Juab County, Utah

Juab County, Utah
Juab County is a county in western Utah, United States. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 11,786. Its county seat and largest city is Nephi.
Juab County is part of the Provo–Orem, Utah Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is also included in the Salt Lake City–Provo–Orem, Utah Combined Statistical Area.
History
The area of future Juab County was inhabited by nomadic indigenous peoples before the Mormon settlement of Utah beginning in 1847. Soon after, Mormons and others traveling through the area had established a road to California, leading SSW from Great Salt Lake City. It passed Salt Creek, flowing westward through a slough in the Wasatch Mountains. The area around this creek was often used as a stopping or camping spot by travelers, and by 1851 Mormon settlers had begun a settlement in the area. When the Utah Territory legislature created a county (by partitioning territory from Utah County) to oversee the growth and organization of the largely uninhabited and unbearable area, this settlement (called Salt Creek) was the only real settlement worthy of the name, and it was designated as the county seat in a 3 March 1852 legislative act. The new county's description included considerable territory falling in present-day Nevada. The county name reportedly derived from a Native American word meaning thirsty valley, or possibly only valley.
The county's boundaries were altered in 1854, 1855, and 1856. Also, in 1856 the Territory legislature, acknowledging the upcoming establishment of Nevada Territory, removed from the boundary description of Juab county all territories west of 114 degrees longitude. Further boundary adjustments were made in 1861, 1862, 1866, 1870, in 1888, and 1913. A small adjustment between Juab and Sanpete counties on March 8, 1919, created the current Juab County configuration.
Early settlers in Salt Creek devoted themselves to agriculture and livestock. However, by 1869 mining of precious metals had begun in the Tintic region. Mining towns, including Diamond, Silver City, and Eureka, appeared. By 1889 it was considered one of the nation's most productive mining areas. Mining continued as the dominant economic driver through the mid-twentieth century, then subsided. Salt Creek grew apace, although in 1882 the town name (and US Post Office designation) was changed to "Nephi".
Politics and government
Juab has traditionally voted Republican. In only one national election since 1948 the county selected the Democratic Party candidate.
Geography
Juab County lies on the west side of Utah. Its west border abuts the east border of the state of Nevada. Its planar areas consist of rugged, arid semi-arable fine-grain soil, with hills and low mountains. Its eastern border is loosely defined by the ridgeline of an arm of the Wasatch Mountains. The terrain generally slopes to the north, with its highest point on Mount Ibapah, a crest of the East Central Great Basin Range in northwest Juab County. The listed elevation of Mt. Ibapah is ASL. The county has a total area of , of which is land and (0.4%) is water. The county's shape bears resemblance to the shape of Massachusetts.
Airports
Nephi Municipal Airport (NPH)
Highways
Interstate 15
U.S. Route 6
Utah State Route 28
Utah State Route 36
Utah State Route 78
Utah State Route 132
Adjacent counties
Tooele County - north
Utah County - northeast
Sanpete County - southeast
Millard County - south
White Pine County, Nevada - west
Protected areas
Deep Creek Wildlife Management Area
Fish Springs National Wildlife Refuge
Fishlake National Forest (part)
Mona Front Wildlife Management Area
Triangle Ranch Wildlife Management Area
Uinta-Wasatch-Cache National Forest (part)
Yuba State Park (part)
Yuba Lake State Recreation Area
Lakes
Andys Pond
Antelope Springs
Baker Hot Springs
Big Spring
Bittner Knoll Reservoir
Blue Springs
Brough Reservoir
Burraston Ponds
Cane Springs
CCC Reservoir
Cherry Creek Reservoir
Chicken Creek Reservoir
Coyote Knoll Reservoir
Crater Bench Reservoir
Dead Horse Tank
Desert Mountain Reservoir
Dog Valley Reservoir
East Dugway Reservoir
East Topaz Reservoir
East Topaz 2 Reservoir
Fish Springs
Avocet Pool
Crater Spring
Curlew Pool
Deadman Spring
Egret Pool
Gadwall Pool
Harrison Pool
House Springs
Ibis Pool
Lost Spring
Mallard Pool
Middle Spring
Mirror Spring
North Springs
Percy Spring
Pintail Pool
Shoveler Pool
South Springs
Thomas Springs
Walter Spring
Hogback Reservoir
Hole in Rock Reservoir
Hole-in-the-Wall Reservoir
Irons Reservoir
Laird Spring
Lime Spring
Little Red Cedar Spring
Lower Topaz Reservoir
Mile Pond
Molten Spring
Mona Reservoir
Monument Reservoir
Mud Lake Reservoir
Mud Springs
North Sugarville Reservoir
Picture Rock Reservoir
Picture Rock Wash Reservoir
Rain Lake
River Bed Reservoir
River Bed Reservoir Number 2
Roadside Reservoir (near Boyd Station)
Roadside Reservoir (in the Tule Valley)
South Desert Mountain Reservoir
Studhorse Springs
Swasey Point Reservoir
Table Knoll Reservoir
Trough Spring
West Fork Reservoir
Yuba Lake (or Sevier Bridge Reservoir)(partially)
Demographics
As of July 1, 2018, the US Census Bureau estimates that there were 11,555 people and 3,557 housing units in the county. The population density was . There were 3,066 households. The racial makeup of the county was 96.4% White, 0.4% Black or African American, 1.0% Native American, 0.4% Asian, 0.2% Pacific Islander, and 1.5% from two or more races. 4.7% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
In 2010, there were 3,093 households, out of which 47.8% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 68.50% were married couples living together, 8.80% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.40% were non-families. 17.30% of all households, the householder lived alone. The average household size was 3.27, and the average family size was 3.74.
The county population contained 40.1% of 19 and younger, 5.0% from 20 to 24, 24.80% from 25 to 44, 20.1% from 45 to 64, and 10.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 29.3 years. 51% of the population was male, and 49% was female.
The median income for a household in the county was $56,976. The per capita income for the county was $18,503 and 11.4% of the population were below the poverty line.
Education
Two school districts serve the county:
Juab School District, serving the Juab Valley area on the eastern end of the county
Tintic School District, serving the remaining western part of the county
Communities
Cities
Eureka
Mona
Nephi (county seat)
Santaquin (part)
Towns
Levan
Rocky Ridge
Unincorporated communities
Callao
Goshute
Ironton
Juab
Mammoth
Mills
Partoun
Red Point
Sharp
Starr
Tintic Junction
Trout Creek
Ghost towns
Chicken Creek
Diamond
Jericho
Joy
Knightsville
Silver City
See also
List of counties in Utah
National Register of Historic Places listings in Juab County, Utah
References
External links
Juab County website
Juab County Fair website
Juab County Sheriff's Office website
Juab Travel Council website
Ghost Towns of Juab County (on ghosttowns.com)
Utah placenames of Native American origin
1852 establishments in Utah Territory
Populated places established in 1852