic differences have begun to even themselves out. For example, the increasingly trendy Marmalade District on the west side of Capitol Hill.  Neighborhoods:
Climate
 Salt Lake City's climate is separated into four very distinct, widely-variable seasons. A cold, snowy winter is followed by a wet spring with wide temperature swings. Overnight snow often accompanies heavy rainstorms in early spring. Summer is dry with scattered and small, but powerful, thunderstorms, while the climate in fall is widely-variable, even more so than in spring. Winter weather is moderated by the Great Salt Lake to the northwest of the city and the Rocky Mountains to the north and east of the state, which serve as barriers to frigid arctic air. Salt Lake City's record low temperature is -30 °F (-34 °C), set on February 9, 1933. Snow is frequent from late November through March, but it is unusual for any one storm to accumulate more than 12 in (300 mm) in the city. The airport averages 58.7 in (1,491 mm) per year, with significantly higher amounts received on the benches. Both precipitation and humidity are highest in late winter and early spring, and lowest in late summer and early autumn. Major sources of precipitation are winter snow storms originating in the Gulf of Alaska, late winter rains from the Pineapple Express created in Hawaiian waters, and summer monsoons from the Gulf of California. During winter, temperature inversions are common, which results in cold, hazy, and foggy conditions in the valley while the surrounding mountains enjoy warm, sunny days. Summers are likewise moderated somewhat by the lake, and also by the city's elevation of 4,290 feet (1,308 m) at Temple Square. Days over 100 °F (38 °C) occur on average 3-4 times per year, but such days are marked with low humidity, which, combined with the altitude, produce a large daily range in temperatures, and hence, rather cool nights in summer. Salt Lake City's record high temperature is 107 °F (41 °C), first set on July 26, 1960 and again on July 13, 2002. The summer monsoon rising from Mexico and Arizona passes through the region beginning in mid-July and continuing through September, bringing intense but short thunderstorm activity. Salt Lake City's yearly average temperature is 52.0°F (11.1°C). Spring is the wettest season, with May specifically being the wettest month. The driest month is July. The airport averages 16.50 in (4,191 mm) of precipitation per year. The phenomenons El Niño and La Niña also affect precipitation along the Great Basin, bringing occasional cycles of drought and flooding. The largest recent flood in Salt Lake City occurred in 1983. As a result of extended drought patterns, Salt Lake City constructed several reservoirs to hold excess water during flood periods and provide water during drought conditions. Law and government
Since 1979 Salt Lake City has had a non-partisan mayor-council form of government. The mayor and the seven councilors are elected to four-year terms. Mayoral elections are held the same year as three of the councilors. The other four councilors are staggered two years from the mayoral. Council seats are defined by geographic population boundaries. Each councilor represents approximately 26,000 citizens. Officials are not subject to term limits. The most recent election was held in 2003. The city has elected Democratic Party mayoral candidates for much of its recent history. Councilors are elected under specific issues and are usually well-known. Labor politics play no significant role. The Separation of Church and State is the most controversial topic with an ongoing Bridging the Religious Divide campaign. Political platforms are centered on education, economic development, and transportation. The metropolitan area's political demographics are relatively liberal and Democratic when compared to the rest of Utah's population, where Republican or conservative views usually dominate.
