Millard County, Utah

Millard County, Utah
Millard County is a county in the U.S. state of Utah. As of the 2020 United States Census, the population was 12,975. Its county seat is Fillmore, and the largest city is Delta.
History
The Utah Territory legislature created the county on October 4, 1851, with territory not previously covered by county creations and including some area in the future state of Nevada. It was named for the thirteenth US President Millard Fillmore, who was in office then. Fillmore was designated as the county seat. The county boundaries were altered in 1852 and again in 1854. On March 2, 1861, the US government created the Nevada Territory, which effectively de-annexed the described portion of Millard County falling in that Territorial Proclamation. The county boundary was further altered in 1862, 1866, 1888, and in 1919. In 1921 a boundary adjustment with Sevier brought Millard to its present configuration.
Fillmore, located near the geographic center of the territory, was originally built as the capital of Utah Territory. The Utah Territorial Legislature approved a plan to locate the capital in the Pahvant Valley. On October 28, 1851, Utah Governor Brigham Young traveled to the valley and chose the specific site for Fillmore. The town was surveyed that same day. A colonizing company soon followed; they built houses, a grist mill, and a sawmill. Construction of the Territorial Statehouse was initiated in 1852. The Territorial legislature met in Fillmore for the first (and only time) in 1855. The following year they voted to keep the capital in Great Salt Lake City.
Geography
Millard County lies on the west side of Utah. Its west border abuts the east border of the state of Nevada. The county terrain consists of arid, rough undulating flatlands interrupted by numerous hills and mountain ridges. The highest point in the county is Mine Camp Peak in the Central Utah Plateaus, at ASL. The county has a total area of , of which is land and (3.7%) is water. It is the third-largest county in Utah by area.
The Sevier Desert covers much of Millard County, being the seafloor of ancient Lake Bonneville. Sevier Lake, a mostly dry remnant of Lake Bonneville, is in central Millard County. The Pahvant Mountains form the county's eastern boundary. Fillmore and other farming communities lie at the base of the Pahvant Mountains. Delta sits several miles from the banks of the Sevier River in the middle of the basin.
Major highways
Interstate 15
Interstate 70
US 6
US 50
Utah State U-21
Utah State U-100
Utah State U-125
Utah State U-132
Utah State U-133
Utah State U-136
Utah State U-257
Adjacent counties
Juab County - north
Sanpete County - northeast
Sevier County - southeast
Beaver County - south
Lincoln County, Nevada - southwest
White Pine County, Nevada - west
Protected areas
Circus Hollow Wildlife Management Area
Clear Lake Waterfowl Management Area
Fishlake National Forest (part)
Halfway Hill Wildlife Management Area
Lakes
Abraham Reservoir
Alexander Lake
Antelope Spring (along Cove Creek)
Antelope Spring Reservoir
AT T Road Reservoir
Beaver River Reservoir
Big Drum Reservoir
Big Sage Reservoir
Bitterweed Lake
Black Point Reservoir
Black Spring
Bloom Trail Reservoir
Borden Basin Reservoir
Burnt Tree Pond
Carr Lake
Cat Canyon Reservoir
Cedar Pass Reservoir
Chokecherry Reservoir
Clay Knoll Reservoir
Clear Lake
Clear Spot Reservoirs
Coates Reservoir
Cockleburr Lake
Confusion Hills Reservoir
Conger Reservoir
Construction Reservoir
Coyote Spring (near Beaver River)
Coyote Spring (Tule Valley)
Crafts Lake
Crater Reservoir
Cricket Reservoir
Cricket Reservoir Number 2
D M A D Reservoir
Danish Reservoir
Deadman Reservoir
Deep Lake
Deseret Reservoirs
Devils Kitchen Reservoir
East Antelope Reservoir
East Hardpan Reservoir
East Tule Bench Reservoir
Ecks Knoll Reservoir
Fillmore Wash Reservoir
Fool Creek Number Two Reservoir
Fool Creek Reservoir Number 1
Foote Reservoir
Georges Reservoir
Greener Reservoir
Gunnison Bend Reservoir
Halls Double Reservoir
Hardpan Reservoir
Headquarters Reservoir
Highway Reservoir
Hinckley Trail Reservoir
Hodgsen Pond
Hole-in-the-Rock Reservoir
Horsetrap Reservoir
Indian Queen Reservoir
Indian Ranch
Jackson Pond
Jensen Spring
Johnson Pond
Lakeview Reservoir
Lawson Cove Reservoir
Little Drum Reservoir
Long Ridge Reservoir
Lower Clay Spring
Madsen Reservoir
Miller Canyon Reservoir
Mormon Gap Reservoir
Mud Flat Reservoir
Mud Lake Spring
Mud Springs
Needle Hardpan Reservoir
Needle Reservoir
Neels Reservoir Number 2
Nelson Reservoir Number 2
Nielson Pond
North Clay Knoll Reservoir
North Knoll Spring
Pine Pass Reservoir
Pony Express Reservoir
Preuss Lake
Probst Pond
Rain Lakes
Red Rock Number 1 Reservoir
Red Rock Number 2 Reservoir
Robins Lake
Ruths Pond
Salt Lake
Salt Marsh Lake
Scipio Lake
Sevier Lake
Sevier Lake Reservoir
Sevier Lake Reservoir Number 1
Sevier Lake Reservoir Number 4
Sevier Lake Reservoir Number 5
Sevier Lake Reservoir Number 6
Smelter Knolls Reservoir
Snake Pass Reservoir
Soap Hollow Reservoir
Soap Wash Reservoir
South Cedar Wash Reservoir
South Horse Hollow Reservoir
South Tule Spring
Spring Lake
Squidike Spring
Stage Road Reservoir
Steamboat Pass Reservoir
Styler Reservoir
Swan Lake
Swan Lake Salt Marsh
Swasey Hardpan Reservoir
Swasey Reservoir Number 2
Swasey Reservoir Number 3
Swasey Reservoir Number 4
Swasey Wash Reservoir
Tamarack Reservoir
The Lakes
Thompson Knoll Reservoir
Topaz Slough
Tule Spring
Twin Springs
Warm Springs
Watsons Cow Pond
West Clay Knoll Reservoir
West Marshall Tract Reservoir
West Neels Reservoir
Whirlwind Reservoir
Willow Spring (near Tule Spring)
Great Stone Face
Pahvant Valley in Millard County has several ancient lava flows and extinct volcanoes, known as the Black Rock Desert volcanic field, including the "Black Rock" lava flow. About southwest of Delta, near Black Rock's northwest perimeter is a feature named the "Great Stone Face", which protrudes about four stories above the general elevation. Locals claim that this rock formation, when viewed at the correct angle, appears similar to a profile of Joseph Smith. At ground level, within view of the "Great Stone Face", is a large, smooth-faced rock covered in Native American petroglyphs.
Notch Peak
Notch Peak is west of Delta. The skyline appears to have a notch taken out of it when viewed from Delta.
Little Sahara Sand Dunes
Little Sahara Recreation Area, north of Delta, is a popular area for ATV riders.
Demographics
As of the 2000 United States Census, there were 12,405 people, 3,840 households, and 3,091 families in the county. The population density was . There were 4,522 housing units at an average density of .
In 2000 there were 3,840 households, of which 46.10% had children under 18 living with them, 70.60% were married couples living together, 7.10% had a female householder with no husband present, and 19.50% were non-families. 18.30% of all households were made up of individuals, and 10.10% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 3.19, and the average family size was 3.66.
The county population contained 37.30% under 18, 8.00% from 18 to 24, 22.90% from 25 to 44, 19.40% from 45 to 64, and 12.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 30 years. For every 100 females, there were 104.90 males. For every 100 females aged 18 and over, there were 101.90 males.
The median income for a household in the county was $36,178, and the median income for a family was $41,797. Males had a median income of $36,989 versus $20,168 for females. The per capita income for the county was $13,408. About 9.40% of families and 13.10% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.20% of those under age 18 and 7.20% of those aged 65 or over.
The 2000 Census reported the racial makeup of the county was 93.94% White, 0.10% Black or African American, 1.31% Native American, 0.48% Asian, 0.20% Pacific Islander, 2.76% from other races, and 1.21% from two or more races. 7.18% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.
By 2005, 86.7% of Millard County's population was non-Hispanic whites. The proportion of African Americans had doubled to 0.2%. Native Americans were now 1.5% of the country's population. Asians had fallen to only 0.4% of the population. 11.0% of the population was Latino, just above the 10.9% for Utah.
As of 2010, Millard County had a population of 12,310. The ethnic and racial makeup of the population was 84.7% non-Hispanic white, 0.1% black, 1.0% Native American, 0.6% Asian, 0.1% Pacific Islander, 1.5% reporting two or more races, and 12.8% Hispanic or Latino.
Economy
Millard County is working hard to make it easier to build Earthships, straw bale homes, and other ecological and sustainable housing.
Millard County is the home of the Telescope Array Project ultra-high-energy cosmic ray observatory. The Lon and Mary Watson Millard County Cosmic Ray Center was dedicated on March 20, 2006.
Japanese internment camp
The Topaz War Relocation Center was a World War II Japanese internment camp located in Millard County west of Delta. The location is open to the public, with a memorial at the northwest corner.
Politics and government
Millard County has traditionally voted Republican. In no national election since 1944 has the county selected the Democratic Party candidate (as of 2020).
Communities
Cities
Delta
Fillmore (county seat)
Towns
Hinckley
Holden
Kanosh
Leamington
Lynndyl
Meadow
Oak City
Scipio
Census-designated places
Deseret
Oasis
Sutherland
Unincorporated communities
Abraham
Black Rock
Border
Burbank
Cove Fort
EskDale
Flowell
Fool Creek
Gandy
Garrison
Hatton
McCornick
Sugarville
Woodrow
Former communities
Bloom
Borden
Clear Lake
Greenwood
Ibex
Sunflower
Topaz
Van
Gallery
See also
Cove Fort, Utah
National Register of Historic Places listings in Millard County, Utah
USS Millard County (LST-987)
Willden Fort
References
External links
1851 establishments in Utah Territory
Populated places established in 1851
Great Basin National Heritage Area