Economy
The modern economy of Salt Lake City is service-oriented. In the past, mining and railroad operations provided a strong source of income. Today the city’s major industries are government, trade, transportation, utilities, professional services and business services. Local, state, and federal governments have their largest presence in Salt Lake City, accounting for 21% of employment. Trade, transportation, and utilities account for another 18% of employment with its major employer the regional Delta Airlines hub at Salt Lake City International Airport. Equally significant are the professional and business services, which account for another 18% of employment. Health services and health educational services account for an additional 10% of employment. Other major employers include the University of Utah, Sinclair Oil Corporation and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Besides its central offices, the Church owns and operates a profit division, Deseret Management Corporation and its subsidiaries, headquartered in the city. Other economic activities are call centers, tourism, and conventions. Tourism was stimulated by the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. Many hotels and restaurants were built for the Olympics, and now suffer post-Olympic market saturation. The convention industry has blossomed in the city after construction of the Salt Palace convention center, which hosts the annual Outdoor Retailers meeting, among other conventions. In the latter 20th Century, urban sprawl created fierce suburban economic competition, resulting in inner-city decay. Large family sizes and low housing vacancy rates, which have inflated housing costs along the Wasatch Front, have led to one out of every six residents living below the poverty line. Transportation
 Salt Lake City has four major freeways. Interstate 15 runs north-south; Interstate 80 runs east-west; Utah State Route 201 (the 2100 South freeway) runs east-west along the border with West Valley City; and Interstate 215, a beltway, which traverses the city's northwest and west neighborhoods and encircles the city's southern suburbs. SR-201, I-15, and I-80 bisect one another at a "spaghetti bowl" interchange just south of the city in South Salt Lake. An additional freeway called the Legacy Highway is proposed along the west side of the Wasatch Front, but has been stalled by lawsuits. Other major roadways include Utah State Route 154 (Bangerter Highway) on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley, beginning at Salt Lake City International Airport and running north to south through the western side of the valley, and U.S. Highway 89 (State Street) running north to south through the center of the valley. In preparation for the 2002 Winter Olympics, large portions of the freeways were overhauled. The city's mass-transit service is operated by the Utah Transit Authority (UTA) and includes light rail and bus routes. The light rail system is known as TRAX and consists of two lines originating downtown: one running south through many of Salt Lake City's suburbs to Sandy, and another running east to the University of Utah. TRAX began service on December 4, 1999. Plans for a commuter rail line as well as expanded TRAX service are under development. Salt Lake City International Airport, Greyhound Bus Lines and Amtrak passenger trains provide intercity transportation connections. Ute Cab, City Cab and Yellow Cab are the major taxi services. The airport is a hub of Delta Air Lines. Arts and cultureCultural eventsAlthough the city is often stereotyped as a strict entirely Mormon city, it is in fact culturally and religiously diverse. The city is the location of many cultural activities, Mormon and otherwise. Some popular annual cultural celebrations include: 
ArtsMuseums in Salt Lake City include:
Salt Lake City provides many venues for both professional and amateur theatre. The city attracts many traveling Broadway and off-Broadway performances. Local acting companies include the Salt Lake Acting Company, Plan-B Theatre Company and the Off-Broadway Theatre. Salt Lake City is the home to the Mormon Tabernacle Choir as well as the Utah Symphony Orchestra, which was founded in 1940 by Maurice Abravanel and has become widely-renowned. Salt Lake has a typical music scene featuring local blues, rock, and punk groups. There are also many clubs which offer musical venues. As evidence of Utah's burgeoning club music scene, over 200 bands submitted tracks for a 2004 compilation by a local music zine, SLUG ("Salt Lake Underground"). The 15 year-old free monthly zine trimmed the submissions to 59 selections featuring diverse music types such as hip-hop, jazz, jazz-rock, punk, and a healthy variety of rock and roll. Recreation and sports Winter snow-skiing includes destinations such as Alta and Deer Valley (which both allow only skiing). Both skiing and snowboarding are available at Snowbird, Park City, Solitude, and Brighton. These six ski resorts, in addition to Sundance and The Canyons, are located within an hour's drive of the airport. The proximity of the ski resorts adds to the Utah boast of the "Greatest Snow on Earth". The ski resorts see frequent storms which deposit light, dry snow due to a phenomenon called the lake effect, where storms amplified by the warm waters of the Great Salt Lake precipitates in the Wasatch Mountains. Most of the ski resorts also offer summer activities. The mountains around Salt Lake City are very popular for hiking, camping, rock-climbing, and mountain biking, as well as other related outdoor activities. The reservoirs and rivers in the Wasatch Mountains are very popular for boating, fishing, and other water-related activities. Salt Lake City is the primary jumping-off point for exploring the national parks and monuments and rugged terrain of the southern half of the state. The national parks of southern Utah are some of the most popular vacation areas in the country. | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
